The Woes of .dds for Mac!

[-troy-]

Heyas fellas,

I've been trolling around for answers to an interesting (meaning unfathomable) question regarding .dds files in Warbirds.

In the past I've enjoyed playing with the in-game maps. The BoB was in .tga format, for example, and thus easy to throw into Photoshop and mess with, stick back into the Warbirds folder, and poof... new map.

However, the newer maps cause some havoc on the Macintosh front.

I can take a .dds file, say the PTO.dds, convert it using Graphic Converter and then manipulate it via Photoshop (Photoshop Elements for my Mac doesn't recognize .dds). However, when I convert it back to .dds, drop it into the Warbirds folder and boot the game... the map screen comes up "black" with the fields overlay still active. In other words, the file isn't being recognized once it's reconverted. Incidentally, the maps that I've created and then given to my Windows using squad mates... work in their Windows Warbirds. No black screens for them, just a modified map.

There are, as you know, about a BILLion different format options etc. that one could play with when dealing with such conversions.

If I knew the specifics of how the .dds files were put together I might be able to make something work.

Likewise, if anyone knows of a .dds converter plug-in for Mac, I'm sure that would be a possibility...

And lastly, if anyone plain ol' knows how to do this without losing years off of their lives... please do tell. :D

Thanks fellas,

Troy

[iart7]

Which version of OS do you have? OSX? 10.3.9?

I use Photoshop 6.0.1 for mac, (Not LE). My OS is 10.3.9 and I run it off Classic (meaning OS9).

Have you tried the .dds files on another Mac?

Does Photoshopo 6.0.1 convert .tga to .dds? Perhaps it's a problem with LE or Graphic Converter, (though that is a highly rated program). Here's a thought:

Perhaps there's a PC program that will convert the files from .dds to .tga ...... You could do your Photoshop work on the Mac, then put them on the PC to convert back to .dds

PS: Recently I put Virtual PC on my G4 Mac. It runs slow with Windows XP, but it WORKS! These Macs are incredible. The other day, I was running SimpleText, Warbirds, Safari, someotherprogram and Windows XP ALL AT THE SAME TIME. No crashes!

Good luck and let me know if I can help. PM me if you need more info on P.S.6 or V.P.C!

[-troy-]

Heyas Art, thanks for the quick reply. :)

I'm using 10.4 and Photoshop Elements 4.0... being somewhat hesitant to drop that kind of scratch for the full version of Photoshop. I'm scared.

On the other hand... if it would convert these dang .dds files... I dunno.

There are lots of .dds converts for windows, and they will do the job, but still when I return the file to my Mac Warbirds... same deal.

It must be something about how the Mac reads the .dds, but with all of those options for conversion, who knows?

I even stumped Doones, and he knows everything.

[iart7]

Just checked my Photoshop and it doesn't save as .dds! What version of Graphic Converter do you have, mine is 5.7

The following table lists the file formats that Adobe Acrobat 3D and Acrobat 3D Toolkit can import. All formats listed under Acrobat 3D support drag and drop functionality. For more information about importing and exporting files, see Acrobat 3D and Acrobat 3D Toolkit Help.

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?event=view&id=KC.329371&extid=329371&dialogID=58720868&iterationID=1&sessionID=48301525a46c3d706c1c&stateID=0+0+5848040&mode=simple

The above link says that Adobe Acrobat 3D Toolkit might do it. Don't know for sure, myself.

What i thought might work is use the PC .dds converter and change it to .tga, send it to your Mac and do your stuff with it. Then put the .tga back on the PC and convert it back to .dds! Might work.

By the way, if you find a good PC .dds to .tga converter program, let me know about it, I could use it too.

[Muzz]

Look in the tech forum for link. Nvidia dds plugin works with PS Expressions on the Windows side. Will it work with Mac?

[colmbo]

Look in the tech forum for link. Nvidia dds plugin works with PS Expressions on the Windows side. Will it work with Mac?

No it doesn't dang it.

[-term-]

Hi,

Some link

http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/DDS_Tools

<S>

[iart7]

Excellent link TERM, thanks.

I'll try it out tonight.

======================================

Why? Well last night i was piddling around with the cockpit file for the f6f5 Hellcat (which has a .dds file) and got the dds file into Graphic Converter for Mac. I did some editing of the cockpit by pasting a small image on top of the instrument panel (actually a "pinup" snapshot).

When looking at a .dds file in GC, there is a menu-button you have to look at: Alpha Channel
It has:
SHOW ALPHA MASK CHANNEL
REMOVE ALPHA CHANNEL
ALPHA MASK CHANNEL TO PICTURE
FLATTEN ALPHA CHANNEL

Opening the .dds file, you first see BLACK/WHITE "ugly" big dots that looks like the file is just BAD. But if you REMOVE ALPHA, it looks great.


After I did my "work", I saved the file. In the PC, I put the .dds back into the cockpit.vfc file and presto! Not quite... the cockpit worked and my alteration showed up okay, but the gauge DIALS did not show up in the game ... just solid black circles. Evidently, something in the ALPHA channel didn't save. I don't know much about alpha channels and I don't know much about Graphic Converter, but THERE IS THE KEY as far as using .dds IMO.

Does anyone know about Graphic Converter ... are there "Layers" like in PhotoShop? Where are they? I'd like to edit a layer (leaving the alpha channel alone) then save the file (alpha channel un-changed).

Maybe the .dds converter .exe program I just downloaded will work. Hope so.

iArt7