ascottk on 29/11/2005 at 16:18
Quote Posted by OrbWeaver
If you're thinking of improving the textures as part of the Realist Mod, you might want to start by using some better quality normal maps.
DXT1-compressed normalmaps look absolutely disgusting, which is why D3 uses RXGB for normal maps, or preferably no compression at all.
I started using DXT3 compression + mipmaps. I didn't realize t3 used mipmaps a lot until I started tweaking the textures.
Quote Posted by New Horizon
I chose the Classic Mod...but...I think it should also be combined with elements of a Realist Mod. T3 could stand a huge dose of Classic Realism in its style. I would fully support this by donating T3EnhancEd to get things rolling. A huge majority of the work is already finished for you. In fact, I will burn it onto DVD in its current form and send it to you today. A lot of the UI work is already done for you...and I can help out with some of it. Changing the font, using classic colors for UI elements...etc.
I could use the Minimalist Project & John P's textures as a base as well. Although I don't agree with some of John P's artistic choices such as shading, moss, & scratches on some diffuse textures (that's where normal/specular maps come in). BTW I noticed he has a few new packs on his site :D
Quote Posted by STiFU
You might get some problems with the higher poly models, as we could see on my recent problem with the vertexbuffer pool. There seems to be a polylimit in some way. But they look okay anyway i think, though i would prefer the realist mod aswell. On the other hand another one of your FMs would be really cool too. And Z is definitely right... :)
Some models could be rounded off. I think it's odd to see hexagonal pipes. Also I think the problem is having too many polys on a single model so If the poly count gets too high the model could be split into different parts (I remember seeing questions about why trees are split up into several different parts).
So far it's a tie between C7 & a Classic Mod (or just resources for one). I did start a C7 map but I'm not happy with it & I'm always tweaking t3 resources to find out what hasn't been taken advantage of. I also think I could put together a C7/mod demo & then dish out resources as I go along . . .
jay pettitt on 29/11/2005 at 16:26
C7, with photo realistic verisions of T2 textures please.
OrbWeaver on 29/11/2005 at 17:19
Quote Posted by ascottk
I started using DXT3 compression + mipmaps. I didn't realize t3 used mipmaps a lot until I started tweaking the textures.
The difference between DXT1 and DXT3 is in how they handle the alpha channel. The amount of compression is the same on textures that have no alpha (such as normal maps).
If you are not sure what I'm talking about when I refer to problems with normalmap compression, look on the floor in the basement of Special Vintage underneath the torch on the wall directly opposite your "cell" - notice how many ugly little squares there are? These are shading errors caused by the block compression of DXTx on normal maps.
EDIT: wrong FM.
STiFU on 29/11/2005 at 18:14
Quote:
Also I think the problem is having too many polys on a single model so If the poly count gets too high the model could be split into different parts (I remember seeing questions about why trees are split up into several different parts).
Yes i know, but i thought you were talking of AI models not of smeshes in general. And i coudlnt imagine how AIs should be split... :)
GlasWolf on 29/11/2005 at 19:06
I voted contest 7 because it gives you a target to aim for, gives us another FM and Komag another contest entry. Because there's a goodly amount of time before the deadline I suspect it'll also allow you to progress on your Artistic and Classic mod ambitions too.
ascottk on 29/11/2005 at 21:35
Quote Posted by OrbWeaver
If you're thinking of improving the textures as part of the Realist Mod, you might want to start by using some better quality normal maps.
DXT1-compressed normalmaps look absolutely disgusting, which is why D3 uses RXGB for normal maps, or preferably no compression at all.
The only options I get with the latest gimp dds plugin is (uncompressed):
Default
RGB8
RGBA8
BGR8
BGRA8
R5G6B5
RGBA4
RGB5A1
RGB10A2
I just tried RGB10A2 & it looks a lot better. I'm actually surprised t3 supports uncompressed dds.
New Horizon on 29/11/2005 at 23:03
Does T3 support TGA format? If so, you could use the same type of compression we use for DarkMod. 24 bit lossless TGA. It's not going to give you the smallest files in the world but you can use it on diffuse, normals and speculars without any artifacts to screw things up. :)
ascottk on 30/11/2005 at 00:40
Well, it turns out t3 does not support tga or uncompressed dds or dxtc 5. We're stuck with dxtc 1 or 3 :p
EDIT: I'm trying other rgb options with the dds plugin to see if any of them work . . .
New Horizon on 30/11/2005 at 01:16
I thought I read somewhere that it might of also supported jpg. Any validity in that I wonder?
