About That Texture Archive...

[SneaksieDave]

Are we able to log into the file server for account access/control or just ftp? I'm wondering because, couldn't the texture archive just be built on the machine, if it were say, a linux box and we had an account? I'm not sure what the setup is.

 

I ask because I'm dying to get up to date with the current texture collection so that I can actually use them. I've not seen any of the existing maps with textures or textured models, either. Once the archive is downloaded, it'll be easier to keep up with downloading individual files here and there when necessary*, but grabbing them all individually and uncompressed on a 56k is not practical. I'm missing a ton I'd imagine (last archive was in October 14 if that's the one) and even the whole directory layout has changed.

 

Or, perhaps the hold up is the incorporation of 300+ simply yummy Hammerite Imperium textures, and I should just hold my horses a bit more.

 

 

Edit: *Forgot to request - would it be possible that when new textures are uploaded, and are NOT going to be put in a huge archive anytime soon, that compressed versions also be uploaded simultaneously somewhere?

Edited December 5, 2004 by SneaksieDave

[sparhawk]

Edit: *Forgot to request - would it be possible that when new textures are uploaded, and are NOT going to be put in a huge archive anytime soon, that compressed versions also be uploaded simultaneously somewhere?

I think we have to work on this a bit. What I also would like to see is FTP access per user control. Some are concerned that a recent memeber of our team may just have signed up to get our stuff and do his own with it.

 

I don't know if this is true or only paranoid, but the concern is valid. And as it is now with a common login for all devs, we have no control over the content when somebody has to leave and is not in a good mood. There could be all kind of mieschief done with it.

 

So what we should have is a login on user/password basis. Maybe this means that we have to look for a new server where we can have this kind of access?

[SneaksieDave]

What I also would like to see is FTP access per user control.

Indeed. When I first joined it seemed only a bit odd that there was only one user/pass, but even more odd when I learned that there was also public HTTP access. Wow, that's um.. kinda public, yes? But eh, if you guys are comfortable with that, so be it. Not like this has to be some big hush hush government top secret thingy.

 

we have no control over the content when somebody has to leave and is not in a good mood.

Yes, I definitely think this should be protected against.

 

But the textures! The texchus, maan!

[Domarius]

I'm giving my support for some kind of compressed textures. Either in a rar archive, or convert them all to .jpg and have people batch convert them back to .tga after they've downloaded them.

 

I know that managing an archive is hard, but what about the batch .jpg idea?

[sparhawk]

I'm giving my support for some kind of compressed textures.  Either in a rar archive, or convert them all to .jpg and have people batch convert them back to .tga after they've downloaded them.

 

Is there a batch program for Windows/DOS that can do this? I don't mind writing a batchfile that does this. Quite easy with a shell script under linux, but of course I would need an app that can convert the images to/from jpg/tga in a dos box to make this work in Windows for all our devs.

 

I know that managing an archive is hard, but what about the batch .jpg idea?

 

Ok. The only consequence of this would be that we have to streamline the process of distributing the textures. We must have somebody who is responsible for the textures, and when enough new are added he should create an archive and upload a new version. Like Renz did before he vanished.

 

I can do the batch scripting but I don't really want to keep track of the textures. Of course, putting them into my CVS would solve that problem quite easily, but curently my bandwidth wouldn't allow this.

[Domarius]

Batch converting is easy. Okay, I don't personally know of the program, but I do know there is more than one cool little free utilities out there that just convert image files.

Google should be helpfull. I had a quick look but I have to leave at the moment and I only found some 30 day trial ones. Maybe someone else could have a go.

 

I'm using ACDSee 4 Full Version, that I got for free on a PC magazine CD. It does a fine job.

 

Anyone who has Photoshop can certainly do it just as easily, with it's "Automate" feature. If anyone wants to know how, I'll make a tutorial.

[sparhawk]

Anyone who has Photoshop can certainly do it just as easily, with it's "Automate" feature. If anyone wants to know how, I'll make a tutorial.

I also have some tools for that, but if we distribute this on a regular basis we should have a tool for automated batch processing. I doubt that everybody would want to convert the images on his own.

[SneaksieDave]

I have PSP and that would do fine for me. But that still involves downloading them all separately. Is there really no way to log into the server for access enough to whip up a rar archive?? Chripes, if the folder format is now "how it's going to stay" (is it?) then it should take a few minutes and then everyone can download updated textures and stuff. My models don't work right either, but that could be from 'themod' archive or perhaps old mtr files or such? Basically, the only thing that works here on my system is that I can frob an incorrectly textured door (changed by hand) in the frobtest map.

[sparhawk]

I have PSP and that would do fine for me.

 

If I do such a thing then I don't intend to do this for two people and the next guy is complaining again because he doesn't have this app.

 

But that still involves downloading them all separately.

 

Of course you must download. But as I was saying that I would create an archive that is automatically converted but I don't want to maintain it. maybe BlackThief can do this? He is our textuire artist anyway, so he would be the best guy for this.

 

Chripes, if the folder format is now "how it's going to stay" (is it?) then it should take a few minutes and then everyone can download updated textures and stuff.  My models don't work right either, but that could be from 'themod' archive or perhaps old mtr files or such?  Basically, the only thing that works here on my system is that I can frob an incorrectly textured door (changed by hand) in the frobtest map. 

 

I'm currently creating the archive and when it is finsihed I post it.

 

But it seems we have to come up with an organzied structure for the FTP pretty soon.

[BlackThief]

well I think we should first agree on one final structure - then I could manage this stuff as long as renz is not around. I could structure it on the ftp, but I won't upload everything in a rar - my bandwith and my traffic is still limited. would be great if someone else could do that from time to time for the 56k users - tgas compress VERY well !

[Domarius]

... tgas compress VERY well !

That's because they are just raw image data - those damn things are the same size no matter what you take a picture of (providing they are all the same resolution).

 

jpg is even better because it removes stuff as well as compresses.

[sparhawk]

well I think we should first agree on one final structure - then I could manage this stuff as long as renz is not around. I could structure it on the ftp, but I won't upload everything in a rar - my bandwith and my traffic is still limited. would be great if someone else could do that from time to time for the 56k users - tgas compress VERY well !

I can do that. No problem with that. You just add the textures one by one on the FTP and every now and then you tell me to re-create the archive. I can download them and put them in the archive. I have flatrate so it doesn't really matter to me. What I also could do is to set up a cronjob on my server that will run once a week automatically. Or more often if need be but I think a weekly update is enough. Maybe that is even the best solution.