The Ever-Feared DDS

[Colin S]

Ok guys DDS is getting on my nerves. I try to edit one and I save it with gimp (the only program on the face of the planet capable of doing so) and it looks fine but it won't open in X-Plane. Also, being an orthoscenery developer, I use massive images. PNG files take up a CRAP LOAD of VRAM and slow down X-Plane a lot. I want to use DDS. How does one successfully convert images to DDS?

 

This will make my scenery 100x better and if you aren't already familiarized with it check out CZBB, it's my best one.

 

Cheers,

Colin (ie Mr. Phrog)

[ryancz]

XGrinder.

http://scenery.x-plane.com/tools.php

It's in the pack that's first on the page

[Colin S]

XGrinder.

http://scenery.x-plane.com/tools.php

It's in the pack that's first on the page

Alright but will that let me convert DDS to PNG so I can actually edit them in CS5?

[ryancz]

No, only .png to .dds

[chris k]

I try to edit one and I save it with gimp (the only program on the face of the planet capable of doing so) and it looks fine but it won't open in X-Plane. Also, being an orthoscenery developer, I use massive images.

 

Egads! How should I say this: "Youre doing it wrong". You are not supposed to edit DDS files!

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/01/do-not-use-dds-as-an-editing-format/

 

Think of DDS as the "End Result" of your work. Do all your work in PNG, PSD, other formats,etc. Once you're 100% done, then convert/process your imagery into DDS (and remove the PNG files from your distribution .ZIP file).

 

Think about it like the music Industry (back in the CD days). Music editors don't do their work in 2-track 16 bit 44Khz (i.e. CD-quality). They do it on 24-track  32-bit quality at 60Khz. Once the track is COMPLETE, then they "downsample" and "package up" the music onto a CD. Or even better, the Music industry doesn't work in MP3 as their format. That's just the end-product (as it's a lossy distribution format, just like DDS is).

 

How does one successfully convert images to DDS

 

XGrinder. Does all the X-Plane specific Gamma correction for you: http://developer.x-plane.com/tools/xptools/ - Just drag-and-drop the PNG images onto the Xgringer Window and Voila. DDS files appear in the same directory. Very Very easy.

 

- CK.

[chris k]

Note: you can keep BOTH the PNG and DDS files in the same directory.

 

X-Plane 10 Automatically chooses the correct one depending on the user's [X] Compress Texture Settings.

 

You also don't need to edit the "TEXTURE xxxxx.PNG" line in a POL file or any OBJ object. X-Plane simply ignores the file extension and searches for a .DDS (then PNG then BMP etc..) automatically.

 

read:

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/11/dds-and-v10-what-does-it-do/

http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/01/dds-revisited-in-x-plane-10/

 

- CK.

[Colin S]

Note: you can keep BOTH the PNG and DDS files in the same directory.

 

X-Plane 10 Automatically chooses the correct one depending on the user's [X] Compress Texture Settings.

 

You also don't need to edit the "TEXTURE xxxxx.PNG" line in a POL file or any OBJ object. X-Plane simply ignores the file extension and searches for a .DDS (then PNG then BMP etc..) automatically.

 

read:

 

http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/11/dds-and-v10-what-does-it-do/

http://developer.x-plane.com/2012/01/dds-revisited-in-x-plane-10/

 

- CK.

Thank you so much I still don't know what kind of DDS to use when editing stuff :| but thank you, I'll use this info for my next project

[chris k]

I still don't know what kind of DDS to use when editing stuff

 

Whatever you do - Don't say "Edit" and "DDS" in the same sentence....They don't belong together.!

 

It's like saying "I still dont know what kind of jack hammer I should use to resurface the concrete sidewalk";

 

Basically, you don't "Edit" a fully dried, cured, and formed concrete sidewalk. You replace it with new wet concrete instead.

 

- CK.

[Ryan M.]

Chris is right. You should change from .png to .dds when you're completely and totally satisfied with your work, because it's hard to change it after that. 

[Schiphol010]

XGrinder.

http://scenery.x-plane.com/tools.php

It's in the pack that's first on the page

 

Actually, that is an older version from 2008. The current version of XGrinder is in the link chris k provided... I just found out myself a few weeks ago, so I understand the confusion

[Nicola_M]

Think about it like the music Industry (back in the CD days). Music editors don't do their work in 2-track 16 bit 44Khz (i.e. CD-quality). They do it on 24-track  32-bit quality at 60Khz. Once the track is COMPLETE, then they "downsample" and "package up" the music onto a CD. Or even better, the Music industry doesn't work in MP3 as their format. That's just the end-product (as it's a lossy distribution format, just like DDS is).

Hmm. I use Reason 4.0 DAW which does the work with unlimited tracks at 44KHz.  CD quality all the way, baby!

Edited December 23, 2012 by Nicola_M

[P3R]

Hi

 

I am using this for converting.

 

It does batch converting too.

 

A great free little prog that works on all platforms.

 

http://sourceforge.net/projects/aorta/

Edited December 23, 2012 by P3R

[chris k]

Yep - Both use LibSquish to accomplish the task. Should yield very simmilar results.

 

XGrinder does batching too. Just select 10-20 PNGs in your Windows Explorer/Fider, and drag and drop them onto thr Xgrinder window. Sit back, relax, 10 minutes later you *should* have 10-20 DDSes at DXT1 or DXT5 depending on alpha requirements. (You can override these in Xgrinder)