Hi allI generally reduce any external a/c textures from 32 bit to DXT3 format.Is there any reason that I shouldn't also do this for lightmaps - ie those texture files ending in -L

Acually I would recommend that unless 32-bit is critical to the color variations, and also unless highly detailed, the _L lightmaps can be reduced to a smaller size. Solid color ones I reduce to 16X16 or 32X32. For the panel gauge backlighting, I prefer at least a 256X256 for lighting details.

I have an a/c that has 4 megabyte lightmaps!Barry

Barry if your light map has a gradient, then reducing it to DXT format will make it grainy since you are losing the amount of colors when reducing the file size. I'd just keep it at 32 bit, only reduce the size like Milton pointed out.FYI you can reduce any texture size to a smaller or bigger size and it will not lose it's mapping, only some quality. For instance say you have 4 texture sheets that are 1024x1024 at 32 bit. You can reduce those to 256x256 and still 32 bit and they will stil show fine, only at a lesser quality since you reduced them, but you'll gain performance.Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/mcdcvabanner.jpgCalVirAir International

Hi,You can almost always convert lightmap files to DXT3 without problems. However, there are certain computer systems (i.e. graphics cards) that don't like the day and night textures in different formats. So if you convert the day texture, then you can convert the night texture. If you want to keep the day texture as 32 bit, then keep the night texture in that format and (as stated in this thread already) reduce the size of the texture until you see a problem, and then go back up one size.I agree, make all solid color lightmap textures as small as possible (i.e. 32 x 32, etc.).Hope this helps,--Tom GibsonCal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.comFreeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.comDrop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___

What application do you use for reducing texture size?Cheers,N.

Hi,I use Paint Shop Pro, but you can probably use MS Paint for that??? If these textures include an alpha channel, you should load them in DXTBmp and use the Send to Editor (etc.) commands to send to your paint program. Otherwise the alpha channel will likely be destroyed.Hope this helps,--Tom GibsonCal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.comFreeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.comDrop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___

Thanks guys! Much obliged for the info!Cheers,Noel.