I'm no pro but think I have done a decent job on some repaints but the biggest frustration to me is when I put in a lot of work on details, lets say rivets, panel lines, or stipes, and I load my paint into fs to take a look. Then when I reload to work on other things or correct something there are different color pixils around my rivets or along contrasting paint lines. Anything I can do to prevent this? JohnnyV

Could you post some shots?This sounds like texture degradation due to continued extending, and de-extending (is that a word? ;)) of a DXT3 bitmap.To avoid this, keep a backup texture that is not an extended (DXT3) bitmap.CheersDan.

Yep looks like conversion stuff show us an example...and the steps involved...Andr

Okay here is a close up of my last repaint check around the rivits and seams and contasting colors. I can go in again and repaint around all the little rivits and put it back in and they show up again Johnny V

Is this degradation evident in the bitmap before extending?.If you are extending it to DXT3, maybe try 32-bit and see if the problem still exsists.Also, what program are you using to do your extending?Dan.

Yep as Dan asked give some more info about software etc....Andr

Hi Johnny...This issue usually occurs when one converts original artwork from their paint program into the DXT3 format. DXT3 is an image compression tool that allows your paints to load faster in FS. The downside is that it leaves "compression aritfacts" and "pixelization" in your images. You can do away with the compression aritfacts forever if you do away with DXT3 and convert your textures to 32 bit. They will be larger files and can sometime create more hits on framerates, but for the most part, todays computers can handle the extra load and it's hardly noticeable. So try saving your work in 32 bit format and you'll have all the detail you created.BTW... most paint programs will save work in 24 bit by default. 24 bit artwork will not load in Flight Simulator. If you're using Photoshop, then choose the "radio-button" option when saving a .psd file from 24 bit to 32 bit... this way you can apply your alpha masks directly from within photoshop... the base layer being a 24 bit layer, and the alpha layer being an 8 bit layer... 24 + 8 = "32 bit". Hope this helps!

I have been playing around, and I have noticed that MS imagetool creates far more degradation due to DXT3 conversion than DXTBMP.If you are not using DXTBMP than try using that.Dan.