Vehicle internal /external views

[shinkicker 5]

I am trying out retexturing one of the BI example models that are available (no reverse engineering), but I have two points where I am stuck:

1. My texture process consists of selecting faces, hit 'e', browse to my new texture and select the paa file I created. No matter what size (512,1024,2048) it always renders in low definition and loses all of the detail that the paa holds?

2. After texturing the whole outside, I notice when I get into the vehicle (in game) and look out from the drivers seat, I see a different texture (the orginal texture) and so it looks like a different vehicle.

Hoping you can help, and thanks in advance for patience while I try to learn.

[PuFu 4591]

1. use TGAs (of PNGs if you really want to). Let O2 buldozer to convert them to .paas (make sure you use the proper suffix)

2. make sure you replace the existing texture with your own one for ALL LODs, not only for the first one.

[shinkicker 5]

1. use TGAs (of PNGs if you really want to). Let O2 buldozer to convert them to .paas (make sure you use the proper suffix)

2. make sure you replace the existing texture with your own one for ALL LODs, not only for the first one.

Sincere thanks. One point, if I texture a face after already doing previous faces, should I then use the pre converted paa from the previous run or should I again let oxygen convert every time?

1. select face.

2. Texture face by selecting a tga

3. Select another face on the same model needing the same texture.

4. Select paa created in step 2 or select the tga and let oxygen convert again?

[ADuke 1]

Different people will tell you different things..

Personally, I convert all of my TGA files to PAA myself (with TexView2) and just path all of the faces to my paa file, that way I can edit and view in buldozer without the interruption of conversion.

-AD

[max power 21]

Once they are converted, they don't need to be converted again. The only time you experience an interruption is when you make a change to the tga file. Then, you have to convert the files anyway so you'd be experiencing an interruption to convert them manually. Letting O2 do it for you is definitely the most efficient way if you're actively texturing and previewing changes to the textures.

[shinkicker 5]

I just can't get the textures to retain a decent resolution.

Here is my texture (the png so you can see it, it is concerted to tga though in texview2 prior to using in oxygen 2):

http://i.imgur.com/3AwyH.png > 100 KB

I then select some faces on the side of a landrover BI model:

Load my TGA:

And then this is the result in buldozer - note how it is only the clan sign which shows the high res, the rest is blured and not up to scratch. It is also the same in game too

http://i.imgur.com/2g0Ft.png > 100 KB

I am out of ideas now, no matter what I do, it always look low res.

http://i.imgur.com/2g0Ft.png > 100 KB

Edited November 24, 2012 by Max Power

[[aps]gnat 28]

Latest version of TexView2 ?

You manually converting the TGA to PAA or letting O2/Buldozer do it?

Are you using the default settings in the top of TexView2?

Have you actually viewed the model ingame? (it can be very different from Buldozer) ?

[max power 21]

Buldozer

configuration

file.

[shinkicker 5]

Answers inline...

> Latest version of TexView2 ?

Yes, its the one that came with BI tools 2.5.1

> You manually converting the TGA to PAA or letting O2/Buldozer do it?

Letting O2 do the conversion.

> Are you using the default settings in the top of TexView2?

I have not changed anything, so I presume its default

http://i.imgur.com/xiLsL.png > 100 KB

> Have you actually viewed the model ingame? (it can be very different from Buldozer) ?

Yes, it also loses the texture in game.

> Buldozer configuration file.

I don't think this is the issue as it still looks low res in game.Also you can see the clan sign has the right resolution, using the viewer.

---------- Post added at 14:08 ---------- Previous post was at 14:00 ----------

make sure you replace the existing texture with your own one for ALL LODs, not only for the first one.

I also wanted to check..how would you do this, is the a tick select box or you need to highlight each one in turn?

Edited November 25, 2012 by Max Power

[[aps]gnat 28]

You provided the texture as a png so we can't properly check the file ......

Is it 32bit or 24?

When you load the paa direct into TexView2, what does it look like ? Same quality?

[PuFu 4591]

Can you show your uv space screen? Is the model unwrapped?

[max power 21]

shinkicker

Please don't post pics greater than 100 kb in size. For images larger than the limit, just link to their url please.

§15) Do not hotlink images over 100kb (102400 bytes) in size

Do not link images over 100kb using the IMG tags to display an image in your post. If you wish to post an image larger then 100 kb feel free to post the URL instead of hotlinking.

[shinkicker 5]

shinkicker

Please don't post pics greater than 100 kb in size. For images larger than the limit, just link to their url please.

Hi, Sorry about that. I am linking to images on imgur.com. Is the forum software pulling down local copies? Should I use markup instead (e.g.

http://i.imgur.com/1rpP7.png' alt='1rpP7.png'>

---------- Post added at 13:31 ---------- Previous post was at 13:27 ----------

Gnat;2257091']You provided the texture as a png so we can't properly check the file ......

Is it 32bit or 24?

When you load the paa direct into TexView2' date=' what does it look like ? Same quality?[/quote']

Here is the paa in texview2 (as you can see it is much more detailed)

http://i.imgur.com/5G4Xi.png

Here is the TGA:

http://www.mediafire.com/?cuqf8ut0k6mia7l

[PuFu 4591]

Hi, Sorry about that. I am linking to images on imgur.com. Is the forum software pulling down local copies? Should I use markup instead (e.g. )?

use the smaller thumbnails linking towards the bigger picture.

Not gonna comment here the 100kb rule for year 2013 in a few though ;)

I believe so, this is what I see within the UV editor, although I don't texture within the, instead I select faces and then hit 'e' and browse to the texture

here is your problem.

[shinkicker 5]

use the smaller thumbnails linking towards the bigger picture.

Not gonna comment here the 100kb rule for year 2013 in a few though ;)

here is your problem.

I need to learn the UV editor?

[PuFu 4591]

you need to undestand how 2d textures can be applied to 3d models in the first place. It is obvious that the model is not made by you, i would assume it is from a1 samples, is it not?

what you would want to do is face map texture, but that doesn't work they way you want to/you are working with.

[dm 9]

you need to undestand how 2d textures can be applied to 3d models in the first place. It is obvious that the model is not made by you, i would assume it is from a1 samples, is it not?

what you would want to do is face map texture, but that doesn't work they way you want to/you are working with.

Wow... you are REALLY over complicating the problem...

To address the original issue:

I am trying out retexturing one of the BI example models that are available (no reverse engineering), but I have two points where I am stuck:

1. My texture process consists of selecting faces, hit 'e', browse to my new texture and select the paa file I created. No matter what size (512,1024,2048) it always renders in low definition and loses all of the detail that the paa holds?

2. After texturing the whole outside, I notice when I get into the vehicle (in game) and look out from the drivers seat, I see a different texture (the orginal texture) and so it looks like a different vehicle.

Hoping you can help, and thanks in advance for patience while I try to learn.

1. The process you're using is fine. The reason you are seeing muddy/low res textures is because they are not converting properly. This, based on what you've attached is mostly because you are missing the proper texture naming. You attached "rust.tga" to one of your previous posts. Try renaming it to rust_co.tga, see if that helps (it will help pal2pace.exe choose the right texture conversion process, so should result in better image quality in the paa).

2. Thats because you are in a different LoD. If you dont have the LoDs window open, go to the menu bar -> Window -> Lods (should be something like Shift + F6). Whatever changes you make in the first LoD (the one with the lowest number) you'll have to make in ALL the other numbered LoDs, as well as any of the VIEW - LoDs (cargo, pilot, gunner).

Once you have the changes across all these lods, you will see them correctly ingame.

[shinkicker 5]

Wow... you are REALLY over complicating the problem...

To address the original issue:

1. The process you're using is fine. The reason you are seeing muddy/low res textures is because they are not converting properly. This, based on what you've attached is mostly because you are missing the proper texture naming. You attached "rust.tga" to one of your previous posts. Try renaming it to rust_co.tga, see if that helps (it will help pal2pace.exe choose the right texture conversion process, so should result in better image quality in the paa).

2. Thats because you are in a different LoD. If you dont have the LoDs window open, go to the menu bar -> Window -> Lods (should be something like Shift + F6). Whatever changes you make in the first LoD (the one with the lowest number) you'll have to make in ALL the other numbered LoDs, as well as any of the VIEW - LoDs (cargo, pilot, gunner).

Once you have the changes across all these lods, you will see them correctly ingame.

Perfect! Will try 1 tonight and use the mass rename tool.

For 2, yes, I edited the cargo lod and all is good now.

Sincere thanks

[max power 21]

Good catch, DM!

[shinkicker 5]

Hmmm, still not working, but I have some leads now.

I used the following texture image (test_co.tga)

http://www.mediafire.com/?e8finm3dsim0dd3

Preview:

I then loaded up a Landrover Model from the Arma 2 Examples

Did a CTRL A (select all) - Note this was so I could test the texture maps, normally I select groups of faces and work around the model

The result interestingly was this:

So it seems faces have something inherinat perharps that decides the resolution.

Some more info that might help:

I am working on the first LOD of 1000

The png which is converted to tga is a 32 bit 512x512 image.

Edited November 29, 2012 by shinkicker

[abs 2]

Truth be told, there's nothing inherent about that. It's how much of the UV surface the face is taking. That's why the windows are able to show more squares than the rest of the vehicle. Also, I'm quite certain that the separate parts of the uses different texture maps.

Abs

[PuFu 4591]

Wow... you are REALLY over complicating the problem...

Maybe so. Still i do believe the issue is not related to assigning textures to faces, but rather working with the UV space. If you tell me it is ok to assign mutiple different image files (with or without the correct naming suffix) to the same model (OFP style) when you could work on the UV islands...well, then yes, i am overcomplicating things.

@shinkicker:

how many textures does the original model uses? By the number of overlaping uv islands, i would say at least 2, maybe 3. There is nothing wrong with way that texture is displayed, it is just that the model's uv is normalized and different parts have higher resolution than others. (nothing wrong with that actually).

Edited November 29, 2012 by PuFu

[max power 21]

There aren't any ArmA 2 example models. Where did you get this model, please?

[shinkicker 5]

There aren't any ArmA 2 example models. Where did you get this model, please?

Sorry, not '2', just arma

http://www.ofpec.com/addons_depot/index.php?action=details&id=34

---------- Post added at 22:31 ---------- Previous post was at 22:26 ----------

@shinkicker:

how many textures does the original model uses? By the number of overlaping uv islands, i would say at least 2, maybe 3. There is nothing wrong with way that texture is displayed, it is just that the model's uv is normalized and different parts have higher resolution than others. (nothing wrong with that actually).

No textures, it comes in a texture less form (white)

So how is this typically done? Is there a consensus process to follow, its seems very hit and miss?

---------- Post added at 23:40 ---------- Previous post was at 22:31 ----------

Truth be told, there's nothing inherent about that. It's how much of the UV surface the face is taking. That's why the windows are able to show more squares than the rest of the vehicle. Also, I'm quite certain that the separate parts of the uses different texture maps.

Abs

I am not sure, as the parts around the door are lots of small faces that make a whole. So there diameter is smaller then the windows, so they should have finer resolution.

[da12thMonkey 1943]

I am not sure, as the parts around the door are lots of small faces that make a whole. So there diameter is smaller then the windows, so they should have finer resolution.

The windows are meant to be a separate UV set to the rest of the vehicle using a different texture tile.

Ingame the main vehicle mesh is probably using a 2048*2048 px image for a texture, where the windows are probably only on a 512*512 px image; so the actual pixel resolution of these two UV sets when applied to the vehicle (pixels per meter, in terms of the overall vehicle mesh) will be roughly the same, if not better on the actual bodywork of the vehicle. As Abs says, the issue is UV coverage.

If you make an image using your checkerboard pattern where you tile the 512*512 image you're using currently a couple of times next to eachother, to form a large 2048*2048 image made up of 16 512*512 checkerboards, then apply that image to just the wheels, doors bonnet etc. and not the windows, you'll suddenly see that the squares on the body of the vehicle become smaller than those on the windows, and are thus higher resolution and less blurry than the windows.

Edited November 30, 2012 by da12thMonkey