Custom Starscapes

[Treewyrm]

ok thx. Any idea how i would get the texture into a program such as Paint Shop Pro or GIMP?

Mmm? Do you want to make new texture or what? Making new skybox textures depends on what effect you are trying to archive. For generic starscapes I suggest getting shots from extensive collection of Hubble pictures, even original Freelancer used them (like that "eye" galaxy in O-5 box and many others). Use GIMP or whatever suits you best to make panoramic texture.

There are more sophisticated programs made specifically for textures, like Texture Maker (previously known as I-Tex).