Just resized the texture files to 1024 still with the alpha channel intact, for a friend. He get about 4 FPS extra around Seatle on his old machine. I watched both 2048 and 1024 and I honestly cannot see the difference. Maybe it is because I could still keep the alpha channel intact with scaling down texture files. (thanks to spotlope who refreshed an aging memory of mine)2048 texture files was about 5000 KB each1024 texture files now is about 1029 KB each. (still DXT5 after conversion with Alpha channel)So it reduced texture size by half but the file sized went down to a fifth of the original size.I am sure carenado can make available a std set of paints for those still with older machines as it seem to me that it indeed do help FPS on older machines.

U will need 3 programs (DXTbmp, imagetool from the SDK and photoshop)Get program called DXTbmp. (unforuanately imagetool in SDK do not want to open and save as targa file so I had to revert back to DXTbmp)Example step by step--------------------Copy the textures to a seperate texture folder so that you still have the originals intact.for instance I copy the texture folder eg "texture.Blue executive" to "texture.Blue executive_HD". (then I know my HD textures is stored in the HD folder)Open DXTbmp and then browse to the "texture.Blue executive" folder and then open the first texture file in the "texture.Blue executive" folder. SAVE AS and select "Targa with Alpha" (do not use the 24 targa option as that do not safe the alpha). Save the file inside the "texture.Blue executive" folder then all files are nicely togetherIt will then save as tga file. (this way tga file always keep the alpha)Then open photoshop and open the tga fileUse menu : image > image sizechange to 1024x1024then save the tga file.Now open the Imagetool from SDK open the tga file.Then go menu: Image > format: select DX5Save as bmp file again.NB NB NBonly rezise the following tetxuresCAR_CARAV_EXT_1.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_2.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_3.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_4.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_5.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_6.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_7.bmpno need to rezise the spec.bmp files. They are alreay small in 512x512.Now delete the TGA files from the folder.NOW do the same with the texture.base folder. (make sure you create a copy into an HD folder for backup puposes) and resize the above mentioned files as well asCAR_CARAV_INT_1.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_1_L.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_2.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_3.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_4.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_5.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_6.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_8.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_1_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_2_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_3_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_4_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_5_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_6_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_7_bump.bmpThat is it. Now go fly. You have your original files nicely backed up in HD folders. thnaks again to mr Bill Womack for his willingness to share the know how..

That might be true to gain some performance. But from the point of view of repainting, by downsizing textures you will definately loose detail. The panel lines and rivets and espcially the finer details of a repaint will get fuzzy. We have seen this with the Lancair project. The Low res textures were lacking vibrance and detail. There is a reason for high res textures ( but as you correctly stated not for low end machines), otherwise McPhat would not up their textures to 4096x4096. I do not want to spark a debate, but these are my experiences from doing numerous repaints with all kinds of resolutions. I just need to have a look at the Feelthere Caravan(1024x1024) I did and compare them to the HD textures from Carenado, there is definately a huge difference.

That might be true to gain some performance. But from the point of view of repainting, by downsizing textures you will definately loose detail. The panel lines and rivets and espcially the finer details of a repaint will get fuzzy. We have seen this with the Lancair project. The Low res textures were lacking vibrance and detail. There is a reason for high res textures ( but as you correctly stated not for low end machines), otherwise McPhat would not up their textures to 4096x4096. I do not want to spark a debate, but these are my experiences from doing numerous repaints with all kinds of resolutions. I just need to have a look at the Feelthere Caravan(1024x1024) I did and compare them to the HD textures from Carenado, there is definately a huge difference.

You are 100% right. this i just workaround for the less fortuanate that have really old old machines that NEED 1024 texture file set to enjoy the plane.Groete vanaf die Paarl

Changing a 2048x2048 texture sheet to 1024x1024 is quartering the size, not halving... so a drop from 5Mb to around 1+Mb is what should be expected...There is always a price to pay for higher visual quality...Andrew

U will need 3 programs (DXTbmp, imagetool from the SDK and photoshop)Get program called DXTbmp. (unforuanately imagetool in SDK do not want to open and save as targa file so I had to revert back to DXTbmp)Example step by step--------------------Copy the textures to a seperate texture folder so that you still have the originals intact.for instance I copy the texture folder eg "texture.Blue executive" to "texture.Blue executive_HD". (then I know my HD textures is stored in the HD folder)Open DXTbmp and then browse to the "texture.Blue executive" folder and then open the first texture file in the "texture.Blue executive" folder. SAVE AS and select "Targa with Alpha" (do not use the 24 targa option as that do not safe the alpha). Save the file inside the "texture.Blue executive" folder then all files are nicely togetherIt will then save as tga file. (this way tga file always keep the alpha)Then open photoshop and open the tga fileUse menu : image > image sizechange to 1024x1024then save the tga file.Now open the Imagetool from SDK open the tga file.Then go menu: Image > format: select DX5Save as bmp file again.NB NB NBonly rezise the following tetxuresCAR_CARAV_EXT_1.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_2.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_3.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_4.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_5.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_6.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_7.bmpno need to rezise the spec.bmp files. They are alreay small in 512x512.Now delete the TGA files from the folder.NOW do the same with the texture.base folder. (make sure you create a copy into an HD folder for backup puposes) and resize the above mentioned files as well asCAR_CARAV_INT_1.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_1_L.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_2.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_3.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_4.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_5.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_6.bmpCAR_CARAV_INT_8.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_1_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_2_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_3_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_4_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_5_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_6_bump.bmpCAR_CARAV_EXT_7_bump.bmpThat is it. Now go fly. You have your original files nicely backed up in HD folders.thnaks again to mr Bill Womack for his willingness to share the know how..

im sorry for bringind this old topic back to life but i need some help...i did everything until the last part where i save the texture after converting it to dxt5 and saving..now there is the problem..the imagetool says internal error..line 332....i really need help...is there any solution or another program that can make this same work as the imagetools? please help..