DDS naming convention...

[Tachyon]

...among other things I wanted to start to dabble in the creation of skins, meshes. I was trying to understand how
the directory hierarchy was setup and noticed that even tho I was in the DGIV path the DDS file names
are "dgIII_2.dds", "dgIII_3.dds" etc. Am I interpreting this incorrectly in that there were DG3 files that were altered
to work on the DG4 and the base code for the DG4 is still calling up file names that refer to DG3 files?  If so - doesn't
that add a bit of confusion when working with different files for different craft .... or has everyone just left DG3 behind
and it's assumed that any "dgIII_X.dds" file created from this date (DG4 release date) on is a DG4 file?

[Madeeks]

I just guess that maybe the same model, and the meshes, for the DGIII were used for the DGIV, so the skins for the previous
work fine for the new vessel. That could explain the file name. Anyway, it's Dan who gets the final word in these matters.

About using different files for different cafts... why use a DGIII when you got such a nice piece of work like a DGIV?

[Tachyon]

why use a DGIII when you got such a nice piece of work like a DGIV?

I agree fully - but to help keep skins straight and in order - if you have a bunch of skins sitting around ... how do you
tell the difference between a skin named DGIII_x.dds that is for the DG3 and one that is named DGIII_x.dds for is for
the DG4 that now has cargo bay doors and other major changes ... and maybe my questioning stems from the fact
that I do not yet know the process of applying a skin to a (I suppose) a mesh (?)  A "mesh" is the blank, mono-
chromatic object that you wrap the .dds skin around to make up your ship .... correct ?  And you'd use one program to
create the "mesh" and I would suppose to also "apply" the .dds texture to what you've created as a DDS from
another program.

[DanSteph]

For such project where you add thousand line of code, modify dozen meshes,
create or edit hundred textures and files in the shortest time possible it's
possible that some details aren't perfect. Of course logic would have make
that such texture are named DGIV_**. (I thought about that and forgot it
as I thought it was not important and I didn't had time)

Anyway the difference is the folder where they are and the fact that you
can't find a link with such textures without any explaination or read me
about what version they are made for.

That may reduce the problem to almost nothing
(appart for some rarely badly done pack)

Dan

PS: DGIV full install contain 427 files.



Post Edited ( 06-02-07 21:35 )

[Tachyon]

That is what I was imagining. No faulting you - you've done a stellar job with the entire DG line....  

I can only imagine that in some point in the future .... you'd be sitting in your room ... and do a few "personal"
tweaks.... as any perfectionist, creator would.

For now ... I am pleased as pudding with DG4 !!!