BC7 Compression
I always wonder what makes BC7 compression in DDS format is superior than DXT(n) compressions. I get that this exists in OpenIV's Image Compression type, but what's the point if most of the modders uses standard DXT(n) compression (such as DXT1, DXT3, and DXT5)?
Apparently, just figured out after I talked with the author of The True Canon Pack @ Nexus Mods, DDS format can be modified by all means, so BC7 isn't an exception, right? So, on a whim, I Googled out via private window about what's this BC7 compression in DDS format about. Dunno the proper keyword, so I started out on a basic, yet understandable keyword on my standards.
At first, I thought that BC7 compression is used as an anti-tamper for modders who create skin mods, but no... this can be easily circumvented. Ninja Ripper is the most easy way to export textures, but... nope, I've tried it. Some color palettes on texture export are gone. Imagine if what I want is grayish black, then when NR is used, it's even more black than what I thought it would be. I bet that with the tools provided from superostrich, you can export default textures that Bamco used in a game, which by default, it uses DXT1 or DXT5 format depending on the cases. This is where a tut by Dantofu (from superostrich's page) comes handy, where you will be pointed yourself to the Nvidia's toolkit (plugin) that saves any readable image format as DDS format. However, for some reason, the tool only supports up to CS6 version of Adobe Photoshop.
Intel® Texture Works Plugin
That fad pointed me to what's so called Intel® Texture Works Plugin for Adobe Photoshop. One of the search results came up, showing how to save DDS in BC7 compression to a common readable format that any image viewer can open (BMP, JPG, PNG, you name it), just as what I wanted. By coincidence a guy that pointed me to Intel® Texture Works Plugin is someone who tries to save game images from Fallout 4. This is exactly what I wanted, since the author of The True Canon Pack gave an all-clear to allow me modify his mod either for private use or credited where it's due (if uploaded somewhere else and other than Nexus, such as here). However, this is where modifying the *.ubulk from *.dds gets fuzzy, because there are no BC7 DDS code blocks for HxD or similar programs that modifies the file from the hex level. The DDS code block is usually at the header, i.e. in the beginning of the contents that contains random letters, symbols, and computer signs like ACK, NUL, SOT, etc., all translated into hex referencing ASCII table.
Doing this way from UBULK to DDS require me to snatch a header from the freshly made DDS file that compressed into BC7. However, I'm pretty much faced with two options of saving: fast and fine.
I've tried both to save the test DDS file I found in Battlefield 2 game directory and they seem to all have similarities in its header. Nothing else, except when saving with sRGB gamma (if it's a main skin and not MREC). Tests 1 and 2 are saved in linear mode, while tests 3 and 4 are saved in sRGB mode. The header, however, has a hex block that determines whether it's linear or sRGB. Just by looking via HxD and compare it, a letter "b" in Test 2 is used, whereas letter "c" in Test 3 is used. This is an easy identifier to know if it's linear or sRGB, regardless of saving the BC7-compressed DDS file in fast or fine compression.
So this is where I'll start snatching a header that has Mip Maps and then apply it to some skin mods I wanted to mod for private use or upload it here when I see fit. As for the TCP itself, well... you know my point - I'll explain it at the next heading.
Plans to Promote TCP (True Canon Pack)
You know what I mean. Not the TCP/IP, but TCP in Ace Combat 7. An ongoing, ambitious mod project by Calamitous, a.k.a. CloakedEnigma @ Nexus Mods. Not sure why, but from a default skin alone, he already made it realism but lore-friendly, way before I planned a project to make it lore-friendly as it's opposed to (since generic NPC skins are... generic, roundels with no "bort" number - yeah, pretty much a history with LockOn FC2). And I've seen that it's getting fancier the moment I opened its redirect mod page.
So, here's the thing. My new walkthrough will be quite mod-customized, and I have plans to promote his mod via a gameplay (walkthrough or whatever) with better planes and in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations style (Trigger to Boruto project). I seem to have enough on F-16-only presentation, and while I waited for the 3 DLC planes that'll be coming in autumn this year (not this month, I'm afraid, I don't even know when is autumn - yes, pretty much tropical region at where I live), and most likely CloakedEnigma didn't do other planes, I'll be using his mod for my new walkthrough after I receive cosmetic edits for private use and exclusively in my walkthrough videos. The cosmetic edits won't be big to maintain CloakedEnigma's neat and excellent design; I just add pilot names that resemble the design made by ultrabooster10000 in his Ace Combat 7: Three Strikes Conversion Set 1 mod. That is, after the header code snatched from my own made BC7-compressed DDS file applied to one of the skins that CloakedEnigma created. He said it's A-OK to do that, so long as it's either for private use or if I uploaded it here or places other than Nexus but his author name (Calamitous or CloakedEnigma) is mentioned properly in the Credits section. I'll give credit where credit's due. I admire his work, anyway.
So... dunno when I'll be doing this, but I will, when I don't have anything busy ATM. When I'll be registering for Final Project is unknown. It's either catch up with the updates or die with nothing. Yeah, pretty much Covid-19 mindset. Idk when this pandemic will be over; maybe it'll take more than a year to end this.
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