[Fixed] [#306] Road sign texture issues

[.:SKyy-V8:.]

Hey guys first Thank you for your hard work.
This is my first Promods version I tried,( so I dont know how it was in the previous versions ) and I was looking forward to have much fun
But since yesterday I dont get really into driving ....

There is a issue that massivly confuse me. As I load the map first time I immediately noticed it ..
It's the signage. It's not very clear if you drive and look at it from distance. Have you guys changed something with the signs ??

I tried to do some pics but I dont know if you can detect the problem on the pics.. If not I try do make a video. But first lets take a look at the pics..
Best is to download the pictures and zoom into it with a foto programm to see the difference better

Vanilla:


Promods:


Now it's important to take a look to the blue sign to only drive left :

Vanilla:


Promods:


I also make another pic zoomed into It so you can clearly see the different. The sign is white and in my opinion not showed correctly ...

Vanilla:



Promods:



And a last example :

Vanilla:



Promods:



Hope you guys can tell me what the hell here is going on ?

Greetings skyy-V8

[ScuL]

We have not made any changes here so I can't confirm your findings but I will have a look.

The texture/resolution of all signs we use is the same and 100% native like in vanilla

[WarFox]

Yeah, I've noticed this too... I thought it was because I drive on low/medium quality settings

[.:SKyy-V8:.]

I become really desperating :/ I extra Re-Install the game but nothing changes.. I drive on ultra, everything maxed out so its not because of the graphic.
I cant imagine that we are the only people in here that notice that.

ScuL have you test it ? I really hope that this could be fixed

Greetings

[ScuL]

We are prioritising releasing 1.71 first then we will look at it
But like I said we have not changed anything in the signs

[MandelSoft]

Actually, we DO have changed these signs. I have changed these sign textures so they show the correct fonts and designs. However, the DDS compression method is different from the method SCS used, hence the difference in quality.

Currently, I can't get a better quality; I've tried out several different converters, but DDS Converter 2 is currently the best I came across...

[.:SKyy-V8:.]

First thanks Mandel for the answer. Good to hear that my observations repose on your changes and not on my congiguration / my game's fault...

So you can't just leave the signs like in standart scs map( scs method compression )?
In my opinion the signs definetly look better in Vanilla status, because in Promods it's just hard to read the signs when you drive at highway ... Only just roughly the last 5 -10 meters before the signs, they get sharp like they should. Then they are clear and look pretty good but not at bigger distance and this is really annonying :/ ....

Promods is the first Map Mod where I made this observation.. How TSM make signs ? Because the signs are clear there ... BUT please dont tell me then go to TSM.. Promods is AMAZING just this issue makes me crazy everytime I drive beside signboards

Greetings

[MandelSoft]

Well, if someone knows a better method to make sharp DDS file out of a PNG file, just give me a call and I would be happy to apply it . From what I've tried, GIMP gives the worst results and DDS Converter 2 currently gives considerably better results.

Why did I change all the sign textures? Consistency, especially if we are adding new placenames. The vanilla version of the map uses a different font than the real signs. Especially the Netherlands and Belgium have a font that deviate a lot from each other. Just look at the following pictures:


Left = SCS vanilla font, Right = Promods & real life font


Top = Promods & real life version, Bottom = SCS vanilla version

You can tell they deviate a lot. And that's why we rather use our own stuff. It's just the DDS compression that is bugging...

Best,
MandelSoft

[DanielCoffey]

While creating DDS textures for Skyrim out of Photoshop, I use the nVidia DDS plugin for Photoshop which has some quality options which may be worth checking.

LINK : https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-tex ... -photoshop

There is the Image Options - Compression Quality panel that has options ranging from Fastest, Normal, production (default), Highest.

If the signs have no Alpha channel and are DXT1 with mipmaps, and if the textures needed an Alpha channel, I would advise DXT5 ARGB with mipmaps.

There is a handy Preview button too which will show the mipmap levels so you can see the effect your quality settings have and there appears to be a Profile selection that you can save your custom settings.

[MandelSoft]

I found a solution: I just have to change the mipmap compression method from Gaussian to Sinc. Here is a demonstration of mipmap level 3, zoomed in 200%:



Top: Gaussian mipmapping, DDS converter 2
Middle: DXTbmp 4 export
Bottom: Sinc mipmapping, DDS converter 2

I think this will give much sharper results!

Also, I only have GIMP. I don't have PhotoShop.

Best,
MandelSoft