DDS Creation with ATI Compressonator: Difference between revisions

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''Note - Prior to August, 2020, this content lived at [[DDS creation]]. Go there for a newly-written tool-independent overview of DDS creation. Further revision of the material below is planned.''
''Note - Prior to August, 2020, a longer version of content lived at [[DDS creation]]. Go there for a newly-written tool-independent overview of DDS creation. Further revision of the material below was done.''


This quick guide will describe the steps you'll have to follow in order to create DDS files suitable for use in your Dark Mod maps and how to convert from DDS to other image formats using "[http://darkmod.taaaki.za.net/tools/ati_compressonator_v1.21.zip The Compressonator]". DDS files are a lot smaller than the uncompressed TGAs, often around 15% of the size. The greatest benefit of this is seen in performance and the benefit of using higher res textures.  
== Introduction ==
You'll need [http://darkmod.taaaki.za.net/tools/ati_compressonator_v1.21.zip ATI's "The Compressonator"]. Install/unzip it to a folder and create a shortcut if you like.


It is strongly suggested that while you are creating and adjusting your texture that you should use TGA until you are ready to release it and then compressing the relevant images to DDS for release.
(At one time, the exact version 1.21.1044 given by the foregoing link was required, because it alone could compress DXT5 RXGB normalmaps. Compression of normalmaps should no longer be done.)


== Guidelines for DDS Textures ==
Please review [DDS creation] for general information about
 
* working with TGA and DDS, and where files should be placed in your FM
Due to these reasons it is '''strongly recommended''' that you compress both '''diffuse''' and '''specular''' textures. Normalmaps should however not be compressed, please use TGA!
* guidance about DDS creation settings


To reiterate the most important points about settings:
*'''Diffusemap :'''
*'''Diffusemap :'''
:Does the texture have '''transparency'''?(i.e leaves, spiderwebs etc)
:Does the texture have '''transparency'''?(i.e leaves, spiderwebs etc)
:*If '''NO: DXT1'''
:*If '''NO: DXT1'''
:*If '''YES: DXT5''' and read the following note:
:*If '''YES: DXT5'''
Note : Please be aware that at the moment TDM/Doom 3 only supports hard edges for transparency, as such you wont get the gradual blending from transparency, however in the future it is likely that we will be able to have this smooth blending, so saving your transparency in with DXT5 and then using the alphaTest keyword in your material will allow you to control where the hard edge is located easily. If your texture is meant to only ever have a hard edge you may also experiment with using the explicit alpha in DXT1 as this compresses much better.
*'''Specularmap :'''
*'''Specularmap :'''
:*'''DXT1''' - should be more than adequate as specular does not require alpha information.
:*'''DXT1''' - specular does not require alpha information.
*'''Normalmap :'''
*'''Normalmap :'''
:*'''NONE''' - Use TGA!
:*'''NONE''' - Use TGA!


 
=== Compressing Diffuse and Specular Maps ===
DXT3 can be used, however it has very little benefit and is not worth using unless you have a specific reason.
 
 
 
==Converting Image To DDS==
You'll need [http://darkmod.taaaki.za.net/tools/ati_compressonator_v1.21.zip ATI's "The Compressonator" application version 1.21.1044] with this exact version - other versions might work for diffuses and speculars, but for compressing DXT5 RXGB normalmaps this is the only version that works. Install/unzip it to a folder and create a shortcut if you like.
 
=== Compress Diffuse/Specular Maps ===
* Open your source (TGA) file
* Open your source (TGA) file
* Create Mip Maps using the '''Box-Filter''' with the lowest mip map size of '''1x1'''.
* Create Mip Maps using the '''Box-Filter''' with the lowest mip map size of '''1x1'''.
[[Image:01_mips.jpg|frameless]]
[[Image:01_mips.jpg|frameless]]


[Note - actually, better quality filters that Box are preferred.]
* Click the Compress button next to "DirectX Texture Compression"
* Click the Compress button next to "DirectX Texture Compression"
* Select the correct compression type by reading the section above, [[DDS creation#Guidelines for DDS Textures|Guidelines for DDS Textures]]
* Select the correct compression type by reading the section above, [[DDS creation#Guidelines for DDS Textures|Guidelines for DDS Textures]]
Line 38: Line 32:
:'''green=0.6094'''
:'''green=0.6094'''
:'''blue=0.082'''
:'''blue=0.082'''
* Click Compress
* Click Compress
[[Image:02_compression.jpg|frameless]]
[[Image:02_compression.jpg|frameless]]


* Save your DDS to the '''dds/''' tree, e.g. dds/textures/darkmod/stone/blah.dds.
* Save your DDS to the '''/dds/''' tree


 
=== Change the File Extension to Lowercase ===
'''Note about file locations:'''
The Compressonator automatically names the file *.DDS, but all files should be lowercase (including TGAs). Be sure to rename the files to a lowercase .dds extension before game testing:
If the TGA version of your image (e.g a working diffuse) was located at :
:/doom3/mymission/textures/brick/mybrick.tga
You will save the dds to :
:/doom3/mymission/dds/textures/brick/mybrick.dds
However in the material file you will still refer to it as :
:textures/brick/mybrick
Make sure to remove your TGA to test the finished DDS, if you have followed this it will work flawlessly.
 
 
=== Change the File Extension to lowercase ===
The Compressonator automatically names the file *.DDS, but all files should be lowercase (including TGAs). Be sure to rename the files to a lowercase .dds extension before uploading them.


Option A: Use Windows Explorer. You need to change your Explorer settings to display the file extension:
Option A: Use Windows Explorer. You need to change your Explorer settings to display the file extension:
Line 67: Line 51:
:ren *.DDS *.dds
:ren *.DDS *.dds


== Working with Transparency/Alpha==
=== About Transparency ===
Quite often when working with alpha and converting from TGA to DDS you will have trouble getting the alpha to work correctly. There are a number of causes for this however the easiest way to deal with it is to rather save your texture out as a TIFF and then open it in The Compressonator, if you are saving from Photoshop/GIMP disable layers in the save options but make sure its set to preserve transparency. When opening it in The Compressinator remember to right click in the image and view RGBA/Alpha to check that it is correct before generating mipmaps or compressing.
At this time TDM only supports hard edges for transparency, so you won't get a gradual blending. However, saving the 8-bit alpha channel - and using DXT5 compression - "future-proofs" your material for a day when TDM could support this smooth blending. In the meantime, hard edge clipping occurs by default at 50%; use the the "alphaTest" keyword in your material to easily control this.
 


When converting from TGA with Alpha to DDS, the alpha doesn't always work correctly. Causes for this vary, but:
* One easy workaround is to save your texture out as a TIFF and then open that in The Compressonator.
* If you are saving from Photoshop/GIMP, disable Layers in the save options, but make sure it's set to preserve transparency.
* When opening it in The Compressinator, right click in the image and view RGBA/Alpha to check that it is correct, before generating mipmaps or compressing.


== Batch Processing ==
== Batch Processing ==
Line 76: Line 63:


[[Image:dds_batch_screenshot.jpg|frameless]]
[[Image:dds_batch_screenshot.jpg|frameless]]


== Command Line Parameters ==
== Command Line Parameters ==
ATI's compressonator provides some command line parameters to compress the textures:
ATI's compressonator provides some command line parameters to compress the textures:
thecompressonator -convert "normal.tga" "normal.dds" RXGB +red 0.0 +green 0.5 +blue 0.5 -mipmaps
  thecompressonator -convert "specular.tga" "specular.dds" DXT1 -mipmaps  
  thecompressonator -convert "specular.tga" "specular.dds" DXT1 -mipmaps  
  thecompressonator -convert "diffuse.tga" "diffuse.dds" DXT1 -mipmaps  
  thecompressonator -convert "diffuse.tga" "diffuse.dds" DXT1 -mipmaps  
  thecompressonator -convert "diffuse_with_alpha.tga" "diffuse.dds" DXT5 -mipmaps
  thecompressonator -convert "diffuse_with_alpha.tga" "diffuse.dds" DXT5 -mipmaps


 
==Converting From DDS to Common Image File Formats==
 
==Converting FROM DDS to common image file formats==


This is trivial but slightly confusing on The Compressonator:
This is trivial but slightly confusing on The Compressonator:


* File Menu > Save Original
* File Menu > Save Original
* At the bottom of the dialog below the file name input select ''save as type''. It may show DDS by default so don't be put off.
* At the bottom of the dialog, below the file name input, select ''save as type''. It may show DDS by default; don't be put off.
* Select file format from BMP, PNG, or TGA (use TGA generally for Dark Mod.)
* Select file format from BMP, PNG, or TGA (use TGA generally for Dark Mod.)
* Make sure the filename you want is shown in the input box and click ''save''.
* Make sure the filename you want is shown in the input box and click ''save''.
== Compressing Normalmaps (for reference) ==
{{important|headline=Important|text=The normalmap DDS compression section is here for documentation purposes only. You '''don't''' need to compress the normalmaps for using them in The Dark Mod. <br> '''NEW INFO: RXGB compression is disabled internally as of TDM v1.08 and higher. Do not compress normal maps!''' }}
* Open your source (TGA) file
* Create Mip Maps using the '''Box-Filter''' with the lowest mip map size of '''1x1''' (same as for the diffuse maps).
[[Image:01_normal_mips.jpg|frameless]]
* Compress your normalmap using the '''UberCompressor''' in '''DXT5 RXGB''' format with the colour weighting of '''red=0, green=0.5, blue=0.5''' and '''"adaptive" ticked off'''.
[[Image:02_normal_compression.jpg|frameless]]
* Save your DDS to the '''dds/''' tree, e.g. dds/textures/darkmod/stone/blah_local.dds. You won't need to add the dds/ path prefix to your shader definition, this is automatically added by the game.


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 19:06, 18 August 2020

Note - Prior to August, 2020, a longer version of content lived at DDS creation. Go there for a newly-written tool-independent overview of DDS creation. Further revision of the material below was done.

Introduction

You'll need ATI's "The Compressonator". Install/unzip it to a folder and create a shortcut if you like.

(At one time, the exact version 1.21.1044 given by the foregoing link was required, because it alone could compress DXT5 RXGB normalmaps. Compression of normalmaps should no longer be done.)

Please review [DDS creation] for general information about

  • working with TGA and DDS, and where files should be placed in your FM
  • guidance about DDS creation settings

To reiterate the most important points about settings:

  • Diffusemap :
Does the texture have transparency?(i.e leaves, spiderwebs etc)
  • If NO: DXT1
  • If YES: DXT5
  • Specularmap :
  • DXT1 - specular does not require alpha information.
  • Normalmap :
  • NONE - Use TGA!

Compressing Diffuse and Specular Maps

  • Open your source (TGA) file
  • Create Mip Maps using the Box-Filter with the lowest mip map size of 1x1.

[Note - actually, better quality filters that Box are preferred.]

  • Click the Compress button next to "DirectX Texture Compression"
  • Select the correct compression type by reading the section above, Guidelines for DDS Textures
  • Make sure that the channel weighting values are as follows :
red=0.3086
green=0.6094
blue=0.082
  • Click Compress

  • Save your DDS to the /dds/ tree

Change the File Extension to Lowercase

The Compressonator automatically names the file *.DDS, but all files should be lowercase (including TGAs). Be sure to rename the files to a lowercase .dds extension before game testing:

Option A: Use Windows Explorer. You need to change your Explorer settings to display the file extension:

  1. Open up Windows Explorer
  2. Go Tools > Folder Options
  3. Click the View tab and disable Hide extensions for known file types

Then you can highlight your file and hit F2 (or right-click > Rename) and change the extension to lowercase.

Option B: This can also be done via the command line Start > Run... > cmd (then cd to your textures folder) and rename the files via:

ren *.DDS *.dds

About Transparency

At this time TDM only supports hard edges for transparency, so you won't get a gradual blending. However, saving the 8-bit alpha channel - and using DXT5 compression - "future-proofs" your material for a day when TDM could support this smooth blending. In the meantime, hard edge clipping occurs by default at 50%; use the the "alphaTest" keyword in your material to easily control this.

When converting from TGA with Alpha to DDS, the alpha doesn't always work correctly. Causes for this vary, but:

  • One easy workaround is to save your texture out as a TIFF and then open that in The Compressonator.
  • If you are saving from Photoshop/GIMP, disable Layers in the save options, but make sure it's set to preserve transparency.
  • When opening it in The Compressinator, right click in the image and view RGBA/Alpha to check that it is correct, before generating mipmaps or compressing.

Batch Processing

Choose File > Batch Compress or hit F4 to open the batch compression dialog. Choose the same compression settings as described above for your diffuse and normal maps. Don't mix diffuse/speculars with normals as they require different compression settings.

Command Line Parameters

ATI's compressonator provides some command line parameters to compress the textures: 

thecompressonator -convert "specular.tga" "specular.dds" DXT1 -mipmaps 
thecompressonator -convert "diffuse.tga" "diffuse.dds" DXT1 -mipmaps 
thecompressonator -convert "diffuse_with_alpha.tga" "diffuse.dds" DXT5 -mipmaps

Converting From DDS to Common Image File Formats

This is trivial but slightly confusing on The Compressonator:

  • File Menu > Save Original
  • At the bottom of the dialog, below the file name input, select save as type. It may show DDS by default; don't be put off.
  • Select file format from BMP, PNG, or TGA (use TGA generally for Dark Mod.)
  • Make sure the filename you want is shown in the input box and click save.

See also

  • DDS creation for general, tool-independent information about DDS creation. Also, the original wiki page history of content now on this page may be found there.
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