Texturing-bis..please explain them

[Tigershark 0]

We need a decent discussion on texturing techniques and their effect on units in game.

For example...I received this question from someone and I'll be damned if I know what the answer is...I think we really need a good explanation of how to apply textures in the most effective manner for OFP. Qusetion here:

Another thing that borthers me is what texture resolution to take for an certain area. I found that the higher the resolution of the texture is the less dithering and smoothing appears in the converted texture. The top of my tank is about 1,8m x 3,4m. Now I can texture the whole top with a 4048 pixel texture so that the colors and details after converting are really high fidelity or split the big texture up into small 256 pixel large textures so that people with the textures set at a lower level still get the high quality textures. But the downside is that the textures (even

when split into small 256 ones) would take away a huge amount of the graphics memory. So I have a trade off between high resolution (/quality) textures and a smooth game.

Can we start some discussion on this....or have I already missed one?

[colonel_klink 0]

Hi Tigershark.

While I'm not about to answer your question (this has me bewildered too), I have noticed that the bigger the textures the longer it takes to load a finished addon into ofp. However, once in the game everything seems to run fairly smoothly. One thing that I have been wondering is that although Res and above is of a higher resolution, O2s viewer still doesn't clearly display the textures, which makes it hard to check that they are all right without having to compile the model, load into ofp, check, go back to O2 to adjust, and repeat until everything looks right.

Some BIS input on this discussion would go down a treat.

[GeneralMortars 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">One thing that I have been wondering is that although Res and above is of a higher resolution, O2s viewer still doesn't clearly display the textures, which makes it hard to check that they are all right without having to compile the model, load into ofp, check, go back to O2 to adjust, and repeat until everything looks right.

Some BIS input on this discussion would go down a treat.

<span id='postcolor'>

Would be great if BIS could fix this problem! It's a real mess with those lowres textures we have in "Buldozer".

I've asked about sum "hidden" option in Buldozer we can set to higher the resolution in another thread, but don't get any answer until now.

Fixing those "thing" really would do the Addon-Makers a great favour!!

Regards

GM

[akm74 1]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I've asked about sum "hidden" option in Buldozer we can set to higher the resolution in another thread, but don't get any answer until now.

<span id='postcolor'>

1. if you copy "flashpoint.cfg" file from your OFP game directory and replace it with the same file in Buldozer , you will see textures in buldozer exactly as you will see them in game.

2. If you use some alpha channel, try to use separate image file for it. It will save you 4bit for main textures.

[GeneralMortars 0]

@ AKM74

1. Thanks! That really works good. Same resolution like ingame now in the buldozer! Why the hell that fact isn't spread along with the readme of OxygenViewer ?? It's sure an important thing for the modmaking community, or?

2. Dunno really understand what you mean with "separate image file" when creating Alpha-Channel! I'm using photoshop for it. Saving the picture with Alpha-Channel to .tga with 32bit and Alpha-Channel! Do you mean that??

Best regards

GM

[akm74 1]

First, sorry for my English. I will try to explain what I mean.

Let say you made a jeep. You have (for example) 1024 x 1024 image with textures.

Doors

Bumpers

Roof

Exterior

Interior and so on…

And of cause you have windows (glass)

To make it not completely transparent you use some gradient of gray, let say, dark gray in you alpha channel.

When you convert your textures to Pac or paa (even if your TGA is 32 bit) you final pac file is 16 bit.

If you use alpha channel, you paa file will be 12 bit RGB and 4 bit Alpha.

In other words you just lost 4 bit from main texture.

That’s why I recommend keep all transparent textures (anything with alpha channel) on separate image file.

For example

Wings_body_weapons.tga (24 bit TGA file)

Cokpit.tga (32 bit TGA file)

I’m not 100% sure but it works for me.

[colonel_klink 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">1. if you copy "flashpoint.cfg" file from your OFP game directory and replace it with the same file in Buldozer , you will see textures in buldozer exactly as you will see them in game.<span id='postcolor'>

Hmmm. This would have been handy to know about six months ago. Well done. Thank you.