AI Traffic texture formats

[Planeblogger 11]

All,

 

I use Ultimate Traffic 2, with some additional repaints installed.

 

I only add FSX-native models to the UT2-line, e.g. the UTT 787, 748, FAIB A32S and 737 series.

 

I found that all the native FSX AI textures were 1024x1024, 4MB in size and in DDS format.

 

In UT2, a mix of DXT3 (non mipped) and DXT1 (with mipmaps) are used.

 

My question is - what is the ideal texture format for AI-traffic. Should I convert all textures to a standard format? If so, which one? Is mdl able to handle any texture, regardless of format or compression?

 

Basically I am asking if there are some FPS to be gained by having all my AI textures converted to a certain format. I could not find a conclusive answer anywhere else.

 

 

Hope to hear from you,

 

Erik Brouwer

 

[NGXfanatic 85]

All,

 

I use Ultimate Traffic 2, with some additional repaints installed.

 

I only add FSX-native models to the UT2-line, e.g. the UTT 787, 748, FAIB A32S and 737 series.

 

I found that all the native FSX AI textures were 1024x1024, 4MB in size and in DDS format.

 

In UT2, a mix of DXT3 (non mipped) and DXT1 (with mipmaps) are used.

 

My question is - what is the ideal texture format for AI-traffic. Should I convert all textures to a standard format? If so, which one? Is mdl able to handle any texture, regardless of format or compression?

 

Basically I am asking if there are some FPS to be gained by having all my AI textures converted to a certain format. I could not find a conclusive answer anywhere else.

 

 

Hope to hear from you,

 

Erik Brouwer

I also use UT2, with a mix of traditional .bgl traffic like WOAI and alpha india for the more obscure, military, and GA biz jet traffic. 

As I understand things, FS9 native AI with mipped DXT1 is the preferred format for daytime only textures, but DXT3/5 is fine too if you really want the slightly better livery detail.   The one exception is that models with a prop texture embedded in the daytime paint should not be converted to DXT1 as they need the Alpha channel present in DXT3/5.  Nighttime textures are not mipped DXT3/5, as also require the alpha channel that is otherwise removed if converted to DXT1, but it appears you know that already.

32 bit is a waste of resources, I always convert any I find to DXT 3 or 1 as appropriate.

 

FSX native AI are a whole different animal, and from what I have read, DXT3/5 DDS is the preferred format.   DDS is basically the same size as DXT, I think it loads slightly faster in FSX?   Anyways, most FSX native paints are supplied in that format, so I don't touch those, I will only add mips if they are not present already.   They can be found in 1024 or even 2048 px sizes, and there is some debate on whether those sizes are really necessary, but I use them because FSX AI models are very few at the moment, and the performance benefits from FSX models helps offset any increase in resource usage with the bigger textures.   Most AI experts say that the new "hd" textures in the FSX models have little to no effect on performance.  

 

Bottom line, all my FS9 daytime paints are one format, DXT1, unless they are props.  All the FSX daytimes are whatever format is supplied by the paint author, usually .DDS.

I am investigating if it's worth the effort to downsize 2048 or 1024 px FSX paints to a smaller size, I suspect there is not or the authors would have done so.  Another potential AI paint tweak:  keeping ONE single model nighttime lightmap in the main FSX texture folder.  The goal is to eliminate redundant file calls for lightmaps that are shared by one model.  I understand this is an accepted practice in FS2004, but there is debate on whether or not it works in FSX.   Apparently, FAIB has adopted this approach for their FSX native lightmaps, it remains to be seen if it's worth the effort for FS9 models running in FSX.

 

Hope this helps.