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Texture files are too big (GIMP)


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I've taken some vanilla texture files and edited them in GIMP, but upon exporting the file (to save it as a DDS file), the file size grows from around 5MB to 16MB!

 

I want to keep my mod file as small as possible, so how should I make the file size smaller?

 

Thanks!

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I don't know what size you're exporting them at, though I believe the vanillas are mostly 2k. Are you using compression at all? I could be wrong, but I think GIMP still doesn't do BC7 compression, but you might try some experimenting with DXT1 (or 3 if there are transparencies). See how they look on the 3d model or in -game. If you need to reduce the actual texture size, IIRC, it's Image > Scale Image, and then punch in your preferred size (2048x2048 or whatever.)

 

There is also CAO (Cathedral Assets Optimizer) which is extremely handy for resizing and compressing a bunch of textures in a batch, and it does handle BC7.

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Thanks very much for your help. I tried everything but there's no change- the image scale already seems to be the right size, and choosing compression options when exporting causes the Creation Kit to crash when attempting to load the compressed texture.

 

Is it simply the case that the Creation Kit compresses all the files when you upload them? So the extracted vanilla files are the compressed versions. I'm gonna test it out.

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Creation Kit does not do anything to the textures.

The textures are nVidia .dds format and size heavily depends on compression type used.

I use Photoshop 2023 with nVidia Texture Tools Exporter plugin for my texture work.

 

A typical 2k armor texture, saved using BC7 RGBA compression, is around 5MB.

 

OsefrPA.jpg

 

 

Same texture, saved using 8.8.8.8 BGRA method, takes the size to 22MB

 

Z7Hwly4.jpg

 

 

Both types of compression work fine in the game, and I can't say I see much difference in quality running in 4K resolution.

 

I dunno what sort of compression is there in GIMP, but one thing you can try is get the standalone application version of above-linked nVidia Texture Tools. It is free, you just need to create a developer account with nVidia.

You should be able to take files from GIMP and re-save them using BC7.

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Nif Optimizer will check your textures for issues (in case they were brought over from Oldrim and not working properly)

Cathedral Assets Optimizer can change them from other compression to BC7, singularly or a bunch at a time, and can also process meshes and create archives by drag and drop or cut/paste.

GIMP has the formats in the screenshot below.

Paint.net will do BC7 and has the advantage of loading much more quickly than GIMP, but I don't know how to use it as well.

*Paint.net is the name of the program, but you can download it from either getpaint.net or microsoft store. I don't know why, but paint.net the website isn't for paint.net the program*

 

9822815-1673050649.jpg

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@scorp10

Thanks for your help. I downloaded the nVidia Texture Tools Exporter Plugin but it doesn't seem to work- maybe because my PC doesn't use nVidia drivers.

 

@thumbincubation

Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention Cathedral Assets Optimizer. It works but doesn't seem to shrink the file size much- for example a 16mb file (no mipmaps) ends up as 21mb (with mipmaps). The original vanilla file is only 5mb with mipmaps.

I'll try paint.net.

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