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P3D v4 Converting MSFS pbr texture to P3D metallic texture

tsgucci

tsgucci

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hungary
Hi Guys!


I have created several new models for MSFS and now I want to convert them to P3D. You know that the texture channels sequence is different in the two. I created a small photohsop action which moves around the RGB channels matching the wished channel contents accaptable for P3D.

I'm stucked at saving it as DDS. What settings shall I use in nvidia plugin?

Of course it is important to keep the alpha channel.

Thanks a lot!

1627298902051.png
 
Pyscen

Pyscen

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This may sound silly but you can load up a dds dxt5 texture into NTT. It should give the needed information on what BC setting is needed. I believe it to be BC7 though.
 
tsgucci

tsgucci

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I'm still struggling with this. Unfortunately when I load the DDS into NTT (even with desktop standalone NTT) it does not show me the format.
If I open an old texture from Prepar3D with DXTbmp it does open it without a problem. When I open a DDS exported with NTT than DXTbmp does not open the file.
Tried the same with MSFS Editor converted textures. DXTbmp opens it.

I think my export settings are not okay but I am totally dumb for texture formats. I would appreciate some help how to correctly setup the export.

For the timebeing I'm exporting Targa files from Photoshop and than converting it to dds with DXTbmp, but would be nice to export the dds files directly from photoshop.
 
=rk=

=rk=

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Well you can configure DXTbmp to use PS as it's editor. Open your .DDS with DXTbmp and then "send to editor," it will open in PS as "auto.bmp" and you can freely edit the texture, compose channels, copy/paste other textures, etc. When your done, simply close the PS window, confirm the save - but notice there is no save destination offered. If PS offers to save to a temp location, you have neglected to merge layers, or something.

Back into DXTbmp, select "reload after edit," then you can save as .dds into the desired compression algorithm. My issue isn't as much the algorithm, as it is the texture flip. I always get confused about whether to flip before/after editing, copy/pasting, etc. DXTbmp addresses both format and orientation automatically.

The same integration trick works for Sketchup, by the way. One can edit textures on the fly with PS, making it easier in some cases to edit a given texture, than it might be to reposition it.
 
tsgucci

tsgucci

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=rk= said:
Well you can configure DXTbmp to use PS as it's editor. Open your .DDS with DXTbmp and then "send to editor," it will open in PS as "auto.bmp" and you can freely edit the texture, compose channels, copy/paste other textures, etc. When your done, simply close the PS window, confirm the save - but notice there is no save destination offered. If PS offers to save to a temp location, you have neglected to merge layers, or something.

Back into DXTbmp, select "reload after edit," then you can save as .dds into the desired compression algorithm. My issue isn't as much the algorithm, as it is the texture flip. I always get confused about whether to flip before/after editing, copy/pasting, etc. DXTbmp addresses both format and orientation automatically.

The same integration trick works for Sketchup, by the way. One can edit textures on the fly with PS, making it easier in some cases to edit a given texture, than it might be to reposition it.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Than if I understand you correctly there is no way to export an image from photoshop in DDS DXTBMP format?
 
=rk=

=rk=

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Well there was I time when I had my exporter set up perfectly, but so far any extra time it takes to just use DXTbmp, since MSFS allows us to move away from .DDS largely anyway, has not motivated me to hunt down, apply and then result test the proper configuration. So yes, it is possible.
 
tsgucci

tsgucci

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473
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hungary
=rk= said:
Well there was I time when I had my exporter set up perfectly, but so far any extra time it takes to just use DXTbmp, since MSFS allows us to move away from .DDS largely anyway, has not motivated me to hunt down, apply and then result test the proper configuration. So yes, it is possible.
Click to expand...
I absolutely agree. Moving away from this DDS - DXTBMP hassle was a great relief with MSFS. Now we are actually converting MSFS content to P3D and want to automatize the steps if possible. Remaining in one tool, like Photoshop aims this target.
 
Pyscen

Pyscen

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It could be the compression used by NTT-S (standalone). There many more to choose from and not all are compatible with P3D and MSFS. Just as some textures in P3D v4.4 and up (including MSFS) can be 16-bit RGB and not just the usual 8-bit.

I 'm not sure if the newer NTT standalone or plug-in accepts .png files with alpha channel. I know that the legacy or older PS or plug-in doesn't.
 
tsgucci

tsgucci

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473
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hungary
CaptKornDog said:
Were you ever able to figure this out? I’d love to convert some metallic files from MSFS to P3D
Click to expand...
Actually I could not solve to directly save DDS file from PSD. I export usually TIF files and with convimx or dxtbmp I convert them to DDS.
Inside photohsop I run some actions to convert the MSFS PNG into the right format of P3D Metallic after that I save it to TIF.
 
tsgucci

tsgucci

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hungary
CaptKornDog said:
Mind sharing what those actions are in Photoshop to convert to MSFS PNG into P3D metallic? Thanks a bunch.
Click to expand...
Have not used them since a long time. But try it!

MSFS Arm -> P3D Metallic action it is.

ARM means - Ambient, Roughness, Metallic this is how I call the MSFS PBR texture.
 

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Pyscen

Pyscen

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What format are the textures in? Are they in png or something else?
 
Pyscen

Pyscen

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Now that they are in png, are the 3 (AO, Roughness, and Metallic) within this 1 png file or are they separated into 3 png files?

If they are in 1 png file, you will need to separate them from each of their channels. Then, you will need to invert the Roughnes so it is the opposite. In other words, made into smoothness.

After you have done that, you can then place the 3 into 1 png file for P3D (Metallic, Smoothness, and AO), each in their respective channels.
 
Y

yordy saavedra

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colombia
Pyscen said:
Now that they are in png, are the 3 (AO, Roughness, and Metallic) within this 1 png file or are they separated into 3 png files?

If they are in 1 png file, you will need to separate them from each of their channels. Then, you will need to invert the Roughnes so it is the opposite. In other words, made into smoothness.

After you have done that, you can then place the 3 into 1 png file for P3D (Metallic, Smoothness, and AO), each in their respective channels.
Click to expand...
They are in 1 png, can you tell me which one goes in each channel. R=? G=? B=?
 
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