Is it possible to create a Font from a Bitmap?

Development Character & Animation
1

Hi there.
I want to create a font from a bitmap I have that has all the letters and numbers I need, but I’m not sure if it’s even possible to get a font working by using a Bitmap (or maybe a texture per glyph or something).
Please tell me if it’s something feasible.

Thanks in advance.

2

Your easiest approach would be to convert the bitmap to a TTF (font) file and then import that in to UE4 and use it as a normal font.

A quick search on Google brought up a few links to utilities that can convert a bitmap to a font … I haven’t tried them … so mileage may vary.

3

Hi.

I am not sure but i doubt UE4 can do it. The alternative is to create a ttf from your bitmap font.
There are free tools to do just that

Edit: qdelpeche beat me to it

4

The problem is that if I convert it to ttf it will lose the gradient the font has and that’s exactly what I want to avoid. The first one would probably be a solution, but I don’t know how to set up Autotrace and I’m not sure if it’s going to preserve the shape and shading of the font. Also, that second link is to do the reverse process: ttf to bitmap.
I think there should be a more automated way than this one…

5

Another thing to try could be making a UE font from one that is similar, then exporting the resulting bitmap and placing all your own characters over the top (then erasing the source characters, of course).

I think the character spacing might become off doing it that way though.

Is it possible to replace the bitmap like that?
I’m at work so I can’t test this out.