Useful program for converting PSDs to BMPs (For newcomers)

[TCX559K]

This is a message for all wannabe repainters of the FS world. If you have been painting a plane in Adobe Photoshop, you will notice that the save document is a PSD (Photoshop document). To get your texture to work properly, the document has to be either a .DDS texture or a .bmp texture. To convert the file to a bmp, you will need a freeware program called DXTBMP. All you do is open the psd, add a new alpha channel, click save as, click save as and click extended bitmap. You will get a save as box that asks you what you want to save it as. In the drop down menu click extended bit 888-8 and save it. Then you have a texture!

[787seattle]

This should be stickied.

[darrenvox]

thats all you have to do? now i know

[TCX559K]

No problem guys!:D Happy to help.:)
787Seattle, I agree with you there. This thread is meant for newcomers to repainting and would help them a lot. (Hint hint Simon;))

[Smutley]

Hi joel, thanks for the tip. :)

Rather than make individual stickys, what I intend to do over the coming weeks is set up a Painters Essential Toolkit where all the information will be gathered in one place and will be easily accessible to those who feel the need to paint. :)

If anyone feels that I've missed out a vital piece of information, you can contact me via PM. :)

You never know I may even start it tonight before I go to work. :)

[StringBean]

I think a toolbox sticky is a great idea.

And Joel's post is a good tip, however a little misleading.

I say that because a new painter might realize that Photoshop, and other imaging software, can save files as bitmaps (.bmp extension).

However not all .bmp files are the same.

FS uses a specific type of .bmp that contains an alpha channel. Photoshop cannot generate that type of .bmp.

If you save a file in Photoshop as a .bmp and try to use it in FS, it will crash the sim.

The file must be converted to an extended bitmap (DXT1, DXT3, 32bit, or DDS) by DXTBmp, or you can also use ImageTool, which is part of the FS SDK.

Hope this helps.

peace,
the Bean

[N2056]

This is a message for all wannabe repainters of the FS world. If you have been painting a plane in Adobe Photoshop, you will notice that the save document is a PSD (Photoshop document). To get your texture to work properly, the document has to be either a .DDS texture or a .bmp texture. To convert the file to a bmp, you will need a freeware program called DXTBMP. All you do is open the psd, add a new alpha channel, click save as, click save as and click extended bitmap. You will get a save as box that asks you what you want to save it as. In the drop down menu click extended bit 888-8 and save it. Then you have a texture!

Or you could just get the free Nvidia plugin for photoshop and export .dds files direct ;).
It also works for PaintShopPro :D

http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html

[Smutley]

Thanks for the tips Stringbean and Robert. :)

I will probably get started on the toolbox idea tomorrow as I'm working tonight and have just had to play Taxi Driver for my daughter.