[steved]

I want to branch off from the discussion on this thread, http://www.elvastowe...394#entry278394 .
Scott613 is having problems modifying .dds terrtexs when in TSRE and I didn't want to hijack Steve's thread.
I have a couple .dds terrtex patches on the VSL that I've been experimenting with.
 DDS Texture.JPG (36.37K)
Number of downloads: 6
This shows a section of a 2048 sub tile that I modified in Paintdotnet and TSRE. The brick pavers were added in the paint program and the dirt covering the edge was added in TSRE using a 512 texture.
This picture is from TSRE.

Here's the texture in the file.
 TSRETTX.JPG (24.66K)
Number of downloads: 9
It's big but I haven't used any compression. Don't plan to. If I were doing a whole route with 12mb terrtex patches that would be a whole nother thing but only using them in high vis spots isn't going to break the bank.

Thing is that .dds appears to work fine in TSRE and ORMG. Not sure what you're doing wrong. Maybe it doesn't like the compression you're using.

Randy

[Weter]

Hello, Randy.
May I ask about *.dds format: as I can see, that isn't a special file-type for games with closed architecture as *.ace is.
So, I guess, it is some kind of common format, as it can be open with regular editors, isn't it?

[steved]

.dds is a standard image format. Not all paint programs handle it natively. PaintDotNet does.
Using .dds images eliminates having to convert images to .ace. Just a quick save and you're done. It handles transparencies too.

[Weter]

And, does MSTS handle it too, or that is suitable for ORTS only?
Thanks for clarification: even win10 explorer shows thumbnails of *.dds files.
Do I understand right, that given format accepts some compression methods and performs better image quality?
The transition between pave and grass looking very pleasure for eyes - I like the result.
As the common minus of computer world is primitivity and repeating details.
But you have dealt successfully with hiding that.

[steved]

MSTS is .ace only.
There may be compression available but I haven't used any.
You may be able to use other formats that aren't as big, data wise.

[scottb613]

steved, on 27 November 2021 - 08:55 AM, said:

Randy

Hi Randy,

Thanks for the interest.
;)

I'm perplexed. I can't even get the DDS to display in TSRE let alone edit it. Just like the normal texture directory - TSRE won't display the DDS - only the ACE. If I copy a simple terrain.dds into the Terrtex directory while removing the terrain.ace - for a one Terrtex test route - I get black untextured tiles in TSRE - while the route tiles are properly textured in ORTS. Perhaps there's a TSRE setting that needs to be enabled for DDS?

I do get that you can use PNG, BMP, JPG, etc to "paint" the Terrtex tile in TSRE but the saved result is ALWAYS going to be an uncompressed ACE without mipmaps - right?

On a side note - do we have a tool available that will show whether an ACE has MipMaps? In Flight Sim we do.

Regards,
Scott

[steved]

Scott,

I just did a save in TSRE before I took the screenshot above. So...no, TSRE will create a .dds when you save.
I'm using v0.698, if that makes a difference.

Randy

[scottb613]

steved, on 27 November 2021 - 12:24 PM, said:

Scott,

I just did a save in TSRE before I took the screenshot above. So...no, TSRE will create a .dds when you save.
I'm using v0.698, if that makes a difference.

Randy

Hi Randy,

Ugh - I was up late last night trying to get this to work - let me try again when I get some time. Obviously DDS is the only way to fly.

Thanks for your insights.

Regards,
Scott

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

Just another piece to the puzzle for anyone interested - so - I ran ReMipIt again and closely watched the output - it skips any Terrtex larger than 1024 thinking it's a cab file - even with the option to include 1024 cab files checked. I'm sure we didn't have any 2048 textures in play when ReMipIt was written and never dreamed we would someday be using 4096 textures regularly.

So - as of now - I don't think we have any tool that will add proper mipmaps to anything larger than 1024 ACE files - especially not a tool that will process an entire directory like ReMipIt.

Still no joy on creating DDS files with TSRE - working on it. I have managed to "Place" 2048 DDS Textures in TSRE - as soon as they're painted they're saved as an ACE which then leads me to the Catch 22 of being unable to add mipmaps. Although - I could take each uncompressed ACE - convert to it to a TGA - then save it as a DDS while adding mipmaps and DXT1 compression. Obviously - unless you script this - it quickly becomes unmanageable given the number of patches on a route.

Regards,
Scott

[Weter]

May I ask another "foolish" question?
How Mip mapping works at MSTS/ORTS for us?