DDS texture tools

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Name

Adobe Photoshop

Version

CS4

Date

October 15, 2008

Type

Graphics Editor

Cost

$650.00

Download

Adobe.com

Description

The essential software for perfecting your images, Adobe Photoshop now offers productivity and workflow enhancements, powerful new editing tools, and breakthrough compositing capabilities.

Advantages
  • Advanced toolset including: Powerful layer compositing/blending features, Selection masks (+ 'Quick Mask' mode), Customisable brush sets, Automatation for batch image editing, Many filters + support for third-party filters.
  • Native support for many different file formats.
  • 'Save for Web' feature for screencaps.
  • Popular, meaning many tutorials available online.
Disadvantages
  • Cost Prohibitive for a casual modder.
  • No native support for DDS, Nvidia Plugin is required.


Name

Adobe Photoshop Plug-ins

Version

8.23

Date

Unknown

Type

Plugin

Cost

FREE

Download

NVidia.com

Description

This installer contains two plug-ins and several helpful scripts for Adobe Photoshop:

  • NVIDIA Normal Map Filter
  • NVIDIA DDS PLug-in
  • NVIDIA Mipster Script
  • NVIDIA Cube Map Shuffler
Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

AMD GPU MeshMapper

Version

1.2

Date

December 18, 2008

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

GPU MeshMapper generates normal, displacement and ambient occlusion maps for a low-resolution mesh based on the details from a high-resolution mesh.

Advantages
  • Requires no other tools to generate Normal Maps
  • Realtime display of models and maps which can help point out issues with your low-poly model
Disadvantages
  • Only useful if you have low-poly and high-poly versions of a mesh.


Name

Corel Paint Shop Pro

Version

X2

Date

Unknown

Type

Graphics Editor

Cost

$70.00 USD

Download

Corel.com

Description

Filled with one-of-a-kind photo tools sure to please even the most discerning photographer, Corel Paint Shop Pro is the ideal choice for people who want extraordinary photos. With a built-in Learning Center to help first time users get started, it's the easiest way to get professional-looking photos - fast!

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

CrazyBump

Version

1.1

Date

March 17, 2009

Type

Utility

Cost

$49 USD for Students, $99 USD for Personal, $299 USD for Professional License

Download

CrazyBump.com

Description

A standalone application for creating normal maps from height maps or images, with a surprising amount of options, and a very precise texture baking process

Advantages
  • Crazy Bump is fantastic for recalculating normal maps. You can dramatically smooth out DXTC compression artifacts and tweak your normal maps with the "Find Low Frequency Image Detail" function. It of course doesn't prevent compression artifacts from being re-introduced later, but at least you can get a clean working copy of an existing normal map to work with if you don't have access to the original uncompressed images.
  • Capable of analyzing an image for 3D shapes based on highlights and shadows in the image and incorporating them into the normal map (effect is only useful in certain cases, can be controlled by a slider)
  • Ability to blend multiple normal maps together properly. Good for merging changes together such as an existing fabric with another using a canvas effect.
  • Capable of also baking specular maps, parallax displacement maps, and can bake out highlights and shadows on diffuse maps.
Disadvantages
  • Costs money, making it somewhat prohibitive for the casual modder


Name

SSBump

Version

Unknown

Date

Unknown

Type

Utility

Cost

Free, Open Source

Download

[1]

Description

Another standalone application for creating normal maps from height maps or images, relatively simple to use and quite powerful in the right hands

Advantages
  • The Normal Map Generator is unique because it provides a layer based system for blending several normal maps together. Want a normal map for cracked bricks? Just add a layer containing your brick height or normal map, and add another layer containing your crack height or normal map above the first. Then blend them together using the "Additive Blend" mode, and you have a normal map for cracked bricks.
  • The Normal Map generator also provides several methods for generating the normal maps that will be contained in your layers. Normal Maps can be obtained from Height Maps, RGB Images (Automatically Grayscaled), Preexisting Normal Maps, Images Lit from Four Directions, and from other normal maps in your current project.


Name

DDS Converter 2

Version

2.1

Date

March 18, 2005

Type

Standalone Utility

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

This program converts between common image files and DXT-compressed textures. Since nVidia's tool is used to achieve this goal, this program mostly acts as a front-end to this tool.

Advantages
  • Independent from Graphics Manipulation tools.
  • Images can be converted in batch mode. (many images at one time)
  • Remembers last directory processed and settings used.
Disadvantages
  • Has bugs (will go more in detail later)
  • Limited to the version of the NVidia DDS plugin that came with it. It will not work with the current NVidia plugin.
  • Program is no longer under development and the author does not reply to emails.


Name

DDS Thumbnail Viewer

Version

Unknown

Date

Unknown

Type

Windows Shell Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

NVidia.com

Description

Allows you to view .dds files in Thumbnail view in the Windows Explorer.

Advantages
  • Allows for easy quick viewing of a DDS file's contents
Disadvantages
  • Image can be glitchy looking, alpha maps often exacerbate the problem


Name

DDS Plugin for Paint.NET

Version

1.10

Date

April 14, 2007

Type

Plugin

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

Plugin for Paint.net that allows it to load and save DXT1, DXT3, DXT5 and a bunch of non-compressed texture formats.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Currently outdated now that Paint.NET includes native DDS file support.


Name

DXTBmp

Version

4.00.79

Date

May 21, 2004

Type

Standalone Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

btinternet.co.uk

Description

16/24/32 bit and DXT Extended Bitmap Manipulation.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

Filter Forge

Version

Unknown

Date

Unknown

Type

Photoshop Plugin

Cost

30-day trial / $299 Full Version

Download

FilterForge.com

Description

Filter Forge creates high-quality procedural textures from a given set of instructions with 3d application in mind. It can also generate different effect maps to go along with a texture.

Advantages
  • Quick and easy generation of many texture types, from organic to technical, as well as seamless generation.
  • Access to Large user library for preset textures.
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

Genetica

Version

3.0

Date

Unknown (Before March 20, 2009)

Type

Graphics Editor

Cost

$400.00

Download

Spiralgraphics.biz

Description

Genetica is Spiral Graphics' latest seamless texture editor.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

GIMP

Version

2.6.6

Date

March 17, 2009

Type

Graphics Editor

Cost

FREE (Open Source)

Download
Description

GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

GIMPShop

Version

2.2.8

Date

Unknown

Type

Graphics Editor

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

GIMPshop is a modification of the free/open source GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), intended to replicate the feel of Adobe Photoshop. Its primary purpose is to make users of Photoshop feel comfortable using GIMP.

Advantages
  • Interface helps those used to Photoshop transition into GIMP for all the features it has.
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

GIMP DDS Plugin

Version

2.0.7

Date

December 12, 2008

Type

GIMP Plugin

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

A plugin for GIMP that allows you to load and save images in DirectDraw Surface (DDS) format.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

GIMP Normal Map Plugin

Version

1.2.2

Date

December 12, 2008

Type

GIMP Plugin

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

This is a plugin for GIMP version 2.0 and above. It allows you to convert images into RGB normal maps for use in per-pixel lighting applications. The goal is to completely clone NVIDIA's photoshop plugin, with a few new useful features.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

IrfanView

Version

4.23

Date

December 29, 2008

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

IrfanView

Description

A small, speedy and powerful image viewer. Capable of reading a large amount of image formats, it also has a plugin for reading .dds images.

Advantages
  • Fast and easy access to texture libraries for quick previewing, IrvanView also has thumbnail and slideshow modes. It can also perform a number of alterations to an image, and can load certain photoshop filters.
Disadvantages
  • Users not wishing to use this as their default image viewer may need to alter their file extensions again if they incorrectly set them when installing IrfanView.


Name

Keep Details

Version

1.1

Date

June 28, 2007

Type

Profile Settings

Cost

FREE

Download

TESNexus

Description

This pack is a series of four profile settings for nVidia's .DDS import/export utility for photoshop. They make attempts to keep mipmaps for .dds compressed images sharper, and maintain more detail.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

MapZone Editor

Version

2.6

Date

January 15, 2008

Type

Texture Creator

Cost

FREE

Download

MapZoneEditor.com

Description

MaPZone is simply the most advanced texturing tool ever. MaPZone is only intended to be used for producing high quality textures, and this is what it does best. Based on a unique and patented technology called the FX Maps, MaPZone is the only procedural tool giving you that much control over your creation.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

Mudbox

Version

2009

Date

August 6, 2008

Type

3D / Graphics Editor

Cost

$745.00 USD

Download

Mudbox3D.com

Description

Mudbox is the first advanced, high resolution brush-based 3D sculpting software that is built from the ground up to address the needs of the professional digital sculptor.

  • Use 3D Layers to sculpt nondestructively, store different detail passes, explore different design directions, build libraries of facial morph targets, collaborate with other artists, and do much more.
  • Use Mudbox's "Tangent Space" mirroring to mirror your brush strokes on asymmetrical and posed models.
  • Add detail where you need it, when you need it, with Local Subdivision.
  • Extract displacement and normal maps between arbitrary meshes -- use meshes with different topologies, UVs, vertex IDs! Output high quality 8, 16, and 32 bit maps.
  • Save production time and work more efficiently with Mudbox's organized user interface and 'get it done' focus.
Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

NifSkope

Version

1.0.18

Date

January 23, 2009

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

SourceForge.net

Description

A graphical program that allows you to open NIF files, view their contents, edit them, and write them back out again. You can use it to quickly make changes to specific properties of a NIF file such as changing the texture, adding translucency, and more. A 3D view of the contents of the NIF file allows you to preview your changes instantly. You can even create texture templates, and import & export OBJ files.

Advantages
  • An essential tool when working with Oblivion models and textures.
  • Useful for viewing textures on the models and view refreshes automatically when DDS file is updated.
  • Can create texture templates based on the model's UVMap.
  • Useful for editing texture paths on the models.
  • Now has a built-in UVMap editor.
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

NVidia DDS Utilities

Version

8.31.1127.1645

Date

December 4, 2007

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

NVidia.com

Description
  • nvDXT - convenient command-line access to nvDXTlib functionality and more
  • detach - extracts MIP levels from a .DDS file
  • stitch - recombines MIP levels into a single .DDS file
  • readDXT - reads compressed images and writes .TGA files
  • nvDXTlib - library for working with .DDS files
Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

NVidia Melody

Version

1.2.0630.1500

Date

June 30, 2005

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

NVIDIA Melody creates high quality normal maps that make a low-poly model look like a high-poly model. Simply load your low-poly working model, then load your high-poly reference model, click the "Generate Normal Map" button and watch Melody go to town. The normal map generator can also create texture coordinates from your high-poly reference model using a projection technique.

Advantages
  • Create quality Normal Maps for low-poly models by using high-poly models.
Disadvantages
  • Crashes frequently.
  • Old software which does not seem to be updated any longer.


Name

Paint.NET

Version

3.36

Date

August 26, 2008

Type

Graphics Editor

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly help, tutorials, and plugins.

Advantages
  • Direct support to open and save DDS files.
  • Easy to use.
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

ShaderMap CL

Version

1.2.2

Date

December 4th, 2008

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

Rendering Systems Inc.

Description

ShaderMap CL is a FREE command line tool that automates conversions using batch scripts. Process and reprocess large sets of assets. ShaderMap CL is a fully functional version of ShaderMap. It is free for non-commercial use. Download ShaderMap CL today and see how easy it is to create quality rendering maps.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Command-line interface less friendly than a GUI.


Name

Texture Maker 3

Version

3.01

Date

May 19, 2006

Type

Utility

Cost

$37.99 USD

Download

TheGameCreators.com

Description

Generates procedural textures, and extract portions of an existing image to generate from. Texture Maker 3 can also animate the procedurals, and features a particle system for more animated flipbook-styled effects.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

The Compressonator

Version

1.50

Date

December 18, 2008

Type

Standalone Utility

Cost

FREE

Download
Description

A tool for compressing textures and creating mip-map levels.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

UVMapper

Version

0.26b

Date

January 3, 2005

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

UVMapper.com

Description

A stand-alone texture mapping utility for the creation and modification of UV coordinates for n-sided polygonal 3D models.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

Windows Texture Viewer

Version

0.86b

Date

July 10, 2008

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

NVidia.com

Description

WTV was developed by Tomas Blaho for simple DDS viewing, especially for those DDS files with an alpha channel.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

xNormal

Version

3.16.7

Date

March 17, 2009

Type

Utility

Cost

FREE

Download

XNormal.net

Description

For generating normal maps from high-poly meshes. It can also generate other map types, as well as use heightmaps as input.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown


Name

XnView

Version

1.96

Date

February 24, 2009

Type

DDS Viewer

Cost

FREE

Download

Homepage

Description

XnView is an efficient multimedia viewer, browser and converter.

Advantages
  • Can quickly view an entire folder of DDS files at once.
Disadvantages
  • Shows only the highest mipmap view.


Name

ZBrush

Version

3.1

Date

Unknown

Type

3D Graphics Utility

Cost

$300.00 USD

Download

Pixologic.com

Description

ZBrush 3 gives you access to unparalleled power and control previously unknown in digital art creation software. Controls enable sculptors to create with a stylus and a tablet as intuitively as if they were using their hands on a block of clay. ZBrush further extends the creation experience, harnessing technology and providing artists with a multitude of creation-enhancing tools.

Advantages
  • Unknown
Disadvantages
  • Unknown

See Also