Skins - does using DXTBmp result in a loss of visual quality?

[Flogger23m]

Hello,

 

I am attempting to learn how to skin in DCS. Currently I am using Photoshop CS2. As it can not save files directly to .dds I must use DXTBmp. In Photoshop I save the file as a 32bit .bmp (does it make a difference compared to 24 bit?), open the .bmp in DXTBmp and convert it to a DDS DXT5. I then place the files in the appropriate folders and the skins show up in DCS World.

 

However, I have been told that converting the files to .bmp and then using DXTBmp to convert them to .dds will result in a visual quality loss. Is this true?

 

I have been told that using GIMP with a .dds plugin negates the need to use DXTBmp and the .bmp conversion process which in theory should prevent image quality loss, but when I did this the results were not very good:

 

Left - Photoshop save as .bmp, open and convert in DXTBmp to .dds.

 

Right - Photoshop, open .PSD with GIMP, save as .dds. Appears very bright, odd AA issues and some markings got removed:

 

 

Any insight/advice would be appreciated. If using DXTBmp does not actually cause any loss in image quality then I will continue using it in conjunction with Photoshop and forget about using GIMP.

 

For those interested, here are some of the skins I am working on:

 

 

 

If there is interest and they are up to par I will release them for download.

[Devrim]

Hi.

 

DTXBmp causes quality loss, but it's very very small amount (It can acceptable and not notice easly in game actually). Your problem seems different. Because I didn't see that DTXBmp changes the color tone.

 

Whatever; Did you look for DDS plug-in for Photoshop? I use that plug-in with Photoshop, and didn't see disturbing compress (quality) problem. Handling texture s is then so easy.

[Skulleader]

Hello,

I make my skins with Photoshop, I Save in BMP with Photoshop and after I open this file with PaintNet and I save to DDS without problems.

Do you can try PaintNet for the convertion ?

 

Bye, Skull.

[SkateZilla]

CS2 Supports nVidia's Texture Tools.

 

https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

[Flogger23m]

CS2 Supports nVidia's Texture Tools.

 

https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

 

How would I install it? I ran the installer but it does not seem to do anything. I can't save files in .DDS and I can not open .DDS files in photoshop after running the installer.

 

I am using CS2 and Win 7 64bit if it matters.

[joey45]

Where did you install it?

[Cobra847]

How would I install it? I ran the installer but it does not seem to do anything. I can't save files in .DDS and I can not open .DDS files in photoshop after running the installer.

 

I am using CS2 and Win 7 64bit if it matters.

 

Try again; there is no reason it shouldn't work. Try running the installer as admin.

 

Use DDS DXT1 compression when not working with a texture that requires Alpha information.

(and if Alpha is required, use DXT1 explicit for simpler alphas or DXT5 Interp. alpha for smooth gradients)

 

Quality loss in .bmp is non-existant, as it is a lossless format. Bit depth defines.. bit depth of each pixel, use 24bit.

Any loss in quality will be incurred on conversion to DDS (compression), but it is negligble.

[Flogger23m]

Try again; there is no reason it shouldn't work. Try running the installer as admin.

 

Use DDS DXT1 compression when not working with a texture that requires Alpha information.

(and if Alpha is required, use DXT1 explicit for simpler alphas or DXT5 Interp. alpha for smooth gradients)

 

Quality loss in .bmp is non-existant, as it is a lossless format. Bit depth defines.. bit depth of each pixel, use 24bit.

Any loss in quality will be incurred on conversion to DDS (compression), but it is negligble.

 

Will try that. It seems to install fine, but does not give me an option in Photoshop.

 

I am running CS2 on Win 7 64bit if it matters.

 

And another quick question. For splinter/digital type camo, is it preferable to use the brush tool over the line tool? The brush tool seems to give me less jaggies when doing straight lines. Thinking of redoing the F-15s posted above rather than attempting to clean them up.

[GeorgeLKMT]

For splinter/digital type camo, is it preferable to use the brush tool over the line tool?

 

For camo you're doing (I'm looking at the first post), I would use pen tool in shape layers mode. It will stay all nicely editable as well, if that matters. And it's also the most convenient and easy way to make such shapes.

 

Oh and by the way, about that problem with GIMP at the first screenshot. Shading, weathering and markings are missing because when you opened your .psd in GIMP, layers containing this information got disabled or something. I don't recommend using psd with anything else than Photoshop. Get that nvidia dds tools running and you'll be fine.

Edited May 9, 2014 by GeorgeLKMT

[SkateZilla]

Will try that. It seems to install fine, but does not give me an option in Photoshop.

 

I am running CS2 on Win 7 64bit if it matters.

 

And another quick question. For splinter/digital type camo, is it preferable to use the brush tool over the line tool? The brush tool seems to give me less jaggies when doing straight lines. Thinking of redoing the F-15s posted above rather than attempting to clean them up.

 

 

Sorry, My Office Still Runs XP-SP3-32-Bit for the time being, But:

 

Make sure you're installing it into the correct directory.

 

If installed right, you should See "NVIDIA TOOLS" under the Filter Menu *(ALT+T)

[Hunden Ynk]

Regarding bit-depth: 8 bit per color channel gives you 256 levels of each color, since one bit is either 0 or one. Leading to a total of 16 million possible colors, and there are three color channels, so that's 24 bit. 32 bit gives you one extra channel, which is used as an alpha (transparency).

 

Regarding color issues: When I have those kind of problems, it's usually because something goes wrong with color-spaces and/or profiles. Like program X saves the image in sRGB, but program Y knows nothing about ICC profiles, yadayada... This is messy stuff. :cry:

[Flogger23m]

Sorry, My Office Still Runs XP-SP3-32-Bit for the time being, But:

 

Make sure you're installing it into the correct directory.

 

If installed right, you should See "NVIDIA TOOLS" under the Filter Menu *(ALT+T)

 

Certainly not getting that option/screen. Will doubt check installation and try as admin.

 

The pen tool did help and I redid the camo F-15s in the OP. They look much better.

[Flogger23m]

Still have not got a chance to try reinstalling the Photoshop plug in, but I have uploaded a "beta" version of my Su-27 skins. If someone has time and if they can download them and see if they are up to par with other skins I would appreciate it. :) Any tips or noticeable issues in game would be helpful.

 

Download link:

 

http://www.gamefront.com/files/24227431/DCS+Su-27+Splinter+Desert+39-40.rar

 

[Flogger23m]

Another quick question. I know the F-15 template has the USAF marking "decals" but the Su-27 template does not seem to contain the Russian star? Is it found on a certain file or must I source the Russian AF roundels from the internet?

 

And is there an Su-33 template in the works?

[joey45]

Not sure on the Star.

 

For the 33 template...... we're still waiting on ED to release it... HINT HINT

[GeorgeLKMT]

Stars and some other markings are in separate texture named Su-27_decol.tga. You can find it in \Bazar\Textures\Su-27.zip. Of course, if you wish, you can use an empty texture instead and paint them by yourself.

Edited May 17, 2014 by GeorgeLKMT

[Ryan Barnes]

Just in case you didn't know, you can drag the raw .psd file into DXTbmp, no need to save it as a bmp first. This will save you a step and an entire set of unnecessary bmp files.