Paint problem

[Blondi]

I am attempting my 1st repaint . How come everything I have painted shows up in the game as white? Blondi

 

[No Dice]

May help if you can tell us the sizes you are using 512x512 ??
Are you using DXT bit map to convert ??

What is your largest texture setting in your settings set at ??

 

[Robert John]

Hi Blondi

Make sure

• The name of the texture is correct
• The texture is in the correct folder and the game is pointing to the folders in the scenery library
• Delete FILELIST
• Make sure the texture is in the correct format

RJ

 

[Blondi]

Hi Robert John and No Dice, What I can tell you is that the file is a Bitmap and is 512x512.The file is named correctly and I don't know where file list is(remember I'm a little rusty). I am using Paint shop. Blondi

 

[Ravenna]

Hi Blondi,
Once you have saved as a BMP it should be run through DXTbmp. Saving in DXTbmp asks you for the format. What format are you choosing?

 

[Allen]

Think you need to use DXTbmp and save the textures in a CFS2 bmp format. Most common is DTX1. DTX3, 555-1 and 565 as well. 444-4 and 888-8 are for prop disc textures most of the time.

http://www.mwgfx.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htm

 

[Blondi]

Hi Ravenna, I guess I would have to ask what format should I use. I am not sure. One thing I just discovered is that the original texture was 16 Bit depth . The texture I painted Is 24 Bit depth. I suspect that this has something to do with what you said. The Format. I will await your input. Blondi

 

[Blondi]

Allen, I would like to know what format is the original Texture in. I would like to use this format Where do I go to find that. Thank you . Blondi

 

[voyager]

Blondi

24 bit can be used for panels but must be converted to one of the other formats to show up on the exterior of the plane.

voyager

 

[Allen]

Allen, I would like to know what format is the original Texture in. I would like to use this format Where do I go to find that. Thank you . Blondi

Most stock seem to be DTX1 however it may not give you the best look in game depending on your texture because of the way each format compresses the texture.

 

[Captain Kurt]

I use DXT3 for my repainting. Better detail than DXT1 but still get the benefit of a decent amount of compression.

 

[Allen]

565 or DXT3 are my go to for basic texture if both fail use I use DXT1. DXT3 seem to use more resources and has problems hiding parts of the aircraft you don't want hidden with alpha. Damage textures are 555-1 or DTX1 if both fail I use DXT3.

 

[Ravenna]

I've been using 565 lately. It seems to give better rendering of detail as objects such as aircraft get further away.

 

[Blondi]

Thank you everyone. I shall proceed and try to format this paint job. I will let you know is I have luck. Have a good one, Blondi

 

[UncleTgt]

565 format in DXTbmp is best for retaining details, as Ravenna suggests.
555-1 is best for damage textures, as Allen suggests
444-4 is for prop transparencies
DXT3 as a last resort for partial transparency

Make sure you set up DXTbmp to create extended bitmaps without MIPS.

MIPS are less detailed smaller copies saved within the bmp file. The Sim uses these smaller images to draw at longer distances from the viewer, saving draw time & PC resources. If a texture suddenly goes blurry as you move away from it, that's the sim using MIPs. It's a combination of bitmap MIP & model LOD that tells the Sim when to move to lower resolution, smaller texture images. Hard coding MIPS into the bmp is a throwback to the old PC hardware limitations.
With the newer hardware we're all using these days it's best to allow the Sim engine decide when to render less detailed versions, which can do by using the full detail bitmap & extrapolating from there. It often gives better results than images saved with MIPs already encoded.

 

[Ravenna]

I should acknowledge that UncleTgt was my source for the info on formatting. Thanks Uncle!

 

[Blondi]

I would have gotten to checking this out today but real life intervened in the form of going Christmas shopping with my wife, getting a haircut, and taking my wife out to lunch. After I finish this I am going to take a nap(hey I'm 71 not 25 anymore). Then WE have to finish putting up our Christmas tree. and have dinner. But I will get pack to painting and mission building tomorrow. I hope. Have a good one Blondi

 

[PSULLYKEYS]

Something that worked for me:

Save the new paint in the same format as the original, and if using dxtbmp check for the Alpha channel and make sure you save it as a file and add it to the repaint before saving.

I found only 1 aircraft when I was repainting that would not let you change the texture. I'm sure there could be more now.