Merry Mars-mas Celestians

Vincent · Post #21by **Vincent** » 28.12.2005, 10:34

Andrea,

I think this is what you need : you can download a free dds plugin for photoshop here :

http://developer.nvidia.com/object/phot ... ugins.html

ANDREA · Post #22by **ANDREA** » 28.12.2005, 12:47

Vincent wrote:Andrea, I think this is what you need : you can download a free dds plugin for photoshop here :
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/phot ... ugins.html

Vincent, thank you for your suggestion, but I have already it.
My problem is that I have now a 524.3MB modified 16k tiff Mars image, and I cannot convert it using this plugin in Photoshop CS2 (BTW I have 2 GB RAM, so I think it's a PShop problem). :cry:

This is a "flat" jpg image from my modified tiff 16k, just to compare it with the original (both same size and resolution):

in comparisonn with Don's original:

Is there any other possibility to convert such a big file, without converting it to jpg (losing a lot of quality) and then to dds?
Perhaps converting first to png?
Moreover in the page you gave me the address, there is the info that "using Jasc Paint Shop Pro, read these simple instructions that explain how to use the DDS Authoring plug-in with".

Where can I find the same info for Pshop, or is it worth for Pshop too?
Sorry for my boring questions, but my experience on dds is close to zero. :oops:

Thank you for your advice.

Bye

Andrea

Post #23by **ElChristou** » 28.12.2005, 13:52

ANDREA wrote:...This is a "flat" jpg image from my modified tiff 16k, just to compare it with the original (both same size and resolution):...

I like also this version, a good balance between Praesepe an Don.E versions...
If you manage to do a 16kDDS version, I take!! :wink:

Post #24by **selden** » 28.12.2005, 14:22

Andrea,

You can use any intermediate image format that your software understands. A lossless format like PNG, BMP or TIFF is best for intermediate storage. Create images in DDS or JPG formats only when you are ready to use them with Celestia.

ANDREA · Post #25by **ANDREA** » 28.12.2005, 14:25

ElChristou wrote:
ANDREA wrote:...This is a "flat" jpg image from my modified tiff 16k, just to compare it with the original (both same size and resolution):...
I like also this version, a good balance between Praesepe an Don.E versions... If you manage to do a 16kDDS version, I take!!

Thank you Chris, happy to know you like it.

I would do it, but I have the given problem, i.e. I don't know what I can use to convert my 528MB tiff image in a dds image.
I have the Photoshop plugin to convert to dds, and I used it for 8k images, no problems, but with this huge image it stops and crashes. :cry:

Is there any other software that can allow this?

Please, someone give me this information, thank you.
Bye

Andrea

Post #26by **ElChristou** » 28.12.2005, 14:59

I canot help here but I suppose Don.E must have your solution as he has already done this kind of manip...

Vincent · Post #27by **Vincent** » 28.12.2005, 15:02

Andrea,

As Selden said, you should save your texture as a png file in Photoshop. You'll have the advantage of a dds file : celestia loads it quite quickly without the inconvenient : png is a lossless format. Why do you absolutely want to save it in dds ?

Don. Edwards · Post #28by **Don. Edwards** » 29.12.2005, 01:52

Andrea, if you would like, I can make the raw 8k tga avalable to you for testing purposes. But would be more than willing to take the 16k into Photoshop and dail up the contrast some and bring the red level down as well and give a few test shots. Now that i have seen the texture in a few comparison shots I can see that it is just a bit soft and flat. Of course this will probably increase the shadows some as well. I will give it a run through and post my findings. Thanks for the input again, by the way did you find any of the polar pinching/fanning in the 8k version?

Don.

Kolano · Post #29by **Kolano** » 29.12.2005, 07:39

ANDREA wrote:
ElChristou wrote:
ANDREA wrote:...This is a "flat" jpg image from my modified tiff 16k, just to compare it with the original (both same size and resolution):...
I like also this version, a good balance between Praesepe an Don.E versions... If you manage to do a 16kDDS version, I take!!
Thank you Chris, happy to know you like it.
I would do it, but I have the given problem, i.e. I don't know what I can use to convert my 528MB tiff image in a dds image.
I have the Photoshop plugin to convert to dds, and I used it for 8k images, no problems, but with this huge image it stops and crashes.
Is there any other software that can allow this?
Please, someone give me this information, thank you.
Bye

Andrea

One option here would be to make use of virtual textures. Croping to each portion of one's image and saving it as a tile of a size that the plugin will still process.

I think it may be possible to script this out in Photoshop, making the process fairly easy. However, I'd need a more experienced user to confirm/provide instruction.

ANDREA · Post #30by **ANDREA** » 29.12.2005, 08:35

Don. Edwards wrote:Andrea, if you would like, I can make the raw 8k tga avalable to you for testing purposes. But would be more than willing to take the 16k into Photoshop and dail up the contrast some and bring the red level down as well and give a few test shots. Now that i have seen the texture in a few comparison shots I can see that it is just a bit soft and flat. Of course this will probably increase the shadows some as well. I will give it a run through and post my findings. Thanks for the input again, by the way did you find any of the polar pinching/fanning in the 8k version? Don.

Don, you know how much I enjoy your work, and this Mars is absolutely your one, I've only experimented something different, that could agree with my own taste. :wink:

So, if you agree that it needs some more work, I'll be happy to wait for your results, and to check them, as usual.
Your experience on the matter is zillion times higher than mine, so I'm very happy that you go on with my suggestions.

BTW, yes, the 8k has the same pinching of the 16k. :cry:

But it depends from the texture, IMHO: you can see that the northern cap exist along ALL the texture width, while the southern one occupies only a portion of it.
This is the reason of the fan shaped South polar cap, IMHO. :wink:

By soon.

Andrea

jestr · Post #31by **jestr** » 29.12.2005, 09:18

I think Irfanview can handle 16k dds textures (though I'm not sure about saving them),Jestr

ANDREA · Post #32by **ANDREA** » 29.12.2005, 09:39

jestr wrote:I think Irfanview can handle 16k dds textures (though I'm not sure about saving them),Jestr

Jestr, I can open 16kdds textures with both InfanView and Photoshop, but my problem is how to save them again as 16kdds textures. :cry:

As for what I can understand, none of them can do it.

Anyhow, Don will look after the changes to his 16k Mars, so much the better.

But I keep curious to know how this conversion can be done. :oops:

Bye and thank you.

Andrea

Don. Edwards · Post #33by **Don. Edwards** » 29.12.2005, 11:52

Andrea,

Have a look at these.

Here is a new version of the texture with a increase of 35 in contrast and an unsharpmask thrown in.

Here is a close copy of your pics, with the older texture.

Here is the same shot with the new texture.

Much improved I have to agree, I don't what I was thinking.
The funny thing is with the contrast turned back up this version is almost back to what Mario's texture originaly looked like, except for the shadows. I am going to press his texure into a 16k and take a shot so everyone can see the lightened shadows.

The next shot shows the Southern polar pinching, there is still a small pinch and ring around the geographical pole of Mars.

Here is the Norhern polar region witch I found disturbing, The darn polar ice is offset so there is a ghost of it there to.

I am going to have to rework the whole Northern Polar region to fix this. As for the pinching problem, It is looking like a problem with the conversion to DDS. I don't know where else to point at this time. If it is happpening in 2 seperate DDS convertion utilities I just don't know what to do at this point. Unless it has something to do with the textures origins. I will have to go back and have a look at my October Earth and see it it has the same problem. If it does its the DDS compression, if it doesn't than its
got to be something inherit to the Mars textures that I am missing.

So let me know what you think of this version of the texture. Taking the comtrast up any further just isn't an option, as the texture starts to have a plastic look and all sort of artifacts start showing up.

Don.

ANDREA · Post #34by **ANDREA** » 29.12.2005, 13:05

Don. Edwards wrote:Andrea, Have a look at these. Much improved I have to agree, I don't what I was thinking.
The funny thing is with the contrast turned back up this version is almost back to what Mario's texture originaly looked like, except for the shadows. I am going to press his texure into a 16k and take a shot so everyone can see the lightened shadows.
The next shot shows the Southern polar pinching, there is still a small pinch and ring around the geographical pole of Mars.
Here is the Norhern polar region witch I found disturbing, The darn polar ice is offset so there is a ghost of it there to.
I am going to have to rework the whole Northern Polar region to fix this. As for the pinching problem, It is looking like a problem with the conversion to DDS. I don't know where else to point at this time. If it is happpening in 2 seperate DDS convertion utilities I just don't know what to do at this point. Unless it has something to do with the textures origins. I will have to go back and have a look at my October Earth and see it it has the same problem. If it does its the DDS compression, if it doesn't than its got to be something inherit to the Mars textures that I am missing.
So let me know what you think of this version of the texture. Taking the comtrast up any further just isn't an option, as the texture starts to have a plastic look and all sort of artifacts start showing up.
Don.

Don, it's exactly what I was whishing, I think that you have obtained the FINAL result, IMHO. :wink:

So no need for further contrast, it's OK as it is, just perhaps a bit too much orange, IMO.
The South Polar cap looks very better now, and I hope you'll find the way to solve the remaining pinching effect on Northern cap.
Very well done and appreciated, Don, as always.

Bye

Andrea

Don. Edwards · Post #35by **Don. Edwards** » 29.12.2005, 13:34

Well I am actualy starting fron scratch in hopes this fixes some of the errors, stay tuned for new shots.

Don.

ANDREA · Post #36by **ANDREA** » 29.12.2005, 14:38

Don. Edwards wrote:Well I am actualy starting fron scratch in hopes this fixes some of the errors, stay tuned for new shots. Don.

Thanks a lot, Don.
I'll wait for your next release.
Happy New Year!

Andrea

Cham · Post #37by **Cham** » 29.12.2005, 17:02

Don,

I think the new texture is too contrasted now. It's orange, which is a sign it's oversaturated. You should reduce the contrast.

Don. Edwards · Post #38by **Don. Edwards** » 30.12.2005, 04:58

Hey Cham,
Thats exactly why I have chosen to go right back to the begining. The texture was a little dark and unsaturated, now its to far the other way, and there wwas the mismatch in the north polar ice. It was simply the right choice to go back to the begining and start anew. Being that I know full well what I am doing this time and the glitches to watch for it shouldn't take me to ong to have a good working texture by tonight and have a few shots posted as well. I am going to go crazy over trying to scrub out the shadows as before but to just release a very nice and clean Mars texture that just happens to hve the shadows reduced as a side effect. Wish me luck.

Don.

danielj · Post #39by **danielj** » 30.12.2005, 12:38

I don??t understand why ALL your new normal maps have exaggerated heights.This is not realistic...

Don. Edwards · Post #40by **Don. Edwards** » 30.12.2005, 12:54

danielj,
The exaggerated heights are simply because these textures are so flat, or were in the begining that the normal settings simply do not show enough detail, and they really are not that exaggerated, at least the Earth ones arn't, Mars was a speacial case, and of couse because these Mars textures are based on and line up with the defacto standards for Mars you may use any normal map you wish and everything should line up just fine. Again my Mars textures were very flat so that is why I exaggreated the height, it compensated for the lack of the normaly perceived shadows. I will release a totaly normal 1 to 1 version of the normalmap with the next texture as it has much more detail and this simply won't be needed. Of course those that like the normalmap can use it to your hearts content.