Texture formats overview
From FSDeveloper Wiki
 | This page is a work-in-progress. Generic message - Please note some detail may possibly be missing or incorrect. |
Placeholder text for a Texture Types overview doc.
Edit for FS applicability.
S3TC Format Comparison
DXT4/5 use an interpolated alpha scheme, they generally produce superior results for alpha (transparency) gradients than DXT2/3.
Some consider DXT5 to be the most flexible general purpose compression codec.
| FOURCC | FS versions | Description | Alpha premultiplied? | Compression ratio | Texture Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DXT1 | All ¹ | 1-bit Alpha / Opaque | N/A | 8:1 | Simple non-alpha |
| DXT2 | Not supported | Explicit alpha | Yes | 4:1 | Sharp alpha |
| DXT3 | All | Explicit alpha | No | 4:1 | Sharp alpha |
| DXT4 | Not supported | Interpolated alpha | Yes | 4:1 | Gradient alpha |
| DXT5 | FSX only | Interpolated alpha | No | 4:1 | Gradient alpha |
Notes
- ¹ DXT1 with an alpha may cause transparency issues in FSX SP2.
- Mixing DXT1 & DXT3 textures may cause performance problems.
- For any packages requiring dual FS9 & FSX compatibility, to minimize any transparency issues, recommend using DXT3 type .
Tools
| Tool | Description | Rating | Availability | URL |
| Tool Name | Descriptive blurb | * * * * * | Payware | Download Page (SizeMb) |
| Tool Name | Descriptive blurb | * * * * * | Freeware | Download Page (SizeMb) |
| Tool Name | Descriptive blurb | * * * * * | Payware | Download Page (SizeMb) |
| Tool Name | Descriptive blurb | * * * * * | Freeware | Download Page (SizeMb) |
