Altering a DDS file

Contro · #1 02-13-2005, 10:11 AM

Hi Guys!

I recently downloaded a new UI setting (so that the frames, and pretty much everything else, was a shade of purple). This had obviously been done by adding a hue or what not, but the problem I have is that the arrows, which appear above mobs which are either stronger or weaker than they appear, have also been dimmed slightly with a purple hue.

I have got the plugin for photoshop which allows me to alter DDS files, but when I try to drag the original set of arrows over the hued versions (from the original file to the new updated file), the resulting image in the game has an arrow, which I'm sure was the correct colour, but are encased in a black square (one square per arrow).

I'm assuming it's something to do with the way I am saving the DDS file, but the NVidia save option has so many different parameters, I just don't know which one would provide the desired resuilts (or even if it's just something I need to do in Photoshop).

Please help! Thank you very much in advance!

Contro.

Contro · #2 02-13-2005, 03:39 PM

Okay, I've found the solution. When saving a DDS file, you must select these options:

- Format: DXT3 (Explicit Alpha)
- Generate MIP maps (Set to "auto" or "All" if the option is there)
- 2D Texture

Hope that helps others with a similar problem!

Contro.

**Drumstix42** · #3 02-13-2005, 03:45 PM

I find 8:8:8:8 to be the best format to save in (best quality)

Itanius · #4 02-13-2005, 06:03 PM

I'm pretty certain that you DON'T need mip maps for any UI art. So if you leave them out, your files will be smaller.

**Zonx** · #5 02-16-2005, 08:45 AM

MIPs are pregenerated smaller sized versions of the original image to help speed up rendering when the texture is shrunk onscreen, like when you're far from a door one of the smaller MIPs is used for its texture. The trade-off is better frame rate with more RAM used to load the textures.

Unless you're shrinking the UI elements to less than 3/4 size, yah don't need MIPs for those images. The first MIP image doesn't kick in tell around 66%.

Laffs · #6 03-08-2005, 05:15 PM

Oks I have tried the above and other stuff

The file works fine in game, But!! ,Is not showing the 3 grafix that I added to it

And when I try to look for them in the UI builder the epic teir grafic is there but no sign of mine with it lol... I must have saved the file corectly as it wouldnt work at all ?

Could someone please have a look at this for me or even any ideas as to what could be wrong thanks.

P.s I used that file as it has got lots of empty space in it rather than try and make a new one, Thinking that I would try to crawl before learning to walk...... Crawl ..... Heh!... cant even get out my damn pram on this one lol

Laffs · #7 03-09-2005, 08:28 PM

Any thoughts on this guys please ? , I just dunno wtf is wrong with it lol , even made a copy of the epic teir that is in that file and that dont show even

Humudce · #8 03-09-2005, 09:18 PM

Sounds like the Alpha Channel in the DSS file probably got corrupted. I can try and see what I can do to fix it, sometime tonight. You will have to find the location on the image of your additions to show them properly, the Location needs to be called out in the XML.
Ignore my comment about the Alpha Channel that was for the Purple Haze issue in the first post...

Laffs · #9 03-10-2005, 10:04 AM

Thanks I would appriciate it if you could see whats up with it for me