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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 20th May 2021 at 8:08 AM Last edited by Lemurphs : 20th May 2021 at 10:42 AM.
Default SimPE won't allow me to use DDS when Building DTX
I'm recolouring a custom object (my first time) and I've been able to select PNG images in the Build DTX window successfully, however when I've tried to do the same with images in DDS format I get an "Out of memory" exception/error and I'm bounced back to the Build DTX window where no image has been uploaded. If I try to Import the DDS image, I get an error that says "Unknown DTX Format".

I found this thread from a few years ago that described the same issue, and the solution given was to ensure that the correct path is set for NVIDIA DDS Utilities in SimPE's preferences. Unfortunately, I've double checked and it seems like this is already done - it's set to C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\DDS Utilities and I don't have that little warning underneath saying that DDS Utilities can't be found.

Has anybody encountered this before? Any ideas on why an "Out of memory" exception is being thrown in this case? It's my understanding that building from a DDS image will help me get higher quality results, which I'm keen to see because the PNG method is coming out a little blurry.

EDIT: Extra info, I've already patched SimPE to be LAA.
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 20th May 2021 at 11:41 AM Last edited by simmer22 : 20th May 2021 at 12:05 PM.
I don't think you can use DDS in the DXT window. I think you have to use either DXT with PNGs (or another supported format), or the DDS import - they're two different things, but both are features of the Nvidia DDS. There's an "import DDS" option when you right-click the texture, and I think it adds the mipmaps like the DXT option does (if they're present in the file, of course).

I don't use it a lot, but it can occasionally be useful for glass and transparency or mixed cutouts (DXT5 works fine, too - mostly I tend to mis-click the DDS when I want the DXT option ).

Then it's the usual of making sure the format is correct (power of 2 horizontally and/or vertically - (1), 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096,... but SimPE is not fond of anything bigger than 1024 and will often throw that warning if the filesize is large, so maybe avoid textures larger than 1024, especially if you work with TS3/TS4 conversions. 2048 and bigger seems to be where SimPE starts throwing a tantrum every 5 minutes).

For DXT, make sure you use DXT3 or 5, set "sharpen to "none", and use a good-quality PNG (or any of the other supported formats).
The difference between 3 and 5 is for transparency and opacity. The texture quality between them is pretty much the same, but the difference is in the alpha quality.
- If the texture is fully opaque or there's cutouts with clear edges but no transparency, DXT3 is enough.
- If there's transparency (glass-type or a blend), or if the cutouts have feathered edges (and DXT3 isn't dong a good job), use DXT5.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 21st May 2021 at 11:39 AM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
I don't think you can use DDS in the DXT window. I think you have to use either DXT with PNGs (or another supported format), or the DDS import - they're two different things, but both are features of the Nvidia DDS. There's an "import DDS" option when you right-click the texture, and I think it adds the mipmaps like the DXT option does (if they're present in the file, of course).

I don't use it a lot, but it can occasionally be useful for glass and transparency or mixed cutouts (DXT5 works fine, too - mostly I tend to mis-click the DDS when I want the DXT option ).

Then it's the usual of making sure the format is correct (power of 2 horizontally and/or vertically - (1), 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096,... but SimPE is not fond of anything bigger than 1024 and will often throw that warning if the filesize is large, so maybe avoid textures larger than 1024, especially if you work with TS3/TS4 conversions. 2048 and bigger seems to be where SimPE starts throwing a tantrum every 5 minutes).

For DXT, make sure you use DXT3 or 5, set "sharpen to "none", and use a good-quality PNG (or any of the other supported formats).
The difference between 3 and 5 is for transparency and opacity. The texture quality between them is pretty much the same, but the difference is in the alpha quality.
- If the texture is fully opaque or there's cutouts with clear edges but no transparency, DXT3 is enough.
- If there's transparency (glass-type or a blend), or if the cutouts have feathered edges (and DXT3 isn't dong a good job), use DXT5.


I appreciate the explanation, thank you. It's a lot clearer to understand now. Build DXT is able to import my PNG files correctly and everything is showing up in game as it should, so I'm happy to carry on with that.

I'm using DTX3 already and sharpening is set to none, as per the guide I was originally working from. I think the blurriness is just because the texture I exported from the object is 512x1024 so up close on a 4k resolution screen the image quality seems poor. It's fine from a sensible distance.

While I'm on the subject though, perhaps you could advise me - is there any way to make it so I can import a bigger image with the same aspect ratio, i.e. 1024x2048 instead of 512x1024? When I try to upload an image that doesn't have the exact same width and heigh, it seems to fail. No warning or error or anything, but nothing happens.

Is it possible to increase the texture quality that way?
Field Researcher
#4 Old 21st May 2021 at 7:05 PM
I'd just like to add that I've personally never encountered problems when using a 2048x2048 texture in SimPE, though in most cases it's simply just not needed given the camera distance to the average object.
As for having a bigger texture, you'd simply have to build your DXT from that bigger image and the rest will be taken care of.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 22nd May 2021 at 1:55 AM
^ Just to clarify, I've had the occasional "Out of memory" exception with 2048x2048 txtures, but usually after having SimPE open for a bit or if I've made several recolors like this in a row. Just one tends not to be a problem, but the more I make the more likely the error will pop up. I don't use that size textures often (I prefer 1024, and I tend to remap or resize TS4 textures if they're larger than 1024 and don't have any reason to be), because my game is more likely to throw a tantrum than SimPE (My old laptop that never pink-flashed otherwise did so once with a 2048x2048 texture. Big textures are more likely to cause pink flashing and they use more resources, plus 1024 tends to be a decent size for most ingame uses anyway).

(I do have a no-install version of SimPE, so that could be one reason why it's a bit more unstable. I've noticed no-install versions of programs sometimes tend to have more RAM issues).

-----

Quote:
While I'm on the subject though, perhaps you could advise me - is there any way to make it so I can import a bigger image with the same aspect ratio, i.e. 1024x2048 instead of 512x1024? When I try to upload an image that doesn't have the exact same width and heigh, it seems to fail. No warning or error or anything, but nothing happens.


You should be able to import this format just fine using DXT. It should add an extra mipmap for the new size automatically. If that's what you're already trying, then I'm not sure why it's failing. Are you absolutely sure the size is 1024x2048? If it's even one pixel off, SimPE won't let you import.
Inventor
#6 Old 22nd May 2021 at 6:29 AM
Hello @Lemurphs
If your PNG image is not the same size as the PNG item, click on build to change (you may need to add until you have the required size), once achieved click on build again and then on the correct size you need. The image of the item texture is no longer there, right click on it and using the option update all sizes, click TGI, then commit and save - then import your PNG, update all sizes, commit and save.
Alternatively, why not resize your image to fit if the proportions for height and width are the same?
Out of memory has happened to me when I installed the Ultimate Collection (to try and add the Pets expansion pack). Prior to this I had all the other expansion/stuff packs installed (manually!) and there was no issue with SimPE. Probably someone will write they have no issue with UC; I use Windows7 and I did. I uninstalled and reinstalled my Sims2 collection and (touch wood) no further problems.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#7 Old 22nd May 2021 at 11:16 AM
Hi all! Thanks so much for walking me through this, it's all new to me but I understand this all a bit better now because of your feedback.

Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
You should be able to import this format just fine using DXT. It should add an extra mipmap for the new size automatically. If that's what you're already trying, then I'm not sure why it's failing. Are you absolutely sure the size is 1024x2048? If it's even one pixel off, SimPE won't let you import.


I was quite certain that I had the exact right size but I must have been wrong, because I tried it again today with a new image file I'd tweaked a bit further and it worked just fine. Yay!

The only reason I wanted this particular texture to be 1024x2048 rather than 512x1024 is because it's a large bulletin board that takes up something like two thirds of the length of the wall. I wanted to be make to make out the finer detail a little bit better.

This is a large improvement on my first attempt:

Inventor
#8 Old 23rd May 2021 at 12:48 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Lemurphs
Hi all! Thanks so much for walking me through this, it's all new to me but I understand this all a bit better now because of your feedback.



I was quite certain that I had the exact right size but I must have been wrong, because I tried it again today with a new image file I'd tweaked a bit further and it worked just fine. Yay!

The only reason I wanted this particular texture to be 1024x2048 rather than 512x1024 is because it's a large bulletin board that takes up something like two thirds of the length of the wall. I wanted to be make to make out the finer detail a little bit better.

This is a large improvement on my first attempt:



Hello @Lemurphs
That's good it is all sorted. Good luck in your game and to many more recolors!
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