DDS Export Settings

nvdxt.exe

The toolset comes with a copy of the NVidia command line tool nvdxt.exe. This tool converts TGA files into DDS files, and can be found at "Dragon Age Origins\tools\ResourceBuild\Processors\nvdxt.exe".

A typical nvdxt.exe call looks like this:

nvdxt.exe [format] -quality_highest -file input.tga -output output.dds

The [format] portion would be replaced by options that depend on the specific texture types.

For Icons

Replace [format] with: -u8888 -nomipmap

For Diffuse Textures

Replace [format] with: -dxt1

For Specular/Tint/Normal Textures

Replace [format] with: -dxt5

NOTE: -dxt3 should also work, and may produce better quality textures under certain conditions.

LOD/prescale

Another useful option is -prescale x y, with x and y specifying pixel dimensions. This resizes the texture to the specified size before generating the DDS. This can be very useful for creating the necessary multiple LOD textures from a single large source TGA.

Photoshop Plugin

(compiled from http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/8/index/599061/1#604952)

For Icons

According to Ketaros

Format: "X.8.8.8 XRGB 32 bpp | unsigned"
Type: "2D Texture"

Choose: "No MIP maps"

According to [http://social.bioware.com/112329/ tmp7704

"The icons i've extracted from original files were saved in ARGB fromat with fully opaque Alpha channel. Saving the data in XRGB format theoretically skips the alpha channel data altogether and supplies one unused channel instead, no idea if that makes any difference for the game engine."

According to theBigMuh

Format 8.8.8.8 ARGB
Type: "2D Texture" (not qouted but assumed)

Choose: "No mip maps"

For Textures

According to theBigMuh

"For textures, use DXT1 for diffuse\\specular\\tint, and DXT3 (NOT DXT5) for normal maps. The interpolated alpha of DXT5 makes for horrible horrible bump mapping artifacts. Check generate mip maps, too. Put the high resolution variation into AddIns\\<youraddin>\\core\\textures\\high, and a 50% downscaled version into AddIns\\<youraddin>\\core\\textures\\medium."

According to tmp7704

"The 1-bit alpha channel in DXT1 compression is often going to mess things up or be simply insufficient.

The native tint maps seem to use unsigned 16-bit format (a4r4g4b4) which works for them since they don't use any real gradients to speak of.

The choice between DXT3 and DXT5 for the normal maps would depend on what sort of data is put in the alpha channel. If it has smooth gradients DXT5 is better suited for it. For sharp transitions DXT3 may be a better choice (the limitation of DXT3 compression is it can only record 16 brightness steps rather than 256. While DXT5 is similar to it in the worst possible case, it can offer better fidelity when your alpha channel doesn't cover full 0-255 brightness range)"

See Also

DDS

Texture Formats