Editing ".texture" Graphic Files - HOW ?

[edion2]

Hello,

I use Photoshop to do editing of graphic files. The ".texture" file is an uncommon file format that is not recognized by Photoshop.

Where can I find a conversion software that can convert ".texture" file to TGA AND back to ".texture" after editing in Photoshop ?

I just want to do some simple editing to tone down some really bright objects on my route.

Thanks
Ed

 

[shaneturner12]

I'm guessing you have not heard of PEV's Images2TGA tool, available from http://members.optusnet.com.au/~villaump/pevsoft.htm.

Once you have downloaded and installed it, have a read of it's help file (available in the Help menu), or search for Images2TGA on these forums.

EDIT: Do not worry about converting back - Trainz understands .tga just as well as .texture - also, if it's really bright spots, it may not actually be the .texture file that is the problem.

Shane

 

[zatovisualworks]

HI Ed,

Before another Ed we all know joins in with his gentle swording Daddy questions :hehe: ( http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=69163 ), let me guide you to the right site... that goes by the sweet name of PEV Tools by the great Peter Villaume:

Photoshop is almost almighty but not in this case...

Something more humble and useful is available for you:

Look for [SIZE=+1]Images2TGA:

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~villaump/pevsoft.htm

Please, use the Forum searcher, it's a very useful and grateful guy.

Take care,

The anticipating-to-sword-strike side of Alberte :wave:

(Sorry, Shane had already answered you)

[/SIZE]

 

[shaneturner12]

It's OK - that usually happens when I do posts (for some reason)

Shane

 

[RRSignal]

BTW, when you do save a TGA file, be absolutely sure to disable compression. A very important rule that not everybody knows about - and an option not all image-editing programs offer.

 

[PEV]

BTW, when you do save a TGA file, be absolutely sure to disable compression. A very important rule that not everybody knows about - and an option not all image-editing programs offer.

This is important, but not an issue with Images2TGA because if you connect it to your editor (PhotoShop etc) it edits in BMP format but saves to TGA format by default. Images2TGA has no TGA compression capability so a compression option is not required.

Also I have not provided capability to open compressed TGAs as these are not supported by Trainz. If you have compressed TGAs you will need to re-save them uncompressed in PhotoShop (PaintShopPro, Gimp)

 

[edion2]

Thanks guys. It works great.

Hmmm . . . so no need to convert it back to ".texture". I'm wondering why this graphic format?

I am noticing that the contrast ratio between the "sunlit" side of an object, as compared to the "shadow" side of an object seems to have increased. It is more than I used to remember. In other words, at high noon, the roofs of object seems too bright and turns "white". Anyone else notice this ?

This contrast ratio is not adjustable by the user . . . so its in the software programing. I think this contrast ratio can be cut back like 20% to 30%.

Thanks
Ed

 

[PEV]

Thanks guys. It works great.

Hmmm . . . so no need to convert it back to ".texture". I'm wondering why this graphic format?

I am noticing that the contrast ratio between the "sunlit" side of an object, as compared to the "shadow" side of an object seems to have increased. It is more than I used to remember. In other words, at high noon, the roofs of object seems too bright and turns "white". Anyone else notice this ?

This contrast ratio is not adjustable by the user . . . so its in the software programing. I think this contrast ratio can be cut back like 20% to 30%.

The ".texture" is not a graphics format as such because it contains multiple levels of details of the image from 2x2 pixels up to the final size that may be 2048x2048 pixels (if it is a square texture) That is why the textures must be made from an image that is sized to a power of 2 (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048)

The "contrast ratio" you write about is not normally caused by the texture. TS2009/10 use the specular lighting setting in the mesh and this must be set more carefully. Most old exports from GMax have specular colour of white that causes the effect you mention.

 

[edion2]

Hello Peter,

The "contrast ratio" you write about is not normally caused by the texture. TS2009/10 use the specular lighting setting in the mesh and this must be set more carefully. Most old exports from GMax have specular colour of white that causes the effect you mention.

I don't know or understand very much about 3D lighting and how it works, but I think what you are saying is that a particular 3D object "reacts" to a given set of lighting condition. The "lighting condition" must be the "environment" setting in Trainz. How a "surface" reacts to a given "lighting condition" in Trainz is something that is "programmed" into the 3D model by the content creator. That is why some object show up too bright or white on its surfaces that are more perpendicular to the main light source . . . the sun. Am I understanding things correctly ?

I have no clue about tweaking "3D meshes" . . . and G-Max gives me "G-Headache" :hehe: So my solution is to go into "skins" used by the 3D Mesh and tweak the "brightness" in Photoshop. Objects using white as its color are the worst. I have to do some trial and error, going back and forth to get the correct "brightness" for a content so as to blend in better in the ambiance created on my routes. Its all my personal taste . . . I guess.

I do understand that ".texture" format is NOT the cause of the occasional "brightness" problem. There are a number of content where the "skins" I want to modify are in the ".texture" format.

If I ever share my routes with someone, they will just have to do their own "brightness tweaking" to their own taste.

Thanks
Ed