The following tutorial was completed in Adobe Photoshop Elements. If you don't have Photoshop don't worry, the technique can be used with most paint programs.

Step 1. Get your picture ready.

Find a picture you like or create a picture you'd like to use. The image must be 800 pixels (width) by 600 pixels (height)!

Here's the picture I plan on using. I've already resized it to the correct dimensions.

http://img288.echo.cx/img288/2051/step12iz.jpg

Step 2. Define your grid size.

Cutting the picture up by hand can be a royal pain in the butt. Here's a simpler solution.

In Photoshop, click Edit -> Preferences -> Grid

http://img288.echo.cx/img288/9079/step2a4hb.jpg

Then set:
Gridline every: 256 pixels
Subdivisions: 1

http://img288.echo.cx/img288/563/step2b8as.jpg

Now make sure the grid is showing. Click View -> Show Grid

You should see lines or something similar dividing your image.

http://img288.echo.cx/img288/8365/step2c7ni.jpg

Before you start copying and pasting, click View -> Snap. Make sure "Snap" has a checkmark beside it as that will allow your selection tools to automatically stick to the grid you created.

Step 3. Cut it up and save it.

Using the box selection tool (aka the Rectangular Marquee Tool) click + hold on the top left corner and drag the selection box until it has "snapped" to the grid of that section.

http://img288.echo.cx/img288/7459/step3a9vy.jpg

Copy the selection (Ctrl + C) and paste it into a new image (Ctrl + N). The new image should be the same size as the box selection you just made.

http://img127.echo.cx/img127/3892/step3b6yc.jpg

Paste (Ctrl + V) your selection into the new image. The new image should now contain what you copied and pasted.

http://img127.echo.cx/img127/1636/step3c7kc.jpg

Now to save it. Click File -> Save As... and select the "Targa (.TGA)" format.
Use the following table to name each section properly.

http://img127.echo.cx/img127/6459/nametable2nj.jpg

Save the file to your dod/resource/background/ folder.

Repeat Step 3 for each grid section of the image.




When you're done, load up DoD and enjoy your new splash screen.

http://img127.echo.cx/img127/5457/splashcomplete3lu.jpg

nice tutorial, I've been wondering how things like this are done.

P.S. what is that picture from?

And this little tool does the job for you , in seconds rather than minutes : http://www.shatteredminds.net/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=15