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Snaitf
Sir Not Appearing In This Film
#26 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 6:20 AM
Quote: Originally posted by daluved1
make sure you selected "8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 bpp | unsigned"


Please, do NOT use 8.8.8.8 ARGB as this is a completely UNcompressed image format, and you will end up with HUGE files. Use either DXT3 or DXT5 for images with an Alpha layer, or DXT1 for images with no alpha layer.
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kookiekween99
Lab Assistant
#27 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 6:35 AM
Quote: Originally posted by daluved1
Okay, I think I see why you're getting the "too many channels" error, that means you probably need to flatten the image before exporting it to a DDS.

Flattened simply means that there is only one layer in the image. In Photoshop, from what I can tell from my own experience, any transparency in the image is seen as another layer, even if it shows that you only have one background layer.

In part 4, step 7 when you delete the duplicated background layer, the image should automatically be flattened. However, if the canvas color is set to transparency for some wonky reason, then simply try reflattening the image again. This should give you an all white background with your stencil somewhere in the middle. In short: If you see the grey/white checkerboard when you try to save it as a DDS, then you need to flatten the image to turn the background white. This should solve that error...I hope...

Now, GIMP is another story, I believe that you indeed can export a DDS with the transparency showing. So that shouldn't throw you off, however I'll go check that out and verify if it's true.

-------------------------------------------------

Now, this funny business about the unsupported DDS error might mean that you saved it as the wrong file type. I've never tried to save it as a Targa first, so it might be that saving it as a targa then exporting it as a DDS is doing something weird to the file.

First, go back and look at the DDS file you saved. The file size should be 5,462 KB. If it's less or--God forbid--more than that, then your image was corrupted in the saving process.

Hopefully you saved your psd (if using photoshop) or your xcf (if using GIMP).

Re-open your psd/xcf and try saving it as a DDS again. (Make sure all 4 channels are there correctly and that the image is flattened).

If using the NVIDIA plug-in make sure you selected "8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 bpp | unsigned", and MIPmaps were generated.

If using the plug-in for GIMP make sure the "RGBA8" format was selected and the the Generate MIPmaps box was ticked.


I really hope that helped, but if it doesn't...let me know and I'll ponder over this some more.

And, I also wanted to say thanks for all the lovely compliments! Although I haven't slept much since I first made the tutorial, staying up late to answer questions for you guys is worth the insomnia If it wasn't for MTS/TSR tutorials, I wouldn't know how to do much of anything for the Sims 2 or Sims 3. So I figured that I should give back to the community.

Much love!
-Alaina

&&Amber, I love your deviantArt You should check out mine.


The first part worked out quite nicely. ^_^ Thank you very muchly. <3

As for the second part... I got slightly confused at one point, but I figured it out right before I was about to ask you another question. ^_^

No one ever looks at my dA! I am truely touched someone actually took the time to look at my links! :'D *will check yours out later* Is your username the same as it is on here?

EDIT: I have finally finished the tutorial with my test subject! 8'D

Now I just have to steal the disc back from my mom and test it out...
Saikatsu
Lab Assistant
#28 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 6:42 AM
Quote: Originally posted by daluved1
Okay, I think I see why you're getting the "too many channels" error, that means you probably need to flatten the image before exporting it to a DDS.

Could swear I flattened mine before attempting to export as DDS... guess that's what I get for playing with the utility at 1am when I'm supposed to have gotten to bed since I have work less than 6 hours after that. XD
kookiekween99
Lab Assistant
#29 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 7:58 AM
Tested it in CAS, and I got a shirt with a black background and white where the image was supposed to be.

I'll try starting over tomorrow and going through the entire process again, but I'm too tired to do any more with it right now.
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#30 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 8:19 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Snaitf
Please, do NOT use 8.8.8.8 ARGB as this is a completely UNcompressed image format, and you will end up with HUGE files. Use either DXT3 or DXT5 for images with an Alpha layer, or DXT1 for images with no alpha layer.


can I ask why? A lot of places that I've looked suggest to use the aforementioned format. I'm no expert or anything so I'm definitively not saying that you're wrong. I'm just curious as to why many people suggest that format.
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
HystericalParoxysm
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
#31 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 8:30 AM
daluved1 - Snaitf explained why. 8.8.8.8 ARGB is uncompressed and makes HUGE files. DXT images are compressed and make for -way- smaller files.

Uncompressed works better for patterns, where the texture size is small and having perfect colour separations without crunchyness is extremely important (especially as DXT images have increased compression on the blue channel vs. other channels and there's no way to fix that), but for clothing textures and patterns, that's way less important and it's better to have smaller files.

If you do end up with any quality loss on a DXT format file, you can add a tiny bit of noise to your textures before saving to confound the compression routine in the areas you're having problems with, and reduce the compression artifacts you may get.
my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Sadisticpyro
Instructor
#32 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 3:47 PM
If you've already worked with 8.8.8.8 ARGB files (and don't want to backtrack and redo everything over again), just download jfade's TS3 Compressorizor Redux. It works like a charm: a 5mb file reduced to 68 kbs.
t0b1a5
Test Subject
#33 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 6:14 PM
You know how people have been having problems with there pic not showing up in CAS? Well I was having that too. I think it's because when you save the picture, ut's not 1024/1024 pixels anymore (In GIMP anyway. Thats what I use.) So I changed the layer boundary size at the end of the tut. Its pretty easy. You just have to have your measurements so that the stencil can still be aligned.
Don't compare yourself to me... You'll make yourself feel bad...
Tashiketh
Warrior Gryphon
site owner
#34 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 7:47 PM
Sadisticpyro, DBPF compressing 8.8.8.8 still means that the actual texture itself in memory takes up 5mb in size. Lots and lots of these (which I can see happening) means you quickly chew up texture memory. There is a reason DXT was invented you know.

Considering that to save in DXT is exactly the same dialog as 8.8.8.8 (and less clicks, to boot), this is the prefered method for clothing.
Story books are full of fairy tales, of Kings and Queens, and the bluest skies.
kookiekween99
Lab Assistant
#35 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 8:28 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Delphy
Sadisticpyro, DBPF compressing 8.8.8.8 still means that the actual texture itself in memory takes up 5mb in size. Lots and lots of these (which I can see happening) means you quickly chew up texture memory. There is a reason DXT was invented you know.

Considering that to save in DXT is exactly the same dialog as 8.8.8.8 (and less clicks, to boot), this is the prefered method for clothing.


So do I chose the one that says "DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha"?
kookiekween99
Lab Assistant
#36 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 9:13 PM
Quote: Originally posted by kookiekween99
Tested it in CAS, and I got a shirt with a black background and white where the image was supposed to be.

I'll try starting over tomorrow and going through the entire process again, but I'm too tired to do any more with it right now.


I figured out what I did wrong. In Part IV, Step 7, I deleted the original instead of the duplicate, causing it to still be white instead of giving me my original image.
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#37 Old 25th Jun 2009 at 10:46 PM
ah..I'm still learning guys I'll change that asap
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
Rose_Reveries
Test Subject
#38 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 12:21 AM
Just suspicious, but can you do this in Paint.NET? It seems like you can because you can save in DDS, but I can't follow the tutorials in it...
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#39 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 12:32 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Rose_Reveries
Just suspicious, but can you do this in Paint.NET? It seems like you can because you can save in DDS, but I can't follow the tutorials in it...


I'm sure you can but I've never used Paint.NET before.

As I mentioned earlier, I'll take a look at it and see if I can figure it out. But, I'm not making any promises that it'll be be done anytime soon.

In the mean time, try using GIMP, it's free
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
Sadisticpyro
Instructor
#40 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 1:25 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Delphy
Sadisticpyro, DBPF compressing 8.8.8.8 still means that the actual texture itself in memory takes up 5mb in size. Lots and lots of these (which I can see happening) means you quickly chew up texture memory. There is a reason DXT was invented you know.

Oh, I see. Didn't realize this. Does this apply to custom objects as well (buyable paintings, etc.) or just clothing? If so, I'll have to go back and redo pretty much everything I've been working on. *facepalm*

ETA: also, when saving .DDS files on photoshop, I'm getting DXT1/3/5 options. I'm assuming 1 (1-bit) is the lowest quality, and 5 (interpolated) is the highest? Which one would you recommend choosing?

ETA 2: Never mind. I figured out the game itself uses DXT3. :P
jonha
Scholar
#41 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 9:35 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Sadisticpyro
Oh, I see. Didn't realize this. Does this apply to custom objects as well (buyable paintings, etc.) or just clothing? If so, I'll have to go back and redo pretty much everything I've been working on. *facepalm*

ETA: also, when saving .DDS files on photoshop, I'm getting DXT1/3/5 options. I'm assuming 1 (1-bit) is the lowest quality, and 5 (interpolated) is the highest? Which one would you recommend choosing?

ETA 2: Never mind. I figured out the game itself uses DXT3. :P


Hmm, The textures I see in the game are either DXT1 when they have no transparency ot DXT 5 when they have transparency. I would recommend DXT1 for non-transparent textures, as the quality is good and they have the smalles file size.
Godofgame1st
Test Subject
#42 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 3:20 PM
I do everything right from start to end but i cant add new design it blank and i tried it with two more man meshes please help
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#43 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 7:11 PM
Quote: Originally posted by jonha
Hmm, The textures I see in the game are either DXT1 when they have no transparency ot DXT 5 when they have transparency. I would recommend DXT1 for non-transparent textures, as the quality is good and they have the smalles file size.


Hmm I never thought to use DXT1, I always assumed that that was the lowest quality. Hm...I'll go try that out.
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
Godofgame1st
Test Subject
#44 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 7:40 PM
and my question?
Misty76
Test Subject
#45 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 8:15 PM
Hi. I've been trying to create my own clothes but I'm really stumped about the alpha files. Can some one give me a really easy step by step way to get through this part?
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#46 Old 26th Jun 2009 at 11:56 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Godofgame1st
and my question?


I thought I messaged you back -________-
check your inbox.
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
jonha
Scholar
#47 Old 27th Jun 2009 at 1:05 AM
Quote: Originally posted by daluved1
Hmm I never thought to use DXT1, I always assumed that that was the lowest quality. Hm...I'll go try that out.


DXT 1 has the same quality as DXT 3 or DXT 5, or maybe even better. It just stores no alpha channel and has the half filesize.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S3_Texture_Compression
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#48 Old 27th Jun 2009 at 1:45 AM
Quote: Originally posted by jonha
DXT 1 has the same quality as DXT 3 or DXT 5, or maybe even better. It just stores no alpha channel and has the half filesize.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S3_Texture_Compression


I tried dxt1 and it came out looking horrible =/
Or maybe I'm just tired...eh...
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
t0b1a5
Test Subject
#49 Old 27th Jun 2009 at 5:23 AM
Can someone tell me how to make translucent(sp)/transparent clothing?
Don't compare yourself to me... You'll make yourself feel bad...
daluved1
Mother Function
retired moderator
Original Poster
#50 Old 27th Jun 2009 at 6:56 AM
Quote: Originally posted by t0b1a5
Can someone tell me how to make translucent(sp)/transparent clothing?


you should ask that on modding discussion forum...i think....

you'll get more answers that way.
"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
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