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What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 05:38
by Jigsaw
I've already created quite a few paints myself but I never ran into this problem:

Image

What am I'm doing wrong? I use Photoshop CS3 (I tried saving it as Targa and as Extended Bitmap) and DXTBmp (using it to convert the texture to the DDS format).

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 05:47
by ROB - A2A
Just before saving as DDS the image has to be flipped vertically.

One doesn't have to flip when using ImageTool.

regards
ROB

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 05:54
by Jigsaw
ROB - A2A wrote:Just before saving as DDS the image has to be flipped vertically.
Ah! That explains it. Strange, never had a paintkit like that. Thanks a lot!

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 06:05
by Private-Cowboy
That's more an issue with the dds format than with the paintkit. You paint "normally" but the dds has to be flipped upside down. If you use the Aces ImageTool to do the conversion this is done automatically when you save to dds. If you use DXTBMP you have to do it manually with the command "Flip image and alpha" in the image menu. Then save to dds and it should be good.

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 06:20
by Jigsaw
Strangly I didn't have to do that with the Catalina PBY even though I saved the textures as DDS there as well. Doesn't matter, not I know whats wrong and I can proceed. Thanks again!

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 06:49
by ROB - A2A
You can flip the paintkit vertically but this won't be compatible with the ImageTool.

regards
ROB

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 07:38
by Tako_Kichi
If you are using CS3 the easiest way to save to DDS format is to use the nVidia DDS plug-in for it available from here....

http://developer.nvidia.com/object/phot ... ugins.html

When you have it installed to the correct CS3 folder proceed as follows:
  • 1. When you have finished all your painting save your layered PSD file as normal.
    2. Now 'flatten' the image to a single layer using the 'Flatten Image' command in the 'Layers' pallette toolbar.
    3. Flip the image vertically by selecting 'Image\Rotate Canvas\Flip Canvas Vertical' from the 'Image' menu on the main toolbar.
    4. Select 'Save As' (not 'Save') from the 'File' menu on the main toolbar and select the DDS option.
    5. Enter the correct file name and the location where you want to save it to and click 'Save'.
    6. You will now see the nVidia settings panel as shown below. Make your settings match the example shown.

    Image

    7. When all the settings have been made click on the 'Save' button.
    NOTE: You only need to change the settings in the nVidia panel once and it will remember your last choice when you use it again.

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 07:54
by Markoz
Tako_Kichi wrote:If you are using CS3 the easiest way to save to DDS format is to use the nVidia DDS plug-in for it available from here....

http://developer.nvidia.com/object/phot ... ugins.html

When you have it installed to the correct CS3 folder proceed as follows:
  • 1. When you have finished all your painting save your layered PSD file as normal.
    2. Now 'flatten' the image to a single layer using the 'Flatten Image' command in the 'Layers' pallette toolbar.
    3. Flip the image vertically by selecting 'Image\Rotate Canvas\Flip Canvas Vertical' from the 'Image' menu on the main toolbar.
    4. Select 'Save As' (not 'Save') from the 'File' menu on the main toolbar and select the DDS option.
    5. Enter the correct file name and the location where you want to save it to and click 'Save'.
    6. You will now see the nVidia settings panel as shown below. Make your settings match the example shown.
    7. When all the settings have been made click on the 'Save' button.
Please excuse my ignorance. But how does CS3 fit into the picture? And what happens if I don't have CS3?

Mark

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 08:34
by Tako_Kichi
Markoz wrote: Please excuse my ignorance. But how does CS3 fit into the picture? And what happens if I don't have CS3?
The nVidia plug-in is a tool for use with Photoshop CS3 (and earlier versions of Photoshop too). The original poster mentioned he was using CS3 as his paint program and so I offered the information to help him produce DDS files. By using the plug-in you can do everything within one program without having to use multiple programs to create a DDS file.

If you are using an earlier version of Photoshop you can still use the plug-in as long as you place the files in the correct folder for the version of Photoshop you use.

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 11 Sep 2009, 11:31
by Aztec73
there is a paint program called ( Paint.net ) it is a free program. It is worth taking a look at, I have PSP, but find I am using this to repaint DDS. files works great, but you still have to flip the file to get it to show right. It's free and it's a great program.

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 12 Sep 2009, 05:29
by Jigsaw
@Tako_Kichi

Thanks for the tip with the plug in, but it didn't work for me. Everytime I tried to save the texture it would freeze Photoshop. Maybe it's not compatible with Windows 7? Or maybe it didn't like my Ati card, being a nvidia plug in? ;)

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 12 Sep 2009, 06:25
by Tako_Kichi
Jigsaw wrote:@Tako_Kichi

Thanks for the tip with the plug in, but it didn't work for me. Everytime I tried to save the texture it would freeze Photoshop. Maybe it's not compatible with Windows 7? Or maybe it didn't like my Ati card, being a nvidia plug in? ;)
That is very odd. The ATI card should not make any difference as it is a plug-in for Photoshop and should not be card biased. Your comment about Win 7 may be a good point however. I just had a quick scan through the nVidia plug-in forum and there are no mentions of Win 7 at all but some people were having problems with Vista 64. You are not running Win 7 64 by any chance are you?

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 12 Sep 2009, 06:55
by Jigsaw
Tako_Kichi wrote:
Jigsaw wrote:@Tako_Kichi
You are not running Win 7 64 by any chance are you?
That I am. ;)

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 12 Sep 2009, 07:50
by Tako_Kichi
It would appear that some Vista 64 users had some luck with running Photoshop in 32 bit mode as the plug-in is apparently a 32 bit app but that's a lot of pain to go through re-installing Photoshop just to be able to export DDS files. :?

Re: What am I doing wrong? (Painting question)

Posted: 13 Sep 2009, 03:47
by Markoz
Tako_Kichi wrote:
Markoz wrote: Please excuse my ignorance. But how does CS3 fit into the picture? And what happens if I don't have CS3?
The nVidia plug-in is a tool for use with Photoshop CS3 (and earlier versions of Photoshop too). The original poster mentioned he was using CS3 as his paint program and so I offered the information to help him produce DDS files. By using the plug-in you can do everything within one program without having to use multiple programs to create a DDS file.

If you are using an earlier version of Photoshop you can still use the plug-in as long as you place the files in the correct folder for the version of Photoshop you use.
I really should pay more attention. It was 10:30pm (no real excuse) when I posted. I somehow thought you were referring to CFS3 (Combat Flight Simulator 3).

Boy. Don't I look like a "right royal idiot"! :shock:

Sorry folks. My bad. :(

Markoz slaps himself hard!

Mark