[MatthewPapa]

Lately I have been trying my hand at re-texturing some FS fighters. I have ran into a roadblock though. FS or Modelview32 wont load my PCX files. Both programs say my texture file doesnt exist. The only program I can view re-textures even close to properly is Aurora, even at that the textures are heavily distorted. I have been creating the files via photoshop 7. I'm thinking the problem is one of these,
a. File is too big
b. File has improper resolution
c. File has wrong version
d. Photoshop builds PCX files differently than other programs.

Is there anyone that knows how to fix my problem with model editor programs loading PCX files?

[karajorma]

Are you saving them as 8-bit PCX files? Modelview has a problem with 24 bit ones IIRC.

[MatthewPapa]

Yea, the problem is probably something like that, but is there an option in photoshop to save the PCX in 8 bit? What do you guys use?

[aldo_14]

Best way is to save everything as bmp and use bright (see http://udn.epicgames.com/Two/TextureSpecifications at the bottom) to create the 8-bit PCX's.  (Bright gives the best quality result in my experience, plus you can use it quickly if you write a simple bat file to run it).

[MatthewPapa]

Hmm, ok. I will check into that. I have been looking for a translator like that for a very long time.

[MatthewPapa]

Does anyone else have anymore ideas? Surely I am not the only person who has had this problem.

[Taristin]

Well, I generally make my maps, and use Irfanview to convert to 256 color PCX.

[Col. Fishguts]

In Photoshop: "Image"->"Mode"->"Indexed"   (as opposed to RGB)
Then select 256 colors; click ok; save as pcx and you get nice 8bit-pcx files.

[karajorma]

Surely if you just reduce the number of colours and then attempt to save it PS will save it as an 8-bit. If not look closely at the save dialog. Usually the options are somewhere in that window.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by karajorma
Surely if you just reduce the number of colours and then attempt to save it PS will save it as an 8-bit. If not look closely at the save dialog. Usually the options are somewhere in that window.

not sure exactly what you mean, but AFAIK Ps won't change the format of a saved image.... i.e. if you try and save a layered image, it'll only let you save as PSD (whereas PSP would allow you to save as BMP and prompt you to flatten it)....

so you have to specify it as an indexed 8-bit file.  Personally I find it easier just to use bright and a supporting bat file, because it means the recently accessed file link in Ps isn;t referencing colour-reduced files.

[karajorma]

I meant that there be a way to save 8-bit PCX file directly from Photoshop. Either as an option in the save as dialog or by reducing the colours first.

Using bright is a better method but is much more complicated so it's only really worth doing for the final version of the texture really.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by karajorma
I meant that there be a way to save 8-bit PCX file directly from Photoshop. Either as an option in the save as dialog or by reducing the colours first.

Using bright is a better method but is much more complicated so it's only really worth doing for the final version of the texture really.

Yeah...but it's a bit irritating and not actually that much faster than bright with a bat.

[MatthewPapa]

Originally posted by Col. Fishguts
In Photoshop: "Image"->"Mode"->"Indexed"   (as opposed to RGB)
Then select 256 colors; click ok; save as pcx and you get nice 8bit-pcx files.

Ok, that looks good too. Thanks. I'll do that.