Best program to view & edit texture files?

[kevinsue]

Could someone please tell me which is the best format and program to view and edit these texture files? Many of the .dds files are impossible to see what they actually are, so obviously they are produced in their native format then converted to .dds when complete. Just wondering if it's worth buying Photoshop or something similar?

[Sjizzle]

Originally Posted by kevinsue

Could someone please tell me which is the best format and program to view and edit these texture files? Many of the .dds files are impossible to see what they actually are, so obviously they are produced in their native format then converted to .dds when complete. Just wondering if it's worth buying Photoshop or something similar?

i am not a master of editing photos but the best of the best is Photoshop and is damn expensive that one best free is pain.net and gimp maybe Master gap have other good programs

[kevinsue]

Originally Posted by Sjizzle

i am not a master of editing photos but the best of the best is Photoshop and is damn expensive that one best free is pain.net and gimp maybe Master gap have other good programs

Yeah...I just downloaded Gimp 2.8 and got it working so I'll give that a go when I can get a .dds plugin. Their website is being spammed at the moment so I can't register for their plugins... I'm also hoping that the texture master might be able to point me in the right direction.

[Sjizzle]

Originally Posted by kevinsue

Yeah...I just downloaded Gimp 2.8 and got it working so I'll give that a go when I can get a .dds plugin. Their website is being spammed at the moment so I can't register for their plugins... I'm also hoping that the texture master might be able to point me in the right direction.

Download this one from here

To install, extract these files to your GIMP plugins directory.
This directory is usually located at:
C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins

[kevinsue]

Originally Posted by Sjizzle

Download this one from here

To install, extract these files to your GIMP plugins directory.
This directory is usually located at:
C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins

Yay!! it works!...Thanks for that.

[gap]

Originally Posted by kevinsue

Could someone please tell me which is the best format and program to view and edit these texture files? Many of the .dds files are impossible to see what they actually are, so obviously they are produced in their native format then converted to .dds when complete. Just wondering if it's worth buying Photoshop or something similar?

Hi Kevin

The DDS compression format used for SH5 textures is pretty standard, and any freeware photo editing software should be able opening and/or editing them. IIRC, in Paint.NET DDS file format support is native, whereas if your software of election is GIMP you need for a third-party plugin.

By looking at the screen-capture you posted, I think I know your problem. I start by saying that I never used Paint.NET. Anyway, from what I could collect from the web, I think that the said program merges automatically the RGB with the alpha channel when one is found, treating the latter as an opacity mask (thus the transparent or semi-transparent areas), rather than showing the two of them on two different layers, the way most software do. On a side note, SH5 can use alpha channels both as opacity and specular masks. Probably there are ways to remedy that limitation (I have read about a DXTbmp plugin for Paint.NET), but I am not sure about it. IMO the best idea is switching to GIMP.

Originally Posted by kevinsue

Yeah...I just downloaded Gimp 2.8 and got it working so I'll give that a go when I can get a .dds plugin. Their website is being spammed at the moment so I can't register for their plugins... I'm also hoping that the texture master might be able to point me in the right direction.

Please follow the link below:
http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/e...d-for-gimp-2.8

You might also be interested into the normalmap plugin, which allows you to create bump maps from regular textures, see how here (you don't need to swap green and blue channels in SH5)

Another simple tool I use for checking stock texture's properties (compression format, alpha channel, mip levels, etc.), is AMD's The Compressonator, available from the link below:
http://developer.amd.com/tools-and-s...ompressonator/

It is also capable of saving DDS files and it has limited editing functions, but as for that you should better rely on other full-featured programs, as GIMP

[kevinsue]

Originally Posted by gap

Hi Kevin


Please follow the link below:
http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/e...d-for-gimp-2.8

You might also be interested into the normalmap plugin, which allows you to create bump maps from regular textures, see how here (you don't need to swap green and blue channels in SH5)

Another simple tool I use for checking stock texture's properties (compression format, alpha channel, mip levels, etc.), is AMD's The Compressonator, available from the link below:
http://developer.amd.com/tools-and-s...ompressonator/

It is also capable of saving DDS files and it has limited editing functions, but as for that you should better rely on other full-featured programs, as GIMP

Thanks for the links and the info just downloaded everything from your links so I should be now "loaded for bear" with the right tools. I've been doing my head in trying to get everything in place for editing files and learning how to use them... Gimp, Goblin, GR2 Editor Viewer, S3D, ollydbg...should be on top of it in a decade or so!
You wouldn't happen to know where I can find info on Goblin Editor would you? The Complete Idiots Guide to Goblin Editor sticky just covers opening and merging the GR2 and .sim files. I'm looking for something like BIGREG's How to use: TheDarkWraith .GR2 Editor that covers at least the very basics. Thanks again for the help...much appreciated.

[THE_MASK]

Originally Posted by kevinsue

Thanks for the links and the info just downloaded everything from your links so I should be now "loaded for bear" with the right tools. I've been doing my head in trying to get everything in place for editing files and learning how to use them... Gimp, Goblin, GR2 Editor Viewer, S3D, ollydbg...should be on top of it in a decade or so!
You wouldn't happen to know where I can find info on Goblin Editor would you? The Complete Idiots Guide to Goblin Editor sticky just covers opening and merging the GR2 and .sim files. I'm looking for something like BIGREG's How to use: TheDarkWraith .GR2 Editor that covers at least the very basics. Thanks again for the help...much appreciated.

The only thing I know about the goblin editor is .
Right click on the app to bring up properties and disable visual themes . Then in the app click on Tools/options and paste in your SH5 game directory to ActorsDirectory and RootFolder .

[kevinsue]

Originally Posted by sober

The only thing I know about the goblin editor is .
Right click on the app to bring up properties and disable visual themes . Then in the app click on Tools/options and paste in your SH5 game directory to ActorsDirectory and RootFolder .

Yeah, I've got that part of it set up. I can navigate around the images etc but I have no idea what all the parameters are or mean. It doesn't seem intuitive because when you click on an object, or get it highlighted, nothing sort of jumps out so that you can have a stab in the dark about what it is or does. You can't even observe the results of your meddling in real time!! I suppose something being intuitive or not doesn't mean a damned thing if you're absolutely clueless on the subject anyhow. You haven't by any chance stumbled across an Owner Driver manual for it in your travels have you?

[THE_MASK]

Originally Posted by kevinsue

Yeah, I've got that part of it set up. I can navigate around the images etc but I have no idea what all the parameters are or mean. It doesn't seem intuitive because when you click on an object, or get it highlighted, nothing sort of jumps out so that you can have a stab in the dark about what it is or does. You can't even observe the results of your meddling in real time!! I suppose something being intuitive or not doesn't mean a damned thing if you're absolutely clueless on the subject anyhow. You haven't by any chance stumbled across an Owner Driver manual for it in your travels have you?

No one has a manual for it . I think you can refresh the object F9 or one of the other F keys .