Ground texture...what format should they be in?

[OBIO]

I am creating a set of runway grass textures to improve the look of my airports and airstrips. The stock grass textures look horrible....not the grass runways...but the grass that grows around the airports. I have modified one of the spring grass textures and like the look of it...but it isn't drawing in right. It tends to flicker in and out from lovely grass to pitch black..depending on viewing angle and the distance from the area.

What DXT format should I use for these bmps? I have used DXT1 (no alpha), DXT1, and DXT3 and gotten the same results.

OBIO

[OleBoy]

I gather your ready to test some textures. Check your email.

Hmmm that's odd. The email came back. PM me your email OBIO and I will send again

[Wing_Z]

Are you working on the AFCADs, or generic grass textures?
I've done some of the former which are in r8 format which comes from I think FS5.
If the latter, REX has probably the definitive 32-bit detail1.bmp.

[OBIO]

Wing Z

The textures I am tweaking are the grass textures around the airport. Not the detail1.bmp, but the actual files that give the color of the grass. The stock stuff is horrible.

OleBoy

Will send you a PM with my new e-mail addy.

OBIO

[Wing_Z]

I didn't know they were a separate texture...but sounds like you should look at the mips to avoid the flashing effect.
Either on or off I can't remember!
And try saving in DXT1 with pure black alpha.

[OBIO]

Mip Maps....I bet that is the key. I have opened the stock files in DXTbmp, and they are DXT1...but they most likely have mip maps. I have been saving files via DXTbmp without mip maps for so long, I forgot about them.

OBIO

[OBIO]

It were the mip maps! I saved as DXT1 with mip maps and all is well with my personalized grass textures. Not uber photorealistic, but far and away better than the stock stuff. Now that I have spring done, got to do summer, fall, winter and hard winter.

OBIO

[Willy]

Pics would be nice. Just saying.... :d

[OBIO]

Willy

Once I get all the seasons covered, I take some screen shots and post them. If folks are interested, I will upload my tweaked airport grass textures. Much much better than the super blah stock stuff.

OBIO

[Wing_Z]

It were the mip maps! ...

Good! Be interested to see what you're on about!
Many have groused about stock ground textures before...

[OBIO]

Here are a couple screen shots of my new grass textures for the airport surrounds. Spring and Fall.

[Wing_Z]

Cool!
Now, how do I get them in the sim??

[OBIO]

Once I have all the seasons done, I will package them up and upload to the SOH library. Once there, you will be able to down load them and place them in the Scenery/World/Texture folder.

OBIO

[Wing_Z]

Just kidding...I've never seen any grass in there; what files are you working on, out of interest?

[Trans_23]

Those are sweet OBIO.

[OBIO]

Wing

The default files are numbered 139 through 143 with seasons i.e. sp, su, fa, wi and hw. You'll find them in the scenery/world/texture folder. These are the files that give the color to the grass around runways. Well, not all of them are grass...some are desert stuff from the looks of it. It could be grass..just really horrible grass.

Still working on the files.

OBIO

[Sascha66]

Obio,

which grass detail file are you using?

Sascha

[OBIO]

Sascha

I'm using the ground detail from Pablo Diaz's HDE cloud package. I have tired a few others, but I like one from the HDE cloud package best.

OBIO

[Terry]

Has anyone ever tried to change the solid colors used by Afcad to create apron polys or taxiways to a textured look, or is it even possible? Just curious.

[Wing_Z]

...I've done some of the former which are in r8 format which comes from I think FS5.....

AFCAD textures map strangely, I doodled with them for a while



Problem is any change carries through to every AFCAD in the sim.
There didn't seem to be too much interest so I sort of lost interest too.

[Terry]

They are an improvement over default. The third photo has gravel roads which I use a lot for FSGW3. It would look better if the edges of gravel and dirt taxiways were not perfectly straight.
Is that possible to do?

[Sascha66]

Sascha

I'm using the ground detail from Pablo Diaz's HDE cloud package. I have tired a few others, but I like one from the HDE cloud package best.

OBIO

Thanks, haven't tried it gefore but will definitely do now!

Sascha