Spring RTS Engine

Very nice! If you want any specific critique, lemme know, but those look pretty optimized

KDR_11k wrote:Why DXT5? You seem to be using "solid" alpha values, i.e. no gradients. DXT3 worked for me for that. Or is DXT5 better?

Well, I'm still relatively new to the whole format. You might be right. DXT5 worked and I just never really looked back after that! At a cursory glance, the filesize of a DXT3 file is no different than the DXT5 one, but then, it would make some sense if it's slightly more efficient due to simpler handling of the alpha layer.

In game it appears no different. I just compared the stormtrooper to the repeater, as they both have effectively the same skin except for the guns.

Perhaps someone else could shed some light on this?

Well dxt1 offers the best compression (8 to 1 if no alpha 6 to 1 if it has alpha) although the alpha channel is 1 bit so it is not used much for alpha, dxt 3 has an interpolated alpha channel of 4 bits per pixel so it is the sharpest and has a 4 to 1 compression ratio, dxt5 also has a 4 to 1 compression however it uses 2 8 bit alpha channels for 16 pixels so the alpha channel is interpolated across a 4x4 pixel lookup. So dxt5 is the best general purpose version as it has good alpha with good colour however depending on the use dx3 can be better for things that don't use a large variation of alpha values but require sharp adjustments instead.

^^ Yup.

In my opinion, DXT3 is for when you need sharp color gradations or really nice color, period, but aren't looking for a really subtle alpha. It's great for things like the Stormtroopers, which are pretty nearly monochrome.

DXT5 is for when you need a very subtle alpha. It treats colors indifferently, and you will often find artefacts on the DDS after compression, which is a real pain. However, its alpha is able to accept a lot of subtleties.

btw dxt4 is similar to 5 although you won't get as many artifacts when using complex alpha and dxt2 is similar to dxt3 except the sharp alpha doesnt affect the normal colours as much.

I see. I'll switch them over to DXT3 then, since it'll only take a minute. Thanks :)

They look realy nice!! Except for one thing... the faces (well helmets) look like they been melted... I know welding and such in spring is not as easy as it should be (IIRC) but cant you do somthing about that?? Maybe just a bit of false shading or somthing??

aGorm

You can do my troopers next... now I see what you meant.

My fiddling with the stormies:









You probably won't even notice, but each stormy type has different dirt/wear on his armour.

The front of the head needs to have similar wear and tear for each stormy type. All good btw ^_^.

Edit: Oh, and stormies are actually somewhat shineh, they need some of the shineh! :D

it needs some false shading, and the eyes are too close together.

see! http://www.wetasschronicles.com/StormTrooper.jpg

Make them a bit shiny.

Shiny will be easy to do.

Had a couple of complaints on the flamer's scarring texture. I quite like it. Thoughts?

Warlord Zsinj wrote:Shiny will be easy to do.

Had a couple of complaints on the flamer's scarring texture. I quite like it. Thoughts?

Needs to be sooty.

Rebel Infantry, joint effort from Gnome and I.



And, I got bored and modelled me a mon-cal.



May appear as a distinct amphibious commando unit (merged with one of the existing commandos, probably the sapper), or you might just randomly get one when you build rebel infantry.

Wookie remodel

Rhino still sucks

That it does, but eh, old habits die hard.

You'll all have to imagine it with better smoothing

I'd like to publically welcome the newest member of the SWS team, Dreadus, who has signed on to texture for us.

After losing Vassago to the ever-lurking RL, we managed to strike lucky again and pick up another talented texturer.

Check out his latest work for us, texturing the models you see above:







And the Rebel shield gen from a while ago:

It's a trap!