A slight problem with custom shield patterns

[FaLKReN]

So here is the deal, I'm working on some new transparent shield patterns for greek units, and came across a problem I can't solve.

When up close everything is as it should be, no problem at all

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Now, when I start to zoom out it gets all ed up:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Does anybody know what my cause this?


I'm using the photoshop dds plugin to save them, in DXT1 ARGB 1 bit alpha (I think this is the right format in the case of R2TW). File and image size is the same as vanilla diffuse files. It feels like I'm doing everything as I should and still it won't work

[Zaskar70]

Maybe a mipmap issue

[FaLKReN]

Maybe a mipmap issue

It must be, as otherwise I'm doing everything how I'm supposed to. Any pointers on where to look for errors?

[Kaunitz]

I also guess that your file lacks mipmaps. When saving your dds-file (I'm using gimp), you need to set compression to BCT1/DXT1 and tick "create mipmaps" on. If you do it right, your file should have the same size as the other, vanilla shield-pattern-files.

[FaLKReN]

I also guess that your file lacks mipmaps. When saving your dds-file (I'm using gimp), you need to set compression to BCT1/DXT1 and tick "create mipmaps" on. If you do it right, your file should have the same size as the other, vanilla shield-pattern-files.

Creating mipmaps is on, and the output file size is also correct. So the mipmaps are there (the images doesn't show this, but the effect is not this worse from a little closer up, and much worse from farther away), they're just poor quality maybe?

I'm currently experimenting with Mipmap filters, and see if that solves it.

EDIT: The problem starts to surface from the 64x64 map and lower, up until then the 256x256 and 128x128 maps look fine and sharp. I'm using the default triangle filter btw.

EDIT2: After some looking around, I found that it is not the image's mipmap that get's ed up, but the alpha channel's. Even on the 128x128 it looks hideous...

[FaLKReN]

Here is the pattern with it's mipmaps:


and here is the alpha channel and it's mipmaps:




Can somebody explain how to make the alpha channel mipmaps lose their quality a little less?

I mean, I understand that this is the way mipmaps are supposed to work, but this seems too extreme. Also CA's alpha mipmaps look just fine when opened with photoshop.

[Zaskar70]

I'm not sure how your doing it but with Gimp I only have one image and one set of mipmaps, dont know how or why you have 2 sets here.

I dont work in the channels tab I work in the layers tab, I never open the channels, for all I know my alpha channel is blank as it should be.

This is what it looks like for me, my shields come out fine.

[FaLKReN]

I'm not sure how your doing it but with Gimp I only have one image and one set of mipmaps, dont know how or why you have 2 sets here.

I dont work in the channels tab I work in the layers tab, I never open the channels, for all I know my alpha channel is blank as it should be.

This is what it looks like for me, my shields come out fine.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As I said this is only an issue with transparent shield designs. Painted shields don't require an alpha channel, and they're working fine for me too. The issue is with shield designs when I want the area not painted completely invisible, and use the shield's texture. (like on the hoplons on the first image I provided).

The problem should go away if I used DXT3, but I wanted to make them the same size as vanilla shields, and that can only be achieved with the DXT1.