Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- arma:texturing:merging_textures [2009/04/16 13:52] – overhaul of the merging_texture page. snakeman
+++ arma:texturing:merging_textures [2024/08/01 14:35] (current) – links added. snakeman
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== Merging Textures ======
+====== ArmA 1 Merging Textures ======
+[[https://www.pmctactical.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=42|ArmA 1 Forum]], [[:arma|ArmA 1 Home]], [[arma:config|ArmA 1 Config]], [[arma:tools|ArmA 1 Tools]], [[arma:file_formats|ArmA 1 File Formats]], [[arma:missions|ArmA 1 Missions]], [[arma:modeling|ArmA 1 3D Modeling]], [[arma:terrain|ArmA 1 Terrain]], [[arma:texturing|ArmA 1 Texturing]], [[arma:scripting|ArmA 1 Scripting]]
+**ArmA 1** aka Armed Assault (ArmA)
 In ArmA we should use 1 texture per 1 model to have best performance. So the old days OFP texturing of 75 textures puzzle of 64x64 res is not proper way anymore, we need to use one texture per model or at least trying to use one. Some BIS models use 2 textures like the UH60 because the interior is on one etc. But great model would be only with one texture. You can use texture size up to 2048x2048 as long as its power of two.
@@ Line 20: / Line 24: @@
   - Drag and drop all your wanted small textures from the browser into this MergedTexture window and organize them as you see fit.
   - Use File -> Save As... and select texture name + TGA extension. We call it MyTexture.TGA now.
-  - Open Texview2, load MyTexture.TGA and choose File -> Save As... and use MyTexture.pac filename.
+  - Open Texview2, load MyTexture.TGA and choose File -> Save As... and use MyTexture.pac file name.
-  - Open the MyTexture.PTM file with your favourite text editor. Edit all addon paths and filenames to be case-sensitive and 100% correct! Edit the ending models[] part to put your p3d name youre going to merge these textures into.
+  - Open the MyTexture.PTM file with your favorite text editor. Edit all addon paths and file names to be case-sensitive and 100% correct! Edit the ending models[] part to put your p3d name you're going to merge these textures into.
   - Use O2PE export version to save your p3d to the old p3d format with File -> Export -> P3D Old Version... feature (skip this if its already in old p3d format).
   - Use OFP O2 to load up your exported p3d.
@@ Line 32: / Line 36: @@
 Hope this helps someone who's looking into merging textures into ArmA compatible/quality requirement standards
-Read PMC texture merging tutorial in forum topic [[http://tactical.nekromantix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21287|here]].
+Read [[http://www.pmctactical.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21287|PMC Tactical forum texture merging tutorial]] topic.
@@ Line 43: / Line 47: @@
 Well there was small slider appearing into the bottom of the screen, then I moved the image more further... and discovered that hell yeah baby I can resize the merged texture window to 2048 size even without increasing my desktop resolution to fit the merged texture in pantool at one time!
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/PanToolScroll-01.jpg }}
+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/PanToolScroll-01.jpg }}
 And now some scrolling of the merged texture window... and we can increase its size the same as we would have high resolution in windows desktop!
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/PanToolScroll-02.jpg }}
+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/PanToolScroll-02.jpg }}
 Very cool :)
@@ Line 357: / Line 361: @@
 The normal maps, as well as the cfgMaterials working. edit the values in cfgMaterials to make the "shine" less intense in most circumstances.
-Source Jackal326 in [[http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=69;t=55990;st=225|BIS forum]] topic.
 ====== UV Editor ======
-**Panda[PL]** said on [[http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=76;t=67232|BIS forums]]: Guys you can merge 2 or 4 textures into one in the UV editor now! Open it up, use "filter by main texture" to select first texture, then scale it by half. While scaling you can pick which point will be preserved - pick upper left corner. Select next texture, pick upper right corner. Then you can add 2 more using lower corners and save. Merge the 4 textures in any program (including paint) and make a .paa. Just filter the faces to find the ones using old 4 textures one by one and make them use new texture.
+**Panda[PL]** said: Guys you can merge 2 or 4 textures into one in the UV editor now! Open it up, use "filter by main texture" to select first texture, then scale it by half. While scaling you can pick which point will be preserved - pick upper left corner. Select next texture, pick upper right corner. Then you can add 2 more using lower corners and save. Merge the 4 textures in any program (including paint) and make a .paa. Just filter the faces to find the ones using old 4 textures one by one and make them use new texture.
 ====== PanTool ======
-**Scars09** said on [[http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=76;t=66386|BIS forums]]: merging textures is a method to get many small textures to one big. you texture in o2 with the small ones. when you done, you open up PanTool "file\new merged texture". you will get a new, empty 2048x2048 texture. you the can drag and drop all your small textures in the new big one and place them to fit in as many as possible. then you save the merged texture. this will not only generate the texture but also a script file. this file contains the textures use and where they are placed in the merged one. then you open up o2 again and execute the script with "surface\merge textures". this has to be done for any textured lod´s of the model.
+**Scars09** said: merging textures is a method to get many small textures to one big. you texture in o2 with the small ones. when you done, you open up PanTool "file\new merged texture". you will get a new, empty 2048x2048 texture. you the can drag and drop all your small textures in the new big one and place them to fit in as many as possible. then you save the merged texture. this will not only generate the texture but also a script file. this file contains the textures use and where they are placed in the merged one. then you open up o2 again and execute the script with "surface\merge textures". this has to be done for any textured lod´s of the model.
 That was the script generated by pantool (don't look on the sizes, script was used with textures twice as big as shown in the picture) merged single textures don't perform as good as merged unwrapped textures, but better the all the single textures as a single files. the script usually needs some tweaking, you have to add the correct path and the model name, just open it with editor and check if everything is OK. this have to be done manually cause pantool didn't know the model or the path, its just a texture tool.
@@ Line 384: / Line 386: @@
 If you decide to merge them I think you should merge them by groups (sizes) first and than in the end join all of them.
+====== Vehicle Cockpit ======
+When you are looking helicopter or aircraft in O2 and use mass texture rename tool, make note of the textures listed there might be located in the cockpit area.
+If you split textures for alphas, hull and cockpit... then you still might have problem with the actual cockpit textures for Pilot View LOD.
+Be careful with cockpit textures in O2 mass texture rename listings...
+It is easy to just merge everything you see in models texture list from mass texture rename tool, but it is not that easy if you want to do a good job. You must organize the textures to alpha channel transparent ones (_CA textures), main vehicle (_CO textures) and finally the cockpit/interior only textures (usually _CO textures). Most cases cockpit for Pilot-View LOD is different than what you can see from outside of the aircraft ie 1.0 and other resolution LODs.
+====== Quick summary ======
+  - Use mass texture tool to track down each and every texture used, write them down on a list.
+  - Sort the list for alpha channel textures, hull/airframe (exterior) and cockpit (interior) textures. Do this by going into gunner/pilot view and looking resource window sections. I'm actually not sure if this is the right method, cant remember so clearly from BIS models, but it "feels" right to me, alphas need to be separated or they look ugly, exterior is obviously own texture and then interior textures arent shown to outside world, so they arent visible in last LOD so they can be on their own texture.
+  - Merge textures according to the planned list in PanTool.
+  - Clean out the PTM file.
+  - Export model from O2PE.
+  - Load model with OFP O2.
+  - Run Merge Textures -> PTM file to all LODs available.
+  - Load merged model with O2PE.
+Done.