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When texturing a large AI aircraft, like a B-29, is it wise to use 2 x 1024 x 1024 Gmax materials (Dxt3 textures) in order to keep the resolution of panel lines and markings reasonable please?
In the B-29 model I've just built, I used one sheet for the fuselage divided into forward and rear sections and a separate sheet for the wings and tail plane. I noticed that on occasions the wing texture would blur when switching between the 3 different models/paints in the AI viewer. The textures have mips in them and it was obvious what was happening - a much lower resolution mip was being displayed right at the front end, when it should be the full sheet. Zooming right out and back in again restores the full definition. When I tried the textures without mips, everything stayed sharp. This was all happening in the FS9 version of the aircraft and was not present in FSX. I don't know if it makes any difference, but the sheets have alpha channels in them for the reflective surfaces. The FS9 fuselage texture never blurred at any time.
I tried re-converting and re-applying the textures and even merging the unmapped wings from an earlier version of the model and mapping again. I've tried the wings attached to the fuselage to create one part (multi-material) and with them as separate parts. My FS9 Global maximum texture size is set to "Massive". Things were fine initially, but later and only on some occasions, did I notice the wings blurring in the AI viewer whichever way I set up the parts. At the moment I have included an alternative wing texture in the zip that I want to upload that has no mips in it. That solves the problem, but of course it doesn't help with performance.
I guess the problem can be overcome because large default aircraft like the 747 don't blur when used as AI. Can anyone advise please?
John
In the B-29 model I've just built, I used one sheet for the fuselage divided into forward and rear sections and a separate sheet for the wings and tail plane. I noticed that on occasions the wing texture would blur when switching between the 3 different models/paints in the AI viewer. The textures have mips in them and it was obvious what was happening - a much lower resolution mip was being displayed right at the front end, when it should be the full sheet. Zooming right out and back in again restores the full definition. When I tried the textures without mips, everything stayed sharp. This was all happening in the FS9 version of the aircraft and was not present in FSX. I don't know if it makes any difference, but the sheets have alpha channels in them for the reflective surfaces. The FS9 fuselage texture never blurred at any time.
I tried re-converting and re-applying the textures and even merging the unmapped wings from an earlier version of the model and mapping again. I've tried the wings attached to the fuselage to create one part (multi-material) and with them as separate parts. My FS9 Global maximum texture size is set to "Massive". Things were fine initially, but later and only on some occasions, did I notice the wings blurring in the AI viewer whichever way I set up the parts. At the moment I have included an alternative wing texture in the zip that I want to upload that has no mips in it. That solves the problem, but of course it doesn't help with performance.
I guess the problem can be overcome because large default aircraft like the 747 don't blur when used as AI. Can anyone advise please?
John