DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

A place where painters can discuss and share their work
User avatar
EightyFiftyFive
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1662
Joined: 11 Dec 2012, 22:47

DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by EightyFiftyFive »

I had a few questions about why my files are so large when I save my paints so here's my answer to one of those questions.

QUESTION to me:
Can you please explain why your files are so large?



MY ANSWER:

Yes that's because they are saved in 32bit which gives you the best visual quality.
The format is: 8.8.8.8 ARGB 32bpp.
Since your palette size is 2048 rather then 4096, then saving them in 32bit or 32bpp gives the visuals a higher quality.

If you save them in DXT5 then they are only 8bpp which cuts down the quality making finer details like panel lines, fine edges, paint lines and so on to come out fuzzy and not as crisp as they should unless that's what you want. Just keep in mind, it shows on screenshots and if your promoting a product using screenshots then your going to want the best visual quality you can get.

I never save any of my work in the lessor quality for that reason especially a lower sized canvas like 2048 or less.

For instance A2A makes theirs in 4096 so depending on the model and on the paint (lines, stripes, alphas and so on) then sometimes you *CAN* save those in DXT5 (the lessor quality) and still have a fairly descent visual. But then saving those in 32bit, well then it makes the model really stand out even better.

These two screenshots are taken showing the difference between DXT5 and 32bpp. Please keep in mind that these are also 4096 in size. A 2048 palette size would show an even larger difference between the two quality of paints both in sizes and paint format. Notice the paint lines of the two... the DXT5 (fist pic) is fuzzy and clearly *Stepped* rather then smooth like the higher quality in pic two. Yes both version will blur if you get close enough but a higher resolution will give you a lot nicer visual at almost any viewing range.


PIC 1: DXT5 (Lessor quality)

Image




PIC 2: 8.8.8.8 (32bpp) or what I call *Triple Eight Eight* (Highest Quality)

Image


Hope this helps :)
Some of my repaint work (screens only)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/121556714@N07/albums

User avatar
bladerunner900
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1991
Joined: 17 Aug 2008, 14:59
Location: South Wales

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by bladerunner900 »

Or put another way. Every pixel in an 8 bit image can have 2^8, or 256 possible values for shade and colour. Whereas in 32 bit, every pixel can have 2^32, or 4,294,967,296 possible values. With that amount of variation it becomes obvious which has the more potential and why.

All you maths scholars, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. :wink:

Cheers
Steve.

User avatar
EightyFiftyFive
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1662
Joined: 11 Dec 2012, 22:47

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by EightyFiftyFive »

Right on! 8)
Some of my repaint work (screens only)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/121556714@N07/albums

rpembert
Airman First Class
Posts: 67
Joined: 10 Dec 2009, 12:09

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by rpembert »

Listen to this guy! I used DXT5 and switched to triple8 and I will never go back. I see no loss in frames while using this format.

Thanks man,
Joshua
Image

User avatar
EightyFiftyFive
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1662
Joined: 11 Dec 2012, 22:47

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by EightyFiftyFive »

There ya go! Frames have never been in issue at all for me or for others I know who use T-8.
Some of my repaint work (screens only)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/121556714@N07/albums

Marvis
Airman
Posts: 27
Joined: 02 Sep 2013, 16:48

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by Marvis »

Just two question... Do you save them like DDS 888-8 32bpp or extended bitmap 888-8 32bpp??? and another one... Do you like to use mipmaps??? Thanks!!!

User avatar
EightyFiftyFive
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1662
Joined: 11 Dec 2012, 22:47

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by EightyFiftyFive »

I use photoshop cs6 and use the nvidia plugin so when I save the files I select the 888-8 in the list then save as dds. You can also use the same with the dxtbmp program as well. In that case you would select "Save As" then select DDS in the list. another window will open asking where you want to save your file and you'll also see that it automatically will save it as a 888-8 32 bit after you save it. Also do not allow mipmaps in any of the paints.

~A~
Some of my repaint work (screens only)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/121556714@N07/albums

User avatar
blackhawks
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 514
Joined: 12 Jul 2010, 21:21
Location: Chicagoland
Contact:

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by blackhawks »

Thanks for this tip! Ive been enlarging and enhancing the paint kits to try and get detail. This sounds like less effort and much better results!
-mike

Image

User avatar
ebo
Master Sergeant
Posts: 1382
Joined: 24 Nov 2014, 10:45
Location: Hillcrest, kwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by ebo »

Thanks Steve for this valuable tip. I have saved my latest repaints all in that format and must admit that the details are soooo much better.

Send with tapatalk from my GT-I9500 with Lollipop.
Regards
Eberhard Haberkorn

Image

User avatar
Adam_NZ
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 603
Joined: 03 Feb 2011, 01:00
Location: Auckland, NZ
Contact:

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by Adam_NZ »

Thanks for the help, folks - I'd just like to add that the Photoshop plugin (x32 or x64) can be found here:

https://developer.nvidia.com/gameworksd ... oshop-8-55

Latest version appears to be 8.55.109.1800

I may just re-work my existing A2A repaints to 8.8.8.8 format, as I only ever saved them in DXt5. The great thing about A2A paintkits is that they're usually only the one main file - so it shouldn't take too long!

Adam.
--
Image--Image

User avatar
mountainhighair
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 470
Joined: 19 Oct 2009, 19:44
Location: Littleton, CO, USA
Contact:

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by mountainhighair »

DXT5 is hideous. It's like taking a beautiful oil painting and putting it through a wood-chopper just so it takes up less space. 888-32 bit is the way to go. Modern computers can handle the extra load. I do my repaint uploads in 888-8, and if someone's computer can't handle it then they need a new computer, but I'm not going to put my long hours of work through the DXT5 meat-grinder to save some bloke's frame rates. I see DXT5 as being insulting to the FSX community. My 3 cents...
Image

User avatar
CBris
Senior Airman
Posts: 147
Joined: 19 May 2006, 21:50
Location: Sherwood Forest
Contact:

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by CBris »

Good one!

Also - being a Corel X7 user (Corel fan for over 20 years!), I do all my detail imagery in Corel Draw (that's equivalent to Adobe Illustrator) so I get smoother lines etc. Photopaint is good for area fills and "whole body paints", but Draw is great for vector graphics. Then I export as TGA - that way dxtbmp loads up the full size image at 4096 pixels instead of resizing down a bmp to 2096. When I used to upload to the various libraries I saved as dxt5 - as a happy medium, but t8 is good on my PC.

Can you imaging the load that Aerosofts PBY brings at 4096 t8? Not just one sheet as in A2A stuff, but something like a dozen... RAMcrunch!

Any other Corel fans out there?
Chris Brisland, aka 'Dances with paintbrushes', aka EagleSkinner

User avatar
bladerunner900
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1991
Joined: 17 Aug 2008, 14:59
Location: South Wales

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by bladerunner900 »

I used Jasc Paint Shop Pro for many years. I think I started with v3. Then one day I had a tyre problem with the B-17. After messing with that and all the swapping between various paint programs, my older brother gave me version 7 of Photoshop to try. It made sense because the paint kits were all psd files at the time. I've been upgrading Photoshop ever since.

During all this, my younger brother refused to change from Paint Shop Pro v9, but I did manage to convince him to try Corel v12. I think he's up to v15 now.

User avatar
mountainhighair
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 470
Joined: 19 Oct 2009, 19:44
Location: Littleton, CO, USA
Contact:

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by mountainhighair »

My favorite program is still Paint Shop Pro 8. I'm bullheaded. I have PSP14 to handle large files, but don't like using it since it has been so "updated". I don't like Photoshop really. I don't like the layouts of PS or the later versions of PSP. They make life difficult for me, but that's just me and everyone's brain works differently. I have used PSP 9, 10 and 14, but the older version 8 is so easy and does everything I need. I refuse to pay what Photoshop goes for. That price is simply immoral. I've never used GIMP but have heard good things about it. I am always for software that is free and does 90% of what some criminally-expensive package does.

What are the free or cheap software programs that everyone uses?

I would like to post links in my painter's tutorial (upcoming) to those websites to help the community. It's good for beginners to have something that is free, and move up to something else in the future if they so desire. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and their favorite software...

Thanks!
Image

User avatar
taildraggin68
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 2411
Joined: 14 May 2014, 18:26
Location: Florida

Re: DXT5 vs 8.8.8.8 32bpp

Post by taildraggin68 »

I started with Gimp and DXTBmp, but then took the bullet on Photoshop. Model Converter X for checking exterior and interior without having to load FSX. I have started saving in 8888 as well as it does make a difference and actually with the PS plugin, saves quite a bit faster, making work flow better. My two pennies worth.

new reply

Return to “Repainters”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests