Difference between revisions of "DDS Export Settings"

Revision as of 17:40, 25 May 2010

According to http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/8/index/599061/1#604952 these are the DDS export settings one should use.

From Photoshop

For Icons

Format: "X.8.8.8 XRGB 32 bpp | unsigned"
Type: "2D Texture"

Choose: "No MIP maps"

According to [http://social.bioware.com/112329/ tmp7704

"The icons i've extracted from original files were saved in ARGB fromat with fully opaque Alpha channel. Saving the data in XRGB format theoretically skips the alpha channel data altogether and supplies one unused channel instead, no idea if that makes any difference for the game engine."

Format 8.8.8.8 ARGB
Type: "2D Texture" (not qouted but assumed)

Choose: "No mip maps"

For Textures

According to theBigMuh

"For textures, use DXT1 for diffuse\\specular\\tint, and DXT3 (NOT DXT5) for normal maps. The interpolated alpha of DXT5 makes for horrible horrible bump mapping artifacts. Check generate mip maps, too. Put the high resolution variation into AddIns\\<youraddin>\\core\\textures\\high, and a 50% downscaled version into AddIns\\<youraddin>\\core\\textures\\medium."

According to tmp7704

"The 1-bit alpha channel in DXT1 compression is often going to mess things up or be simply insufficient.

The native tint maps seem to use unsigned 16-bit format (a4r4g4b4) which works for them since they don't use any real gradients to speak of.

The choice between DXT3 and DXT5 for the normal maps would depend on what sort of data is put in the alpha channel. If it has smooth gradients DXT5 is better suited for it. For sharp transitions DXT3 may be a better choice (the limitation of DXT3 compression is it can only record 16 brightness steps rather than 256. While DXT5 is similar to it in the worst possible case, it can offer better fidelity when your alpha channel doesn't cover full 0-255 brightness range)"

See Also

DDS

Texture Formats