DDS
From TS3wiki
Contents |
Overview
Fileformat used for textures in The Sims 3. DDS has many types of internal formats, one being DXT. There are several types of DXT which serve different purposes:
- DXT1 is used for simple 3 channel images without an alpha channel (RGB)
- DXT5 is used for images with an alpha channel (RGBA)
DXT Texture Table
The table below specifies if a DDS needs an alpha, which DXT format you should save the texture in, and a visual example of the texture for reference.
| Wallmask* | Overlay/Stencil | RGBA Mask | Multiplier | Specular | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requires an Alpha Channel | Yes | Optional | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Purpose of Alpha Channel | Transparency | Transparency | Pattern D/Color 4 | Transparency | Environment Reflection |
| DDS Type (bold: common) | DXT5 | DXT1/DXT5 | DXT1/DXT5 | DXT1/DXT5 | DXT1/DXT5 |
| Example |  |
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* Wallmasks must be black (0,0,0) and white (255,255,255) only. Even if the black is the slightest bit grey, it will appear pure white on the mask and won't make a cutout. Wallmasks for doors, windows and arches can be found under the '''Misc''' tab in TSR Workshop.
Plug-ins
You probably need to install a plugin for your 2D application in order to work with DDS files.
Photoshop
Click on Download Current Version to download the file and then install it. Note that these plug-ins do not work in 64-bit.
If your Photoshop is in English the installer might have chosen the right destination in the Photoshop directory for the plug-ins. If it’s not then you have to translate the folders name to know where to move the plug-ins to:
- C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CSX\plug-ins\file format
Additional Info/Exceptions
There is some additional information and an exception regarding Adobe Photoshop:
- Photoshop Elements users can use the DDS plugins for the regular version of Photoshop and they'll still work.
PaintShopPro
- DDS Plug-in for PSP X2, 8 and 9 (Nividia DDS V3.02)
- DDS Plug-in for PSP 7 and earlier (Legacy Version)
Create a folder called PlugIns under C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2\PlugIns. You need to do the same with the older version of PSP. The directory will read a bit different. Copy the DDS Plug-in to the PlugIns folder. If you downloaded the plug-in as an .exe file, it should install to this folder.
If you are using PSP X2, you will need to enable your plug-ins. You do this by going to File -> Preferences -> File locations. Under File types, select Plug-ins. Uncheck Limit load plug-in to those with an .8B? extension only. If the location of your plug-in file isn't listed, click add and browse for it. Under the folder options make sure Enable and Use Sub Folders are checked.
GIMP
Download the Windows 32-bit binaries and place the extracted dds.exe file in the GIMP plug-in folder, usually located at C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins.
Additional Links
(Thanks also to Apple for contributing to this page.)
