[TEC] My short 'how to guide' to converting SH4 .dds texture files for modding

[nvdrifter]

Hey all you present and future modders, here's a quick step by step set of instructions I wrote up for modding .dds texture files in SH4 that worked for me. First, you need the freeware DDS Converter tool installed to do the steps below. Get it here:

http://halo2.filefront.com/file/Halo...onverter;41019 (http://halo2.filefront.com/file/Halo_dds_texture_converter;41019)


Now, on with the tutorial:

1. Make back-up copy of .dds file that will be modded (copy and paste.. whatever works for you).

2. In the DDS Converter Tool option settings make sure that the Quality Compression setting is set to 99%.

3. Set Input Format setting to DirectDraw Surface (.dds) setting. Set Output Format setting to .jpg or whatever file format for modding.

4. Click the Convert button.

5. Delete the original .dds file you are modding. You did make a back up first, didn't you?

6. Mod the converted .jpeg (or whatever) file with your favorite art program.

7. Set Output Format setting to DirectDraw Surface (.dds) setting. Set the Input Format setting to .jpg or whatever file format you converted the file into for modding.

8. Click the Convert button.

9. Check and make sure the new .dds file is showing in the correct SH4 game folder.

10. Load SH4, test, and please share it with the community. :know:

I hope the simple instructions I wrote above will help bring new people into the world of Silent Hunter modding. We always need new modders.

[Der Teddy Bar]

Great info :up:

[zAmboni]

I have never worked with .dds files, but I wanted to point out that Nvidia has some tools on their site for working with .dds files. I am not sure if it is any better than the Dxtbmp file that you are using.

Nvidia link: http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_texture_tools.html

They have a photoshop plugin (I havent used it so I dont know if it is helpful)...may give it a try sometime soon.

Also, I was poking around looking at some of the .dds files with the program above and found that many of the images from SH3 are included in the SH4 install folders :) I have only looked in some of the gui folders, and many of the old menu icons are included in there


Ooh. the thumbnail viewer rocks for getting a quick view of what the files are in windows explorer

[monsoonrat]

Thanks Nvdrifter! I used your the program you suggested to re-duplicate the NYGM version, along with the config files from NYGM plot mod for not seeing the fish tail on the sub/ship/aircraft icons on the map; along with removing the colored icon give aways and also for the vanishing sonar lines.

Nice to see you are still around Der Teddy, I thought we had lost permanently lost you somewhere...BTW, Thank you NvDrifter and Der Teddy for all your contributions to this place. I appreciate all you do for free and hope you don't stop like JScones, who sounds like he got sick from all the whining.

[CaptainCox]

"2. In the DDS Converter Tool option settings make sure that the Quality Compression setting is set to 99%.

3. Set Input Format setting to DirectDraw Surface (.dds) setting. Set Output Format setting to .jpg or whatever file format for modding."

I downloaded this tool but can for the sake of God not find any options or Output format or nothing I only see this http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/CaptainCox/Crpppp.jpg


Where would the Options be?

[CaptainCox]

OK finally got it using the PSCS2 plug in. Gonna make a thread for the 360 Bearing tool. I think the link that is on the 1st post is not the correct one. That's for the "DXTBmp" tool not the "DSS Converter" I found the DSSC using Google but did not work as I wanted it to...but don't matter now.

[Ducimus]

OK finally got it using the PSCS2 plug in.

What is that?

[nvdrifter]

OK finally got it using the PSCS2 plug in.
What is that?

I think he means Photo Shop.

[CaptainCox]

Photo Shop CS2 Plugin = PSCS2 ;)
Its that Nvidia DDS converter for Photo Shop.

[Ducimus]

Any such thing for the Gimp?

[CaptainCox]

Read somewhere there is a DDS plug in for Gimp. Gonna look for it hang on.

[CaptainCox]

Try this http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/dds/
Hope it helps.

[DivingDuck]

Moin CaptainCox,

I´ve installed the dds plugin that has been provided by NVIDIA. I guess it doesnt matter what graphics card I use, it´s an ATI in my case. But for some reason PhotoShopCS is not able to open dds files.
Any suggestions?

Regards,
DD

[CaptainCox]

Abend Herr Duck ;)
Hm, As I use an NVIDIA card I am not sure about this one. I would presume that you might have some incompatible issues there as it is an ATI card you have after all (only my guess) i Googled a bit and found this...it might do the trick for ya http://eliteforce2.filefront.com/file/DDS_Converter;29412

[DivingDuck]

God kväll CC,

Thanks for your efforts. I´ve come across this tool meanwhile and converted my texture files already. But the model stays grey.
Since I´ve attached stock texture files form other SHIV vessels successfully it seems that the issue lies with the conversion.

Regards,
DD

[bunkerratt]

http://hosted.filefront.com/bunkerratt/ go to my page and download the dds file converter try that ...:arrgh!:

[Madox58]

God kväll CC,

Thanks for your efforts. I´ve come across this tool meanwhile and converted my texture files already. But the model stays grey.
Since I´ve attached stock texture files form other SHIV vessels successfully it seems that the issue lies with the conversion.

Regards,
DD

Grüße Verhexen Meister!
(Hope I got that right?)
What model refuses to show proper texture, if I may ask?
I use Deep Ex and have not had any such occurence.
Yet.

[DivingDuck]

Moin,


Grüße Verhexen Meister!
(Hope I got that right?) Long time no see. It´s almost perfect, but "Grüße Hexen Meister" would be more perfect ;)

The problem is fixed already. Using DDS Converter 2.1. The problem lied with the compression format and the number of MipMap levels. Allthough I didn´t manage to use the LigtmapTextureName and the NormalmapTextureName nodes in the way they should be used, I´ve ported my sailing fishing boat to SHIV successfully. Even the ligthed version is doing fine. Both show the textures as I expect them to do.

Regards,
DD

[Madox58]

The 2 ships I ported over have the wakes and act fine but no damages
appear as the SH4 vals have no damage info.

[Antenor]

Hi all guys, i have a little problem, i´m using de dds converter 2.1 to converte de HUD icons, i see de "blank" new buttons added with the mod of "lost" SH3 order (report range to course end and report time to course end, etc).

Well I open de dds file and convert to jpg, I make de changes (below you see a pic), and convert again to dds, but this is the problem:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/Aragorn_sr/SH4Img8-4-2007_13.jpg

Hope yo can help me, thank you Salute all!

[Antenor]

Nobody can help me? please?.

[donut]

In my effort to work with modding,I found this to share.
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/windows_texture_viewer.html

[Digital_Trucker]

Thanks, donut, that will come in handy.

You might want to look at http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=121019&highlight=thumbnail , too. It's a little app that lets you look at dds and tga files (and about a 1000 other obscure formats) in thumbnail view in windows explorer.

[rea00cy]

Hello all. I would like to start doing some modding following your recommendations. The question is if I can use Adobe Photoshop Elements for that purpose.:hmm:

Regards,
Rea00cy

[Digital_Trucker]

You can use the nVidia photoshop plugin (available at http://developer.download.nvidia.com/tools/texturetools/Photoshop_Plugins_8.23.0307.1915.exe ) to edit dds files in Photoshop. The plugin is supposed to work with gimp also. I believe that Paint.net has native dds support, also.

[Arclight]

I've just finished modding the "Periscope_Mask_1024.dds" using GIMP and it's .dds plugin. All smooth sailing, though I can't say anything yet about other (more complex) files. Just as a note. ;)

[peabody]

Hello all. I would like to start doing some modding following your recommendations. The question is if I can use Adobe Photoshop Elements for that purpose.:hmm:

Regards,
Rea00cy
Some PS plugins will work with Elements some won't.

I have PS Elements 3 and the dds is built in, just pick 'save as' and the dropdown will list dds and then a window comes up with all sorts of choices. And for loading it loaded right in. Maybe you have to convert to another format to do certain things, but all I was doing was shrinking the lights on the torpedo panel for the subs being built that need 8 forward tubes. (8 buttons didn't fit)

The problem I had with it was the alpha, I never worked with alpha channel and I thought it was a transparency color, it's not, it's a selection mask. So if you use PSE and need an alpha channel, make your selection, (select inverse if you selected the background ) and go to the Select menu and 'save selection' put in a name for it and then while it is still selected, save as. And the alpha selection is saved with the dds. The choice that worked for me was DXT3 with explicit alpha. If that is not right, maybe someone here would know but it worked for me.

Peabody