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/**
 ** DDScv 1.11
 ** Copyright  2003 Yannick "Bluehair" Lon
 **
 ** $File:	Readme-v1_11.txt$
 ** $Designer:	Bluehair <bluehair@libertysurf.fr>$
 ** $Date (US):	2003-07-17$
 ** $Revision:	2003-07-19$
 **
 **/
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[---> Update Information <---]

After a bunch of hours behind Visual C++, I finally succeeded to implement
the code for saving DDS files from 24/32 bits bitmaps saved as BMP, JPEG, PNG
or TGA files.

They feature the same specs as Rituals' ones, i.e.:

	* DXT3 compression
	* Mipmap levels generation

You only have to remind that DXTn compression cannot be be applied on bitmaps
whose dimensions are not multiples of 4 (e.g. 127x127, 255x513 ...). However,
DDScv will convert such files into DDS stumbleless, but they will be
uncompressed.

Also, mipmaps levels can only be generated from bitmaps whose dimensions are
a power of 2 (i.e. 128x64, 256x256, 512x32 ...). Should one of your bitmaps
not meet this requirement, then DDScv just won't generate them for it. For
those who don't know what mipmaps are, here is a definition taken from MSDN:

"Also known as MIP map (Latin: multium in parvo, translated "much in little").
A sequence of textures, each of which is a progressively lower-resolution,
prefiltered representation of the same image. A higher-resolution image is
used when a visible object is close to the viewer; as the object moves
farther away (and gets smaller), lower-resolution images are used"

This technique saves the VRAM bandwidth and also improves the image quality.

To the program itself, I pushed back the input buffer limit to 40000
characters (for information, when you select several files in the "Open"
dialog, this buffer holds the source directory followed by the name of those
files, themselves separated by a "separator" character).

At last, since DDS file saving takes more time to achieve than the other
formats, whenever you will request more than 50 conversions, a message box
will henceforth notice you the end of the process on top of the system sound
events (reminder: success -> system sound associated to the "exclamation"
event; failure -> the one associated with the "critical error" event).


[---> The Bottom Line <---]

Despite Jon Galloway states on Ritualistic's boards that we would still be
able to use TGA files for storing our textures, I am quite sure the EF2
engine will be more pleased to deal with DDS files as they do increase
the rendering performance.

Now, DDScv should have everything to make you happy! CYA.

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