Modifying textures (dumb question)

[jengelke]

So, I messed with modifying the .dds files for a body texture (Argonian male and female) to make two mods compatible. This was due to conflicting mod textures and I ended up just taking the parts I needed from one texture and putting in the correct spots on the texture I want to use more of (body replacer). I now have the texture showing up correctly, but it does not seem to reflect light correctly.

 

My steps were to:

 

1. Create project in GIMP

2. Make changes

3. Save as GIMP project

4. Export project to .DDS file

 

I didn't do anything to the original image or the final image afterwards. I have been trying to find info on this specific portion of the texture modding, but I can't really find anything specific. I have seen a couple of places referring to nifskope or something else to "clean-up" things or editing things there, but after looking at nifskope it looked way more in depth than I thought I needed. Am I missing a specific step I should be taking when altering a texture and resaving? Any help would be appreciated. I was working on this issue 3 years ago and got tired of trying to deal with it on my own then.

[Deleted1205226User]

Not a Skyrim player here, but process with textures should be the same as in FO3.

 

What you've done is correct. But only for a part of the textures: the Diffuse part (what colors your body).

 

There's is another part: the Normal part (which gives some bumpiness and deals with the Specular on the Alpha level, the way light reflects on the object). The Normal textures usually have _n.dds at the end

 

So you'd have to make your changes on that part also.

[jengelke]

I did make the changes to this part as well. In Skyrim, it's called [filename]_msn.dds.

[Deleted1205226User]

In which DXT format did you save your _msn.dds?

It must be DXT5.

[jengelke]

That may be my problem, I don't recall saving that portion at all. Let me check.

[jengelke]

So, that seems to be the problem. After re-exporting from the GIMP project using DXT5, the model appears to be reflecting light correctly now. Any specific compression or any with DXT5 work?

[Deleted1205226User]

I'm not used to the Gimp plugin. (Using Photoshop & Nvidia Plugin)

I have 4 DXT options: DXT1 noAlpha, DXT1 1bitAlpha, DXT3 and DXT5.

 

As a general rule I use;

- DXT1 1Bit for Diffuse Map that contain no transparency

- DXT5 for Diffuse Map with transparency

- DXT5 for Normal Map (because the Specular is in the Alpha)