[0.23] Squad Texture Reduction Pack - B9 and KW Packs also

[PolecatEZ]

I could probably do that as a standalone using a modmanager script and instructions on exactly which folders just to delete then, that way it should stay compatible forever and work with the ATR mod. For now InfiniteDice released some new toys I need to break I'll work on it tomorrow.

[Naten]

When I use this with Active Texture Management (or whatever it's called ), this happens:

I'm using your mod and Active Texture Management. I installed active management a few days ago, and recently today (Like ~5-10 minutes ago) I installed the (your) reduction pack. Wat happen'd...?

I also have notified the creator of Active Texture Management, too...

[TheGlitchDoctor]

I can't seem to download the Squad Texture Pack from Kerbal Spaceport, whenever I try to open it with Winrar it says "Squad-Texture-Pack-0.1c.zip: Unexpected end of archive" and it doesn't let me use the files!

Edited May 3, 2014 by TheGlitchDoctor

[smunisto]

Use the Active Texture Management mod. You don't need texture reduction packs anymore.

[BigD145]

I can't seem to download the Squad Texture Pack from Kerbal Spaceport, whenever I try to open it with Winrar it says "Squad-Texture-Pack-0.1c.zip: Unexpected end of archive" and it doesn't let me use the files! file:///C:/Users/Monty/Pictures/Capture.PNG

Learn how to use a computer first. Then this:

Use the Active Texture Management mod. You don't need texture reduction packs anymore.

[commandeur_brin]

Hi ! I'm trying to install your mod on my mac but I have troubles using Terminal... I've managed to cd to the Gamedata Directory but I just can't run the debloat.sh file that I've created by renaming the squad_debloater_unix.txt file I downloaded from your link: http://pastebin.com/gv2FPJXE

Could you help me just a little ???

thx =)

[NathanKell]

BigD145: learn to read the forum first. TheGlitchDoctor: it's a known issue with spaceport. If a connection is running too long, spaceport kills it, even if you're still actively downloading. This kills large downloads. Fix: use a download manager that allows downloading in multiple parts and restarting.

Regarding whether to use this pack: While it's debatable whether you'll want to use the part changes in this pack (it strips alpha, so parts may look different; but you'll also cut your RAM use for those textures with stripped alpha in half, irrespective of ATM), you *definitely* should use the IVA reduction, since there's tons of duplicate textures in the stock IVAs.

[smunisto]

Nathan, I was about to ask Rbray about using this in compliance with ATM somehow, but you have raised an interesting point for me, so I am going to ask you instead.

How can we get only the internal spaces reduction? The way these packs work is by running a bat file, which has a preset list of texture to overwrite(as I imagine). What do I do to only get the IVA changes from stock?

And another question: would you be kind enough to explain the fine points of texture making with a few words? I always wondered what it means when people say "removes alpha", normals, etc?

[NathanKell]

1. Look at what the batch file does. Now, do the things it does only to stuff in/below the Spaces folder.

2. Few words, heh. For all textures?

Attempt:

Textures are 2D images, with a resolution and a bit depth (number of bits per pixel). Usually 8 bits per channel, so we're either dealing with grayscale (8bit), RGB (red/green/blue, i.e. color, 24 bit), and RGBA (RGB + a grayscale channel, called the alpha channel, 32bit). Alpha is an extra channel that is used to convey more information, like how transparent that area should be, or how shiny.

Textures exist for many different uses. Diffuse (color), specular (shininess), opacity/transparency, bump, normal, heightmap/deformation/displacement, emissive, etc. In KSP we generally only care about diffuse[+specular] and normal. Engines also have emissive maps, and PQS terrains have heightmaps. I *highly* encourage you to do a google image search for each of these map types, and see both examples of them, and examples of them in action. That will explain better than words.

Diffuse defines the visible color you see. It's often combined (into a 4-channel texture) with a specular map to also control shininess, or with an opacity map to control transparency.

Bump maps are grayscale maps that describe how "high" a given pixel is, with white as highest and black as lowest. Then "fake" 3d detail is added in the shader by using the bump map to "bump" the surface you see. This is done by changing how might light that area of the object reflects (because if there's a hill on a flat plane, the sides of the hill, being angled differently, will reflect light differently). The line perpendicular to the surface, btw, is called a normal (so if you were looking from above at a flat plane, the normals would all be pointing at you; the normals of a sphere look like hair sticking straight out all over it, etc.)

Normal maps are basically a better version of bump maps. Instead of the lower-quality, automatic changing of normals, the normal map actually encodes the normal at each pixel, and the shader reads that. In essence you generate (fake) geometric detail from the texture map. Often used when you make a very high-detail model, "bake" its normals into a texture, and apply it to a lower-detail model.

Heightmaps are like bump maps except rather than doing shader tricks, the geometry itself is deformed.

Emissive maps control whether that pixel of an object "self-illuminates", i.e. glows.

Now, how this figures into KSP. Unity/KSP will load *all* image files in GameData (except in PluginData folders) automatically. It will then, with two exceptions, compress everything into DXT1 or 5. If the file has 3 channels, it is compressed to DXT1 at a ratio of 1:6; if it has 4 channels, it is compressed to DXT5, at a ratio of 1:4. In essence this means that 4-channel textures take up twice the memory of 3-channel textures of the same resolution.

The exceptions are: TGAs are left uncompressed (ATM fixes this problem) and mbm textures flagged "uncompressed" are left uncompressed. This matters because you *don't* want KSP to compress normal maps, that makes things look weird. mbms have a flag in the file to notify KSP, but other file types don't; this is why ATM requires all normal maps to either have NRM in their filename, or be specified in a config (the NORMAL_LIST{} node in ATM config files).

Generally, stripping alpha from a texture will have the memory it takes up ingame, but will also remove the specular effects (bad, but ok) or remove the opacity map (VERY BAD, for example making parachutes into solid cones).

[commandeur_brin]

Hi ! I'm trying to install your mod on my mac but I have troubles using Terminal... I've managed to cd to the Gamedata Directory but I just can't run the debloat.sh file that I've created by renaming the squad_debloater_unix.txt file I downloaded from your link: http://pastebin.com/gv2FPJXE

Could you help me just a little ???

thx =)

Sorry to insist but does anyone know how to execute a shell file on mac using terminal ???

Thx !

[somnambulist]

Sorry to insist but does anyone know how to execute a shell file on mac using terminal ???

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/51361-0-23-Squad-Texture-Reduction-Pack-B9-and-KW-Packs-also?p=849017#post849017

[mjy]

ty very much, yes a huge difference with 23.5, works great :)was using 3.5 gig, down to 2.9 gig

and wow again, right after I added the ActiveTextureManagement so gotten it down to 2.4 gig , its loading like I don`t have any mods, thx u guys so much, so now I will add more mods hehe.

Edited May 22, 2014 by mjy

[Mykill Metal]

anyone have a mediafire/dropbox link? the main one is down since spaceport is gone

[wvmmhxkh]

seconding. i need reduction pack, but port is down.

[Forcas]

Yes please.

[peachoftree]

yes!

Edited June 4, 2014 by peachoftree

[guto8797]

We really need new links, this is amazing.

[BigD145]

Completely unnecessary with the active reduction mod.

[Sugoi]

I hate to echo that sentiment, but yeah, active texture reduction is a better solution.

Several versions ago, I could not imagine playing without the texture reduction packs. They were a great solution from a bygone era.

[Victus]

I hate to echo that sentiment, but yeah, active texture reduction is a better solution.

Several versions ago, I could not imagine playing without the texture reduction packs. They were a great solution from a bygone era.

ATM doesn't work with the new 64 bit windows.

[BigD145]

ATM doesn't work with the new 64 bit windows.

Win8? Why would you even use that? You always skip Windows versions. It's in the manual.

Win7 works, all versions. This is the first I've heard of Win8 being a problem for the active texture reduction mod. Are you sure your anitvirus (or official Microsoft signed software BS) isn't being too aggressive in stopping code injection or something?

[Joachim]

ATM doesn't work with the new 64 bit windows.

Of course it does................doh

[Synthesis]

Win8? Why would you even use that? You always skip Windows versions. It's in the manual.

Win7 works, all versions. This is the first I've heard of Win8 being a problem for the active texture reduction mod. Are you sure your anitvirus (or official Microsoft signed software BS) isn't being too aggressive in stopping code injection or something?

For the hell of it, I thought I'd give this a try on my tablet.

So, yes, it does. Then again, people hated Windows XP fora long, long time...so much for skipping a generation.

[Victus]

Win8? Why would you even use that? You always skip Windows versions. It's in the manual.

Win7 works, all versions. This is the first I've heard of Win8 being a problem for the active texture reduction mod. Are you sure your anitvirus (or official Microsoft signed software BS) isn't being too aggressive in stopping code injection or something?

I'm on Windows 7, I'm referring to the 64 bit KSP Windows thread if you haven't seen it.

[Umbrae]

Completely unnecessary with the active reduction mod.

Actually reduction packs still help. If you doubt me, install Active reduction and B9. Load, to title, check your memory usage.

Exit. Install the texture reduction pack that comes with B9 (not as good as the one from this post, but still). reload ksp, and check your memory usage, it will have gone down.

Packs like this also let you use a mix of more and less aggressive texture management, as you can extremely low res texture versions on parts you don't care about, and higher res versions for ones you do.

Simply because you don't use both does not mean there is no need or that they are un-necessary as many people have seemed to indicate. They are just not as critical.