Is there a way to make highly realistic textures ?

[scojj]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and happy to have found it.

As a hobby I have created some textures for my personnal use, and eventually began to share them as the results became interresting.

I have reached a photorealistic level, but meet limitations in the detail level that can be added to a texture.
It seemed to me that this limitation is related to the maximum size of a texture picture, I found it to be at max 1024 x 1024 pixels for FS9.

So for small parts like the engines, this size allows to reach a highly detailed photographic level.
But for much larger parts like the whole fuselage, this size does not allow a maximum of detail level to be added.

My question is : do you know a way to use larger pictures than 1024 x 1024 to paint a texture for FS9 ?

Also what is the best compression format to reach detailed texture level in FS9 ? And in FSX ?


I thank you everyone for your attention and answer.


Here are two examples of my work : (I'm sorry for the time needed to load the pictures)


A fully detailed engine for the 737-800 :


The result I achieved for the fuselage :

[AGNT_Matt]

FS9 only allows bitmaps up to 1024px*1024px in size, FSX can have 512*2048 as an example (doubling on each other, or quadrupling), FS9 for high quality but frame hungry textures use 32-bit textures, i prefer DXT3 as a trade off between clarity and detail while saving frames, FSX same again applies except i prefer using DXT5 textures there,

Hope this helps,
AGNT_Matt

[scojj]

Thank you very much.

This helps a lot of course, understanding the way FS9 and X work.

I work with 16 bit textures in DXT-3 for FS9.
This doesn't take to much frame rate with a PIV 2.4 Ghz and 2Gig of RAM.
I'll try to add better details like the cabin windows and fuselage doors, but there will be always a limit for large parts like the fuselage.

Is there a way to use more than one bitmap for the whole fuselage ?
That could be a way to have a better look for this and reach the same level as for the engine I have showed.
But I suppose this is set in the plane model itself ?

So I have reached the limit for FS9 ... except for the 32 bits format.

Can you tell me how I can set the bitmaps to 32 bits ?
I work with Paint Shop Pro XI.
When saving pictures, I have no choice with PSP to save them in 32 bits format.
And with DXTbmp, the DXT-3 format is in 16 bits.

Thanks again.

Scojj

[AGNT_Matt]

unfortunately the texturing is determined by the modeller, i make full side PSD's when i repain so i can line things up on 1 bitmap then paste them onto the appropriate bitmaps, takes longer but is worth it. btw if you need help with anything you can add me on msn: transeuropean_md[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk oh by 32bit format i mean in DXTBMP save: then as type 32-bit 888-8 or something along them lines those are real frame hogs especially on payware high detail stuff.

[scojj]

Thank you !

When repainting I found a good way to proceed too.

I work on a good quality picture to erase wings and other structures with a clone brush, then resize the fuselage at the right number of pixels and then paste it on the template.
Then I work with masks to add additionnal details.

Doing so I think the result I had with the engine cone is really good : you can look at it vrey close.
But it has a separate texture file.

I will try to save the fuselage texure file in a 32 bit format and see if it costs a lot of frame rate...

Thanks again.

Scojj

[Chango !]

Hi Scojj, and hi all... i'm new to this forum too, and also to skinning FSX...
I remember skinning a racing game wich had 512px textures, obviously the results (no matter what detail i add to them) where just... lets say... painfull...
What i did in order to get a "high" detail was resampling the original texture to 2048px, worked it in that size, and then, resize it back down to 512px, since the game did'nt supported any other resolution than that...
I got a radical change on the detail level, i do this for every texture i create since then.
About the color depth... i really dont think you'll get THAT much from 32 Bits, 24 looks greate and is "cheaper"...
I suggest that you do the conversion from 32 or 24 to 16 in your major editing program, using an adaptative pallette... that way i achieve very good results even in 8 Bits, im unfamiliar with the Paint Shop Pro interfase, but somewhere around there should be an option to convert an image before saving it, by example, in Corel, it's under "image" menu... hope that helps...
Try if you wish, and if so, tell the results...