Note: This was originally written for previous titles, but as people have been finding it quite useful I figured I’d share it once again for Forza Horizon 4.
Hello everyone.
Today I’d like to share with you all my workflow for (re)creating logos in Forza games. This is a method that a few veteran players may already know of but for those that don’t here’s a short guide.
If you’re playing the game directly from Windows 10 this guide may change. I predominantly play on Xbox One so I’ll be writing from that perspective. My screenshots are from Forza Horizon 3 but the editor is the same in Forza Horizon 4 so these tips will still apply.
What is Glass2K and why do I need it?
Glass2K is a small application that allows you to change the transparency of your windows on any Windows PC.
We will be using this to create an overlapping screen so that we can work directly on top of a reference image.
There are many places to find images of logos that you want to replicate. Google is the obvious choice but you can also look up logo repositories like Brands of the World.
You will want an image that is reasonably high resolution, ideally around 700px tall at the very least. This will allow your Forza version to be more accurate when it comes to the smaller details.
Once you have your image ready, save it to the Desktop and open it.
On your Forza game, go to where you create a new Vinyl Group. In Forza Horizon 3 the menu path is [Autoshow] >[Garage] > [Designs and Paints] > [Create Vinyl Group].
Press {RS} until you have a dark background with no gridlines.
On your PC, start up Glass2K if you haven’t already.
On your PC go to your Xbox app and {Right Click} anywhere on the screen.
You should now see a box with a list of percentages. Choose somewhere between 50% and 80%, this will make your Xbox app window transparent, allowing you to see the logo from [Step 1] behind it (See first image below).
Still on the Xbox app, select [Game Streaming] and stream your Xbox One to your PC. Be sure to select the highest quality setting if you haven’t already.
If your screen now looks like the second image below, you’re ready to make your logo.
There are no shortcuts for this, you’ll need to use the various in-game Vinyl Shapes to make your logo. Every Forza painter has a different set of core shapes that they use to make everything, and you’ll find your preferences the more you work with the tool.
During this step you should only use whites, blacks and grays for the various elements of the logo. We’re focusing on shapes right now and not colour.
Using your reference image, try and get your ingame version as close to the real logo as possible. This will take varying amounts of time depending on the complexity of the logo and the experience of the painter. For reference, I’ve been a Forza painter for about 6 years, and a logo like this would take me about an hour to complete.
Once you’ve gotten the logo to a level of accuracy you’re happy with, you can stop streaming from your PC and send your screen back to your Xbox One.
If you can make the game window transparent, it should work; no streaming required.
Update: Glass2K can made Forza Horizon 4 transparent if you assign keyboard shortcuts to opacity values. I have tried it myself a few times and can confirm.
Another great alternative, and one I use a LOT for reference images and stuff, is a program called PureRef. Tons of options (opacity, hotkeys, multiple images with ability to align and resize automatically, sort, etc.) I use it quite often for my 3D modeling references, but you can absolutely use it for stuff like this. I have my opacity level adjustments set to Ctrl + and Ctrl - , and it works perfectly. You can lock the window, change it to grayscale, change opacity, etc. etc. etc. Tons of great options, lightweight, and very sleek look (no borders, etc.)
Wow, I have never seen anything like that… I made dozens of designs and eye-balling it makes things really hard and not nearly as accurate. Thanks soooo much for the info!!!
Wow, I have never seen anything like that… I made dozens of designs and eye-balling it makes things really hard and not nearly as accurate. Thanks soooo much for the info!!!
CodyJ
EDIT: Sorry for Double Post. I think it timed me out and posted as guest. Anyhow thanks for an awesome tutorial.
Anyway to turn glass2k off and on? The site looks like it’s no longer being updated. Awesome tool but gets annoying have that menu pop up every time I right click when I’m not working on a logo.
Thanks for posting this guide. From someone with little artistic skills and not much experience I was able to use this to create a simple logo and most importantly learn a little bit about the tools and how layers work. Well written and easy to follow.
There’s a lot of lag between my Xbox and computer using my controller. Is there anything I can do to fix it. My Xbox is in my basement and the computer is upstairs. Any help is appreciated.
)
