This new tool is actually a component of a larger tool I'm working on, but i think the functions it will have when it's done may be useful to you guys. It's a bitmap converter that deals strictly with tags.

I'm using it right now for a very specific purpose, but I think you guys will want it for it's ability to convert between texture formats in a tag without extracting and recompiling. Every format of bitmap including p8-bump will be able to converted. P8-bump textures are actually 1/4 the size of a 32bit color texture, though tool doesn't seem to do a good job using the palette available for compression. Part of what this tool can do fixes that.

Right now most of the conversion stuff is unfinished, but overall the tool is around 85% done. I'm not messing with 3d textures until I get the rest of the features finished, but I want to include that as well because of what I plan to use it for.

But I have a question that I don't really have the time to test out, does p8-bump work on pc? I'm not asking if it LOOKS good, but whether or not a texture compressed as it will be rendered ingame. Thanks in advance. Oh, and no pics until I'm done with it. Pics of a program feel kinda pointless anyway.
Edited by MosesofEgypt on Jun 17, 2014 at 09:27 PM

I'm not really sure why it wouldn't be supported ingame, I believe the only way you'll find out for sure is if you have someone to test it or if you test it yourself.

Waffles might have an answer for you, he has a great understanding of Halo's shadersystem and the differences between the xbox and gearbox version of Halo.

You could also make a utility that searches through your tags folder and indexes the compressions used.

well i ask because monochrome isn't supported for example. i guess i'll have to test for myself.

Yea, I tested yesterday to find out exactly what you've just said. Btw WoL, this is the guy who was making the gundam mod, you know, wayback from gearbox. Haven't seen you in forever. What's up?

like open sauce tool

It's amazing what can be done with only 250 colors in a predetermined palette. I've come up with 5 different modes for using the palette. each has it's strengths and weaknesses. Mostly I'll be using auto-bias, but checker and average bias have their uses. red and green bias are really just a byproduct of the other modes.


Edited by MosesofEgypt on Jun 19, 2014 at 06:23 PM

I thought pc doesn't have support for 3d textures?