41 replies to this topic

[Remy]

Ginetto, on May 01 2010 - 04:28 AM, said:

The size of a type7 MIP is double than a type 5

Yes, but it's worth it. That really makes a difference, especially on cockpits, and prolly on horizons  

Attached Files

•  type7 vs 5b.jpg   514.32K   155 downloads

[sky]

yup^^ what he said. the only downside to type 7 mips is that they REQUIRE using the v2 rasterizers otherwise you get a ctd. using type 7 mips with v2 rasters but using only 16bit videomodes works however.

and as you said, it is well worth the extra size. i will redo my '69 ferrari using type 7 mips as well, as i will have way less issues getting smooth gradients and better transparency as well.

btw remy, how can we lure you back to editing? that looks like a f2 ms7 maybe?

[sky]

Jackseller, on Oct 02 2010 - 03:03 PM, said:

sky, on Aug 13 2010 - 12:37 AM, said:

and as you said, it is well worth the extra size. i will redo my '69 ferrari using type 7 mips as well, as i will have way less issues getting smooth gradients and better transparency as well.

There's no need to use a type 7 mip to get smooth gradients (with or without transparency) and a good render for the textures, specially since the D3DV2 is availaible.

I use this tip for a long time to create my textures, I'm going to explain it.

When you create a texture with Photoshop, you save it in a bmp format (24 bits usually).

Now this is how you can get a good result very close to the original bmp texture. Maybe there are other solutions, here is mine.
I open the bmp file with a very old version of Paint Shop Pro (v7.02) and I reduce it to 64k colors 24 bits with "diffusion" method (my program is in french so I'm not sure about the english term).
I save it in a bmp format and then I convert it to a mip texture.

The result :


Hope it helps !

thanks for the write up! i will have to see if i can find that old version of paintshop...

that is what i have tried numerous times with photoshop. it just doesn't work with the current versions. and i don't feel like going all over the pile of disks where an ancient version (5.5 used to be my favorite forever!) might be hiding. when you try converting it to something other than 24bit bmp, winmip won't open it!. i mean i would be cool if i could reduce the colours to 256c as i've been working with 8bit only for over a decade. but it doesn't work. i have even thought about using my beloved deluxe paint 2.5e which used to be able to save .bmps. but i don't think it can cope with my file sizes.

oh remy, one other important upside to type7 mips - full 8 bit alpha channel. not even dithering 16 colours get's you that

[ginetto]

Found Jackselller program at oldapps  
Just tried with type 5 and the result is the same ugly than with photoshop straight conversion
Will try with type 3 and 4 since you use it for those with good results
Thank You for the tip

[RealOldFred]

Remy, on Aug 12 2010 - 03:40 PM, said:

That really makes a difference, especially on cockpits, and prolly on horizons  

Know what?  You guys are WAAAAAYYYYYYY pickier than me!

[Remy]

sky, on Aug 13 2010 - 12:37 AM, said:

btw remy, how can we lure you back to editing? that looks like a f2 ms7 maybe?

Yep, it's an MS7.

MS5, T84, MS7, Macca M4a, FVA and BMW Lolas got one of my hand-crafted cockpit already, the Proto is not finished yet...

Edited by Remy, Oct 15 2010 - 04:53 PM.

[sky]

Jackseller, on Oct 02 2010 - 03:03 PM, said:

Hope it helps !

you, my friend, are a god!!!

i have just preformed this little dance with some skins i have been working on and while they had an alpha channel to go with, i had to adapt your workflow slightly to match it. but the result is better than anything i've seen in gpl using type5 mips.

my process is like this

1) load 1024x1024 24bit skin in psp 7.02 trial
2) decrease colour to 256 colours (YUP! right down to 8bit) using the settings of the 1st screenshot
3) increase colour to 16 mil. colours (24bit)
4) decrease colour to 64k using settings of the 2nd screenshot
5) save

7) load 1024x1024 24bit skin in psp 7.02 trial
8) convert to 16 colours (4bit) using the settings of the 3rd screenshot
depending on result it might be necessary to convert to 64k here as well or even to brighten up the alpha channel - it can be that the white of your alpha channel is not actual white but a shade of (light) gray - that's not what we want as it will result in a slightly see through car. when that's the case do these two as well

9) increase brightness and contrast a bit (10/10-20 in photoshop)
10) convert to 64k colours

there is no step 6 btw, just so it's a clear line between the first 5 steps (skin) and the last 2 (alpha).

also step 4 is important. it may seem pointless the same way step 3 may sound redundant. but if you save as a .bmp after step 2 and try to load the .bmp with the alpha of step 8 and goto transparency map, winmip will die on you.
so step 3 is mandatory. step 4 not so much, but if you don't do it, you will get a stronger discolouration of your textures. so i would go the whole 9 yards and do steps 1-5 and 7-8. the result is quite frankly incredible. i'm still a bit at a loss for words (a rather rare state for me).

jackseller, should we ever meet, i owe you a beer or a wine - whatever floats your boat. i wouldn't have thought of paintshop ever. i tried to do the same with photoshop - but photoshop can't seem to save 16bit properly anymore - or winmip can't read those 16bit photoshop bitmaps. either way it works with paintshop's output


/got so excited forgot to post the screenshots,

Attached Files

•  type5_conversion_to_8bit_settings.jpg   25.17K   50 downloads
•  type5_conversion_to_64k_settings.jpg   11.72K   54 downloads
•  type5_conversion__alpha_to_4bit_settings.jpg   24.33K   40 downloads

Edited by sky, Oct 09 2010 - 04:47 PM.

[JonnyA]

I've just hit a problem with PapyBMP. I can see previews of .bmp files in PapyBMP but when I try to convert them to .pbf's I get a message to say the file couldn't be found!

I tried downloading a fresh version but get the same problem, and I can't even convert .bmp's that have previously converted without problems.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

[gliebzeit]

JonnyA, here is a bmp file (driver photo) that I am converting to a pbf file.  The first screenshot shows before conversion with my settings in the convert window.  The second screenshot shows the resultant pbf file along with the bmp file.  Also, I show the pbf file image within RaceCon, where it's properties are displayed above the image.

Hope this helps.

Attached Files

•  PapyBMP-1.jpg   67.46K   23 downloads
•  PapyBMP-2.jpg   71.68K   23 downloads

[JonnyA]

Ah, I found the problem. The default setting was for a separate transparency so the program was looking for filename_ti.bmp, which didn't exist. I've changed the setting now and it works OK.