Military AI Works

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've posted so I apologise in advance if this has been covered by somebody else but I'm just wondering if anybody with far more experience than me in this area can help. With Nick's permission, some time ago I decided to update the RAF Typhoon's from the Coningsby package. Not knowing anything about repainting I managed to find a way of pasting across codes and serials to make the new combinations, it worked and I offered them out on the forum. I recently noticed that every paint I had altered had suddently started to appear 'fuzzy' where I had altered it, which I'm sure was not the case when I first used them. yet I'm still running the same PC, card and have changed nothing that I've aware off.

I've added a few screenshots below, with the last one showing one of the original untouched by me MAIW Typhoons with the crisp, clear markings.











How I did this was to use the DXTbmp program to open the texture file, and save as 'extended bitmap'. I then cut and pasted codes and serials across using windows paint (I don't know any other way), once that was done I then opened again in DXTbmp and saved to the aircraft texture file in FS9, using the 'extended bitmap' and DXT3 drop down. This may or may not be correct but it did appear to work initally. One thing I did notice is that prior to my editing the texture files for the Typhoons were 1.00MB, but after editing had changed to 1.33MB, I don't know if this is a factor or not. I've also tried saving at some of the other settings and formats within DXTbmp but with no change. Same thing has happened with a couple of the Harrier texture files I have also done some minor editing to. If anybody has any suggestions I would be very grateful, or if any repainters out there wouldn't mind doing some simple code/serial alterations to the RAF Typhoon colour schemes that are already painted I would also be grateful.

Gary

Hey Gary,

You've saved with mipmaps. Then the texture is 1.33 MB. If you save without mipmaps then the texture will be 1 MB.

Regards

Horst

I can't believe that I am going to attempt to answer a question on painting, but here goes.

From my limited understanding, i.e. I can't paint or use a paint package, what you need to do is work with first generation 24 bit paint schemes. You then add your codes, sqn markings etc and save the result as a dxt3 bmp.

A dxt3 is a compressed format, i.e. some data has been left out/glossed over for the express purpose of producing smaller faster loading images. If you copy some markings from a dxt3 image their quality has already been compromised. You then compress them again and they become further watered down.

In your situation what you need is the original 24 bit paint kit, and ideally the font and size info that match the real markings closest. DXTBmp is a very useful tool, especially for the compressing, but you really need to use PSP or Photoshop, a layered paint program, or maybe GIMP.

I believe from the info you gave and the small knowledge that I have that this is your problem.

Did you save with mipmaps? If you did then that can cause the blurry textures on some machines.
Try saving them without mipmaps or set your texture sizes in FS settings to massive.

Mark

Steve/Horst/Mark,

Thank you very much for the prompt replies - it's fixed! I don't know what mipmaps means, but I can see that the box on the right hand side of the DXTbmp menu was ticked, so after opening the 1.33MB files and saving again without that box ticked the file sizes went back to 1.00MB and they show up in FS2004 as crisp as they should. You wouldn't believe how much time I've spent in the last few months trying to find out what was wrong. Many thanks again.

Gary

Thanks guys. Thanks to this post I now know what is wrong with all of my repaints!

Search "mipmaps" on wikipedia, there is a great explanation on what they are and what they do.