How to export dds textures

[Mrcarrot]

How do people generally make dds textures? I use the GIMP-dds plugin, but my dds textures never work. I would like to know if I'm doing something wrong, or am I just using the wrong thing. Just to clarify, this is about planet textures so I'm tagging @Thomas P., @Sigma88, and @Gameslinx. Also tagging @The White Guardian, because he uses GIMP for his textures.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Mrcarrot

[Gameslinx]

Do not convert heightmaps to DDS, as it is a lossless format.

However, do use colormaps and normal maps! To do this, open the image in paint.net, which is free to download. Flip the texture vertically, then save it as a DDS. Job done.

Alternatively, you can use Photoshop with the NVIDIA plugin (requires a NVIDIA graphics card I imagine) to save textures as DDS, too.

[Galileo]

3 minutes ago, Gameslinx said:

Alternatively, you can use Photoshop with the NVIDIA plugin (requires a NVIDIA graphics card I imagine) to save textures as DDS, too.

Nope, doesn't matter what video card, it's just a plugin tool for PS made by Nvidia.

[Sigma88]

48 minutes ago, Mrcarrot said:

How do people generally make dds textures? I use the GIMP-dds plugin, but my dds textures never work. I would like to know if I'm doing something wrong, or am I just using the wrong thing. Just to clarify, this is about planet textures so I'm tagging @Thomas P., @Sigma88, and @Gameslinx.

I use photoshop, but I assume gimp would work very similarly

make sure you select the correct types:

DTX5 (colormaps)
DTXnm (normals)
DTX1 [L8]  (heightmaps)

 

also, remember to mirror the images vertically as DDS are loaded differently than PNG

24 minutes ago, Gameslinx said:

Do not convert heightmaps to DDS, as it is a lossless format.

However, do use colormaps and normal maps! To do this, open the image in paint.net, which is free to download. Flip the texture vertically, then save it as a DDS. Job done.

Alternatively, you can use Photoshop with the NVIDIA plugin (requires a NVIDIA graphics card I imagine) to save textures as DDS, too.

I have no issue using DDS for heightmaps, you just need to select the correct type (L8)

[Mrcarrot]

19 hours ago, Sigma88 said:

I use photoshop, but I assume gimp would work very similarly

make sure you select the correct types:

DTX5 (colormaps)
DTXnm (normals)
DTX1 [L8]  (heightmaps)

 

also, remember to mirror the images vertically as DDS are loaded differently than PNG

I have no issue using DDS for heightmaps, you just need to select the correct type (L8)

When I tried to change a colormap to dds, I couldn't find DXT5 in GIMP's exporter. I might try the other things, though.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Mrcarrot
Apparently, the X comes before the T in DXT5

[Galileo]

1 hour ago, Sigma88 said:

I use photoshop, but I assume gimp would work very similarly

make sure you select the correct types:

DTX5 (colormaps)
DTXnm (normals)
DTX1 [L8]  (heightmaps)

 

also, remember to mirror the images vertically as DDS are loaded differently than PNG

I have no issue using DDS for heightmaps, you just need to select the correct type (L8)

I would only use DXT5 for color maps if you don't have transparency in the texture. DXT1 works great for textures without transparency and cuts the file size in half.

[Sigma88]

6 minutes ago, Galileo said:

I would only use DXT5 for color maps if you don't have transparency in the texture. DXT1 works great for textures without transparency and cuts the file size in half.

I never had issues with those and transpatency

Is there a better option?

[Galileo]

6 minutes ago, Sigma88 said:

I never had issues with those and transpatency

Is there a better option?

DXT1 does not have an alpha layer and cannot do transparency, which is fine for maps with out it.

I made a mistake in my last comment. DXT5 is needed for maps with transparency.  Maps without transparency should use DXT1 to keep file size down. Either will work technically, but if you are conscious about DL size, it's good practise 

[Poodmund]

Basically as said above, DXT1 is fine for bodies that do not feature Ocean modules as the maps do not require an Ocean Mask in the Alpha channel. This will reduce the file size significantly over DXT5.

[The White Guardian]

14 hours ago, Mrcarrot said:

When I tried to change a colormap to dds, I couldn't find DTX5 in GIMP's exporter. I might try the other things, though.

What exactly are you seeing when you try exporting as DDS? I get a pop-up window that allows me to set the export criteria.

What you're looking for:

- Color maps for oceanic planets (Laythe, Kerbin, Eve, etc): DXT5

- Color maps for non-oceanic planets (Tylo, Moho, Dres, etc): DXT1

This is because, for oceanic planets, the transparency of the 'land pixels' determines the shininess. The 'ocean pixels' should not have transparency.

- Normal maps (blue format): DXT5_nm

- Normal maps (Kittopia export): DXT5

- Height maps: no compression, but set the format to L8

 

Note:

You find DXT5, DXT5_nm and DXT1 under the 'Compression' drop-down menu, and L8 is found under the 'Format' drop-down menu.

Also keep the following in mind: Unity flips DDS textures vertically on load. I'm not sure why, but it does.

For example, if one were to load two identical planets, using the same maps, but with one planet loading the maps in DDS and the other loading the maps in PNG, the result would be two identical planets, but with the maps flipped vertically.

Therefore, if you want to convert from PNG to DDS, make sure you flip the image vertically before exporting. GIMP can do this in the 'Image' drop-down menu, from there go to 'Transform', and select 'Flip vertically', or whatever it was called.

[Mrcarrot]

3 hours ago, The White Guardian said:

What exactly are you seeing when you try exporting as DDS? I get a pop-up window that allows me to set the export criteria.

What you're looking for:

- Color maps for oceanic planets (Laythe, Kerbin, Eve, etc): DXT5

- Color maps for non-oceanic planets (Tylo, Moho, Dres, etc): DXT1

This is because, for oceanic planets, the transparency of the 'land pixels' determines the shininess. The 'ocean pixels' should not have transparency.

- Normal maps (blue format): DXT5_nm

- Normal maps (Kittopia export): DXT5

- Height maps: no compression, but set the format to L8

 

Note:

You find DXT5, DXT5_nm and DXT1 under the 'Compression' drop-down menu, and L8 is found under the 'Format' drop-down menu.

Also keep the following in mind: Unity flips DDS textures vertically on load. I'm not sure why, but it does.

For example, if one were to load two identical planets, using the same maps, but with one planet loading the maps in DDS and the other loading the maps in PNG, the result would be two identical planets, but with the maps flipped vertically.

Therefore, if you want to convert from PNG to DDS, make sure you flip the image vertically before exporting. GIMP can do this in the Ah'Image' drop-down menu, from there go to 'Transform', and select 'Flip vertically', or whatever it was called.

Ah. I was looking for all of them under "Format". Good to know, I just downloaded paint.net and tried to export a dds texture, but if I can use my regular thing (MS Paint---->GIMP) I would prefer that.

[Mrcarrot]

14 hours ago, The White Guardian said:

What exactly are you seeing when you try exporting as DDS? I get a pop-up window that allows me to set the export criteria.

I get the same. I was looking in the wrong place, and I now know. Thanks! (You too, @Sigma88, @Galileo, and @Gameslinx.)

[Mrcarrot]

Hey @The White Guardian, what do I use for coronas for stars?

[The White Guardian]

11 hours ago, Mrcarrot said:

Hey @The White Guardian, what do I use for coronas for stars?

Those have no alpha channel (Unity sets black to transparency) so I'd guess DXT1. If that doesn't work, use DXT5.

[monstah]

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