[TEC] Mod Tools, HowTo

Thresher · 03-23-10, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heretic

...They'll then show up under Animation List just like the meshes did under Mesh list. Left-click the animation and it'll start playing in the window. If you don't have any meshes selected, you won't be able to see anything.

Hope that helps

Works like a champ Heretic, Thank You Sir. For some reason I didn't realize each animation was running in its own little window in the list and clicking on it would animate the preview area. Too many days at sea squinting thru binocs I guess.

I find this all very robust, have made a crazy Ivan with my opinion of SH5, and can also see where mod integration could be a nightmare. I was actually in the process of doing my own scripting/crew additions when I ran across your MightyFine Crew. MightyFine Stuff! My stuff pales in comparison.

I see a project team on the horizon.

Thanks Again!

reaper7 · 03-27-10, 10:32 PM

Hi I've just started converting over my graphics from a Mod I have in progress.
I created the graphics in Photoshop and converted to dds using DXT3, but the compression I'm getting is terrible, I've tried all the options I can think of. These are the results.

DDS file on the Left: Origial PSD on the Right:

As you can see there a lot of loss between the original and converted.
Is this Normal, was hoping for much better results.
Or is there a program that will give better results than the photoshop plugin?

Arclight · 03-27-10, 10:49 PM

Maybe try DXT5, or switch to GIMP with dds plugin or Paint.net.

reaper7 · 03-28-10, 04:32 AM

Cheers Arclight, I'll give them a try. In this case Photoshop's just not cutting it.

reaper7 · 03-28-10, 06:30 AM

Sorry to double post, but I've just discovered something.

As you can see from my post above I've being having problems trying to convert to dds without incurring compression losses.

I tried all the compression options for DXT3 which was the dds format that everyone has listed as that required to import into SH5.
I tried all the other applications to see if the results would be better than photoshops, but they all had similar to worse results.

As I'm trying to create a High Resolution UI Mod the losses above were just not acceptable for the scale they were to be displayed at.
Not happy with the results, I started to mess with the .dds export setting in the DDS Photoshop Plugin - trying every export type and compression settings besides DXT3 and DXT5.
Importing each file type into the SH5 Editor.

I was very surprised to find this one actually worked and displayed perfectly in the Editor. (Alpha channels display perfectly as well)
Results are a 1:1 copy of the original PSD file, although file sizes for the dds file are just to big. The Following example has a file size of 4MB.
But the editor displays it with no problem.

dds export used was 32.32.32.32f ABGR 128 bpp / Floating Point.

Decoman · 03-28-10, 07:25 AM

Maybe we could create a floating point sky texture then? To remove the banding.

reaper7 · 03-28-10, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decoman

Maybe we could create a floating point sky texture then? To remove the banding.

Being doing a load more testing and have found this gives the best results:
8.8.8.8 ARGB 32bpp | unsigned
File sizes are a lot better than 32.32.32.32f too so thats a bonus.

03-27-10, 10:32 PM	#2
reaper7 sim2reality Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: AM 82 Posts: 2,280 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 30	DXT3 Compression Hi I've just started converting over my graphics from a Mod I have in progress. I created the graphics in Photoshop and converted to dds using DXT3, but the compression I'm getting is terrible, I've tried all the options I can think of. These are the results. DDS file on the Left: Origial PSD on the Right: As you can see there a lot of loss between the original and converted. Is this Normal, was hoping for much better results. Or is there a program that will give better results than the photoshop plugin?

03-27-10, 10:49 PM	#3
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Maybe try DXT5, or switch to GIMP with dds plugin or Paint.net. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

03-28-10, 06:30 AM	#5
reaper7 sim2reality Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: AM 82 Posts: 2,280 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 30	Sorry to double post, but I've just discovered something. As you can see from my post above I've being having problems trying to convert to dds without incurring compression losses. I tried all the compression options for DXT3 which was the dds format that everyone has listed as that required to import into SH5. I tried all the other applications to see if the results would be better than photoshops, but they all had similar to worse results. As I'm trying to create a High Resolution UI Mod the losses above were just not acceptable for the scale they were to be displayed at. Not happy with the results, I started to mess with the .dds export setting in the DDS Photoshop Plugin - trying every export type and compression settings besides DXT3 and DXT5. Importing each file type into the SH5 Editor. I was very surprised to find this one actually worked and displayed perfectly in the Editor. (Alpha channels display perfectly as well) Results are a 1:1 copy of the original PSD file, although file sizes for the dds file are just to big. The Following example has a file size of 4MB. But the editor displays it with no problem. dds export used was 32.32.32.32f ABGR 128 bpp / Floating Point. Last edited by reaper7; 03-28-10 at 09:17 AM.

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03-28-10, 04:32 AM	#4
reaper7 sim2reality Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: AM 82 Posts: 2,280 Downloads: 258 Uploads: 30	Cheers Arclight, I'll give them a try. In this case Photoshop's just not cutting it.

03-28-10, 07:25 AM	#6
Decoman Frogman Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 306 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	Maybe we could create a floating point sky texture then? To remove the banding.