Skin sizes

[Jarrod Crossley]

Hello Skinners

Ok its come to light that saving skins in large format (double the size). Does have a perfromance effect on the game.

So if you still want to enlarge your templates and save at that size we would ask you lable your skins as HiDef in the download section also it would be advisable that you also upload a normal sized skin as well for people who want to enjoy your liveries but can't spare the HDD space.

Also you may want to consider doing some LowDef Skins (half the template size), for people with lower spec machines who again would like to enjoy your liveries.

 

[Lee Downham]

Nice one Jarrod ... can only support this recommendation after what I have found lately in testing this. :good:

Also, I hope you don't mind me adding to your information but it is not only HDD space that is at risk with "HD skins", but also system resources, FPS, and the overall performance and even stability of the game engine.

My personaly policy from now on is not to install any skins that are over the default sizes recommended by Simbin ... there are enough reasons for me not to finish a race without adding to them

 

[Mark Guy]

Sorry guy's, but what is the recommended size of skin.???

 

[Stuart Thomson]

2048*1024 I believe (not got access to my PS at the moment) - either way, it's an unaltered size of the supplied templates.

 

[Günthar Rowe]

Sorry guy's, but what is the recommended size of skin.???

varies car by car and also on what you are skinning, as in the wtcc-x cars have more than one body component, but as posted above, standard resolution is that of the standard template...

 

[Willie Watt]

Also you may want to consider doing some LowDef Skins (half the template size), for people with lower spec machines who again would like to enjoy your liveries.

@Jarod: Just for confirmation, to make a low res skin, you just reduce the standard psd template by 50% in Ps and then run the dds compression?

 

[Jarrod Crossley]

yes thts it in a nutshell...

 

[Günthar Rowe]

Ok, what is happening here is you are getting confused between double sized files and double sized resolutions.

Here is a breakdown on skins and the file size and the resolution and/or layers:

Most body skins run a standard template 2048x1024x72px/in with RGB, Red, Green & Blue channels, which will produce a DXT1 6 LOD/MIP .dds of 1366kb

But, some skins run different dimensions (non 2048x1024x72px/in) which will of course change this base DXT1 6 LOD/MIP .dds with RGB, Red, Green & Blue channels, of 1366kb...

Now, cars uses an alpha layer on the car body, thus the extra layer in a 2048x1024x72px/in RGB, Red, Green, Blue & Alpha channels will produce a DXT3/DXT5 6 LOD/MIP .dds of 2731kb.

Now, if you produce a hi resolution (a true double "size") body skin of 4096x2048x72px/in with RGB, Red, Green & Blue channels, which will produce a DXT1 6 LOD/MIP .dds of 5461kb. Or, if it uses an alpha layer on the car body, thus the extra layer in a 4096x2048x72px/in with RGB, Red, Green, Blue & Alpha channels will produce a DXT3/DXT5 6 LOD/MIP .dds of 10,921kb.

Lastly, I have also found a standard templated 2048x1024x72px/in with RGB, Red, Green & Blue channels, which will produce a DXT1 6 LOD/MIP .dds of 2049kb due to it having a redunant Alpha layer left in when producing the .dds... these can be opened in PS and delete the unused Alpha channel to get them back down to the 1366kb file size....

Hope this helps explain file size in relation to resolution...

Also that above applies to the ext windows too..... except you have to have the Alpha layer of course, but the increaded file size due to resolution still applies....

 

[Lee Downham]

Bump ... might solve some RDTCC 2010 mini dump issues, as some skinners have created oversized skins, and the single driver skins are nearly all double sized (in terms of file size).

 

[Alessio Fabbri]

Hi!
Where can I find the template at 4096x2048?
Thanks