DDS\PNG Normal Maps

[kolianych777]

Hello everyone! I wanted to ask is there any quality difference between norm maps in dds. and png. formats? I want to optimize my game's size by reducing files size, cause' i don't need 4k textures and so on. I was trying to do that with GIMP, but when i reduce size picture's down 50% and import file, it's size appears to be bigger than before, plus, i got used to work with png via Ps more. 

[Number251137]

I don't believe so. It's just the game 'prefers' .dds files. Something to do with the memory! I'll let someone else fill in the technical details...

- Number251138

[Sexvision]

6 hours ago, kolianych777 said:

Hello everyone! I wanted to ask is there any quality difference between norm maps in dds. and png. formats? I want to optimize my game's size by reducing files size, cause' i don't need 4k textures and so on. I was trying to do that with GIMP, but when i reduce size picture's down 50% and import file, it's size appears to be bigger than before, plus, i got used to work with png via Ps more. 

If you use a _pass file than you can use a .png for the best result. .png is a lossless data compression format so therefor the best.

Pass files are used for full addon game assets in order to load the hook settings

 

If there is no passfile you can only .dds DXT 5 for normals. (thats why all hook objects will use .dds format) Its a little less good because .dds is a compressed format.

The only way around the use of .dds is to use a normal.override in the leveldefenition object code and link that to a .png normal.  Here is the code override.0.normal.texture = normaltexture.png where "0" is the number of the material stack in blender.

[kolianych777]

15 hours ago, Sexvision said:

If you use a _pass file than you can use a .png for the best result. .png is a lossless data compression format so therefor the best.

Pass files are used for full addon game assets in order to load the hook settings

 

If there is no passfile you can only .dds DXT 5 for normals. (thats why all hook objects will use .dds format) Its a little less good because .dds is a compressed format.

The only way around the use of .dds is to use a normal.override in the leveldefenition object code and link that to a .png normal.  Here is the code override.0.normal.texture = normaltexture.png where "0" is the number of the material stack in blender.

Yeap, that is the way i use normals. Thank you very much!