Let's go AI Native!

[Super Six-Four 5]

Not incorrect, but maybe different experience from your own. I have seen better performance using dds - DXT5 uses better compression, and I tend to run max AI. But you must have an alpha channel. And like I said, not mip-mapping is a no-no. It not only offers better performance and complies with the sdk, but also better visuals since it can reduce shimmering at a distance.

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

Not incorrect, but maybe different experience from your own. I have seen better performance using dds - DXT5 uses better compression, and I tend to run max AI. But you must have an alpha channel.

Glad you see better performance but its placebo at its finest. If it was truely better or faster dont you think the AI developers or Aces would have used them exclusively through FSX? Like I said, .dds are necessary if a model uses specular maps like some a/c and scenery do.

 

You say. dds -DXT5 uses better compression.

 

.dds is the packaging so to speak and DXT5 is the compression. You can use dxt1, dxt3 or dxt5 compressions in .bmp packing. The way the dx pipeline renders them is different however in that there is some flipping of textures in the rendering process that different between the two formats.

 

The only real performance that can be gained using either dds or bmp is to use dxt compressions and not 32bit along with mip maps. Using dxt compression in either dds or bmp will yield the same performance.

 

I dont mean to sound argumentative but there are some papers out their that go into more detail about this. In fact NickN put out a piece on this subject some time ago when asked if putting AI to dds format would increase performance and after his detailed explanation, the quick answer is no.

 

While people are free to do as they please, they need to understand this before setting out on such a time consuming project of converting all their AI textures that wont really make any true difference other than a possible placebo gain. Dropping your AI slider from 100% to 95% will yield a greater gain in performance to be honest and its a lot quicker and easier.

 

The main difference with dds is that the cpu doesn't have to flip the texture before sending it to the gpu. On todays hardware the flip process and cpu energy required to do it wont usually produce and noticible gain in performance unlesd you have an old and slow cpu.