Custom Texture Tool PS v50.1

[General_Han_Solo]

Thanks! Will try it now.

[General_Han_Solo]

It works perfect! I've been wondering why the game was getting more choppy. Will test the game in an hour or so.

[Bryson]

So the PS script is not working for me. I run the script, select 6 for convert, and 2 for DDS. I was expecting it to take a few hours but in a matter of seconds it was done and all it did was make a copy of the exact same PNG files. Something about copying non texture files. I am trying to convert the Super Paper Mario pack. Any ideas?

[Bighead]

It copies them as "non-texture files" because I'm pretty sure the Super Paper Mario pack is still in the old texture format, which is not supported in my scripts so it just assumes the textures in that pack are screenshots. The reason is without the new naming scheme, there is no way to reference the original dimensions or if it's a mipmap texture so nothing special can be done that other DDS converters can't already do. If you simply just want DDS files, you can use Aorta to convert: http://www.curse.com/assets/sc2/aorta-dds-conviter

There is a batch option to convert them all. Choose the source, choose the destination (an empty folder), save as DDS. For options you want to check Use DXTC (Texture Compression) and uncheck generate mipmaps or they will be much bigger than they need to be. Honestly though it would probably be better if someone can get them converted in PNG format and reupload it, then convert it to DDS using one of the scripts.

[Bryson]

Thanks Bighead. What needs to be done in order to make the PNG files compatible with your script? Is it a matter of running them through a batch file or does each file need to b e edited one by one?

What is DDS anyways? Why is it preferred over PNG and why does it stutter less? IF I manage to convert the PNG pack to DDS, do yo think that would eliminate the stuttering I get in game from using the PNG pack?

[Bighead]

(10-25-2015, 08:21 AM)Bryson Wrote: What needs to be done in order to make the PNG files compatible with your script?

Convert them to the new texture format (see spoiler). Every pack should have an original PNG version somewhere in existence so a backup of the highest quality is available. It's possible to edit the script to support the old format, which I won't do, because then its essentially no different than what Aorta or The Compressonator do more easily.

Spoiler: (Show Spoiler)

From https://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-new-dolphin-custom-texture-format

[color=#3366cc]Dolphin Texture Converter:[/color]
Starting with Dolphin v4.0-5234, there is a built in converter to convert your custom textures to the new format!
- Navigate to [color=#333366]C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Dolphin Emulator\Config[/color]
- If you use [color=#3333ff]Direct3D [/color]backend, edit[color=#336633] [color=#3333ff]gfx_dx11.ini[/color][/color] with Notepad
- If you use [color=#cc6633]OpenGL[/color][color=#333333] backend[/color], edit[color=#cc6633] gfx_opengl.ini[color=#333333] with Notepad
[/color][/color]- Find the setting [color=#6633ff]ConvertHiresTextures [/color]and set it from False to [color=#6633ff]True[/color]
- Now just play the game. When Dolphin loads a retexture it will automatically rename it
[color=#333366]
[color=#3366cc]Texture Converter Bonus Features:[/color][/color]
- If a duplicate paletted texture is found while playing, it will be automatically deleted.
- If multiple textures are found that share a duplicate ID, then they will be appended with an incrementing integer.
Example: tex1_36x36_4653193aaa14d048_0.png, tex1_36x36_4653193aaa14d048_0.1.png, tex1_36x36_4653193aaa14d048_0.2.png, etc...
- The texture converter will also rename your mipmap files, so there is no need to create new ones.

(10-25-2015, 08:21 AM)Bryson Wrote: Is it a matter of running them through a batch file or does each file need to be edited one by one?

Using Aorta and my instructions here it's as simple as pressing a few buttons.

(10-25-2015, 08:21 AM)Bryson Wrote: What is DDS anyways?

The short answer: A texture compression technique that is very fast when used in 3D accelerated graphics.
The complicated answer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S3_Texture_Compression

(10-25-2015, 08:21 AM)Bryson Wrote: Why is it preferred over PNG and why does it stutter less?

DDS is much faster to decode than PNG. The option "Prefetch Custom Textures" in Dolphin tries to counter this issue by decoding all textures in physical RAM so they are ready to go when used in VRAM.

(10-25-2015, 08:21 AM)Bryson Wrote: IF I manage to convert the PNG pack to DDS, do yo think that would eliminate the stuttering I get in game  from using the PNG pack?

If the stuttering you are getting is from loading textures, then the answer is most likely yes. If you have the RAM for the prefetch option, then that should almost work just as good.

[General_Han_Solo]

Bighead, quick question (you may have answered it elsewhere). When I convert the PNG to DDS via option 6, I choose option 3 (the quick DDS), where nothing else needs to be done. Does option 3 automatically choose the highest quality (as seen in option 2, where you choose the quality settings)?

[Bighead]

Short answer is yes. For everything it sets, I'm feeling lazy so I'll just copy and paste from the changelog.

Quote:- Added a new sub-option to (Option 6) called "DDS (Quick)". This option allows a one-step conversion to create a DDS pack using the "best" options. It skips all DDS menus and sets the following predefined options: Compression-Quality: Highest, MipMap Type: External Only, Sharpening Strength: Minor

[General_Han_Solo]

Thanks! Now, again for clarification with mipmap type, what's the difference between external and the default (both) setting?

[Bighead]

Internal mipmaps are all mipmap levels in a single DDS file, and so far only work with Ishiiruka. The internal levels can be viewed natively in windows 8 and up using Windows Photo Viewer. Not sure what to use in Windows 7 or lower since it's been so long. If I remember correctly earlier Windows versions can't view DDS files without an external program.

External mipmaps have the mipmap levels external from the top layer and is the format textures dump in.
tex1_256x256_m_e3487d3b2a9d3e11_14
tex1_256x256_m_e3487d3b2a9d3e11_14_mip1
tex1_256x256_m_e3487d3b2a9d3e11_14_mip2
tex1_256x256_m_e3487d3b2a9d3e11_14_mip3
etc..

PNG must have external mipmaps, but DDS can use either. Since the master branch of Dolphin cannot read internal mipmaps, external mipmaps are the way to go unless someone is converting to DDS specifically for use with Ishiiruka.