dds graphics file conversion?

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               The dds file extension is causing me trouble on my older system, which I use for max.
Where could I find a converter to tga?
I tried to combine some downloaded 3dsmax related dds files into a hak and then used NwnExplorer v163 but it couldn't do it (but it will display dds files from the bioware haks).
So I tried a dds converter from Nvidia (my video card type: GeForce 6200) and it doesn't recognise them either.
Could someone steer me in the right direction, please?
(Also, I use photoshop 7)


PS
After a long hiatus, I am so very pleased to see that the CC community is still alive and well.
I am astounded by some of what has been created and applaud all of your efforts.  Nwn is just such a great game...
(I could go on at length but I think I'm tearing up... lol)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <looking at apples...>

The Bioware DDS & the standard DDS are two different formats (I believe Bioware was an early adopter and slightly out of standard).

Export Bioware DDS from NwExplorer to TGA.
Convert standard DDS in photoshop to TGA.

Best advice I can give :-P

<...and crab-apples>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               Ah yes,
The horse's mouth...

Just grabbed the adobe standard, and of course it works (no preview in thumbnails tho)

Thankyou, Rolo
(you happen to be one of those I referred to above)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               Almost forgot

Is there a max plugin too?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_T0r0]

               In the custom content tools sticky above are alot of the texture tools.
I like sagethumbs for tga (plus a whole lot more) thumbnails. It also lets me quickly convert tga-jpg (plus other formats) on the fly via right click.

In max I use tga's
               
               

               

                     Modifié par T0r0, 27 février 2013 - 04:57 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Rolo Kipp]

               <relaxing in his armchair with a pipe...>

Killmonger wrote...

Ah yes,
The horse's mouth...

Mouth? What a refreshing change from what I am usually compared to ;-)

Just grabbed the adobe standard, and of course it works (no preview in thumbnails tho)

I highly recommend Sagethumbs for thumbnails. It does support DDS and a *lot* of other formats.

Re Max plugin: 

Kysterama wrote...
I use Vista64 and 3dsmax 2009 and the dds plugin from nvidia works fine. Make sure your viewport is set to direct3d and not openGL. 

And welcome back :-) 

Now make sumpin!

<...impersonating a sage>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Rolo Kipp, 27 février 2013 - 05:01 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               Excellent !!
SageThumbs,  Two thumbs up!!
It will make file review much faster

All functioning within acceptable parameters (on an older Xp system)
Thanks T0r0 (Love your tileset work)
<Rolo too, for being>

Now if I could get win Explorer to stop hanging up on NwnExplorer v163 executuion my workflow will be more streamlined.
I'm so happy, now what to make first.... Hmm
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               Don't know if no-one is aware of it but there is a tool on the vault that is supposed to be able to convert back and forth between bioware dds and tga called ddstools. Don't know if it works as I've never tried it, but thought it was relevant to this discussion.

TR
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               <Having just returned from my archives>

Nope. DDS tools seems to be a one way process (tga to dds)
It is what started my original headache as I was looking for textures at the time
Now I am sorting through a veritable sea of textures (omg!)

But from a more technical point ...
Tho dds compression makes some sort of sense, does it improve rendering at runtime?
I mean, other than just speed?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Nissa_Red]

               I am using this tool for my (NWN) DDS to TGA needs :

http://nwvault.ign.c...id=24313&id=847

I first noticed it as recommended on OldTimeRadio's excellent blog, I think. Very nice tool, and the best part is that it can convert whole erf packages of textures in one row.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               Thanks Rolo,

Just got the nvidia plugin correctly into max7 and it works fine too. (I dont know about later versions yet)
Now the hard part.....
Nwn is an old game, but the many advances that I've been reading about make me pause (at the beginning of the building cycle). aka NwnShader, newVfx, and more
So...
How best to use Ambient, Diffuse, and Specular (as dds files often come with all three) If these features are available (or useful) should I ijust include them with a mdl file for playback ingame.
Short of trial and error, is there a guide to what might look best in the Nwn milieu?
I realise that texturing is a vast topic. (I still don't get the how to of plt's either)
But in order to save on resources I've begun looking through much of the already submitted textures and use that as the basis for my skinning
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Killmonger]

               Thanks Nissa_Red (&OTR)

Wow!
Somehow I missed that one, just dloaded it.
Just great !