• Hail Guest!
    We're looking for Community Content Contribuitors to Stratics. If you would like to write articles, fan fiction, do guild or shard event recaps, it's simple. Find out how in this thread: Community Contributions
  • Greetings Guest, Having Login Issues? Check this thread!
  • Hail Guest!,
    Please take a moment to read this post reminding you all of the importance of Account Security.
  • Hail Guest!
    Please read the new announcement concerning the upcoming addition to Stratics. You can find the announcement Here!

[Tech Help] A Graphics Mod Question or Two

Ashlynn_L

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
So I've been altering or in some cases making my own icons, mainly for spells so that I don't get lost in the midst of ingame chaos. (Where did you go, arcane empowerment!)

When I go to save them in photoshop, I get the option of saving them as a variety of .dds formats. When I did my first few, I didn't realise and saved it with no alpha channel (whoops!). But now, I have been saving them as DXT3 8 bit / explicit alpha. It seems to work fine, but the new icon file sizes are smaller.
So I am wondering. Is that the one I should be saving them as? Is there one I'm supposed to be using and will not using it cause potential problems in the future?


And my other question. I have been considering altering some of the actual UI graphics (windows, health bars, etc etc), but it can be confusing working out which bit is which. Is there anywhere that has a diagram or something to tell you exactly what each UI element is and what it fits with? Or is it trial and error? =P
 

Storm

UO Forum Moderator
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Awards
1
I have been experimenting with making icons also and was wondering the same things!
 

Zym Dragon

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
I'll have to verify when I get home about the "bit" part, but DXT3 with explicit alpha sounds right to me.

As far as figuring out what is what... yeah, that's trial and error. But let me know if you want to know where a specific something is and I'll do what I can to help. :)
 

Dermott of LS

UOEC Modder
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
...

I use Gimp 2 (the price for it is right), and generally load up one of the existing icons and then save as a DDS and it seems to keep everything as is... so I'm guessing the issue is with Photoshop itself, not necessarily the DDS format.
 

Ashlynn_L

Lore Master
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
...

I use Gimp 2 (the price for it is right), and generally load up one of the existing icons and then save as a DDS and it seems to keep everything as is... so I'm guessing the issue is with Photoshop itself, not necessarily the DDS format.
Yes, I think it's photoshop's fault, or how it's interacting with the plugin anyway. I was doing the same thing, assuming that just using Save instead of Save As would save it as what it was originally, but I soon noticed it was saving it as DXT1 4 bit / no alpha. I didn't notice until I loaded up UO and saw the icons had bright rims around the edges instead of the shadow.

And thankyou for the kind offer, Zym! I shall probably need to when I move from playing with icons and things to altering some of the UI graphics. Playing with the graphics is definately fun!
 

Dermott of LS

UOEC Modder
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
...

Texture work can be addicting depending on your level of "perfectionism" (If I can get this ONE PIXEL to line up right!!!...) and take take quite a chunk of time if you let it.

The icons are a bit easier because you don't have to worry about mipmaps or transparencies, the mani textures, you'll have to deal with that, so make sure that you back up EVERYTHING you do pretty often as the wrong "save" can harm quite a bit of effort.

Also make sure to share some screenshots of your work!
 

Zym Dragon

Seasoned Veteran
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Here is a screenshot of the DDS settings I use.


Your image dimensions should not change when you save the file, though that may be happening if the overall file dimensions aren't set right. This is from "Mania Creative"™ | Tutorial | Graphic formats

"X/Y dimensions must each be 2n (2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,etc..). Examples of valid picture dimensions: 128*128, 512*256, 1024*64 etc... "

The art you create can be any size within that file though.
 

Storm

UO Forum Moderator
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Awards
1
now thats cool thats what i needed tnks Zym
 
Top