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How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:40 pm
by Davinci
Hey, I'm having a problem saving the DDS files for the buttons , and the toolbar .

After saving them, they seem to smudge, or create artifacts !

Question – The default files don’t seem to have this problem, so how are the default files being saved?

This would make it very apparent about what buttons are selected, such as Blue equals Active , and the Grey equals in-active , or not selected!

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Thanks,

davinci

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 3:11 am
by PANGI
i cannot help you just want to say that these are beautiful shots and your game tuning looks very tasty

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 4:29 am
by ADukes
That's the way DDS works. The default files have this problem too.

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 7:01 am
by Davinci
i cannot help you just want to say that these are beautiful shots and your game tuning looks very tasty
Thanks, for the comment, Norb and Team – did a fantastic job with this game!
That's the way DDS works. The default files have this problem too.
Thanks, I guess that that solves that problem.

I wonder if saving them under a different format will work, such as TGA, or JPG – other than using a slightly more memory!

davinci

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:17 pm
by whad
Hi,

This thread is maybe a bit old but as there is no real solution, i probably got one for those who look for it.

After saving your DDS file, open it with XnView, a free files viewer Available on the web, M button to see your Alpha, in "image" menu (in french version... sorry) there is an option to erase Alpha.
Save and the program will replaced your alpha with a blank one without any artifact.

Et voila!

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:27 pm
by RebBugler
Hi,

This thread is maybe a bit old but as there is no real solution, i probably got one for those who look for it.

After saving your DDS file, open it with XnView, a free files viewer Available on the web, M button to see your Alpha, in "image" menu (in french version... sorry) there is an option to erase Alpha.
Save and the program will replaced your alpha with a blank one without any artifact.

Et voila!
Yeah, this is a big problem with DDS...artifacts. TGA conversions don't show the artifacts, but the shading is terrible. DDS shading is great, but the artifacts ruin it's look for close up shots.

Tried the program, thanks, but it didn't work for me. Deleted the alpha, saved, but now I get a big black square for the background and the artifacts are still there. Help...

BTW, I'm working with my DRF mod, whereas, I must have transparent options for the highlighted border.

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:45 pm
by RebBugler
Keyed M only and saved (before I deleted the alpha via the toolbar), this eliminates the black box background, but still get artifacts, plus bad jaggies produced by the transparency aspects, feathering and clear borders, being eliminated. Appears to be a nice useful app for lots of graphics necessities, but can't help with my DDS flag issues...Alas :(

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:53 am
by norb
dds files take a lot less memory than the other formats, but they are not as pretty. that's why the guys insisted on using other formats for some of the pieces.

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:42 am
by Davinci
This don't apply to all dds files, but I have came to the conclusion that the best way of doing them is to try to do them in one setting .

If you try to save them and then open them back up - they seem to smudge!

davinci

Re: How ? - Saving DDS files - without an Alpha!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:17 am
by norb
Absolutely Davinci, never ever edit a dds file. Always keep the original and convert it every time.