[Once-media] Re: [WF-General] WorldForge Media Repository texture and model directory structure and naming changes

[<han...@he...>]

Hi,

I'm now starting to apply these changes, so expect things to move around
a bit over the next few weeks in the WorldForge media repository.

The existing textures will normally be moved to an originals/ folder
below their current location, and renamed to match the name of their
original folder.


There was also an addition suggested, namely:

Also allow models to optionally have high and low level of detail
versions, stored in high/ and low/ folders in a similar way to the
textures.

The high LOD ones should have a poly count slightly higher than
our current recommendations, so about 100-200 polys for simple items,
200-1000 for more complex ones, and 1000-2500 for characters and
creatures.

The low LOD ones should have perhaps 20% of this number of polygons,
so about 20-50 for simple items, 50-200 for more complex ones,
and 200-500 for characters.  In summary, low LOD should really be low,
but not as low as billboards.

Both LOD levels are optional (so there could be only a low LOD version
of a model, or only a high LOD version, or both).

By default current models will be classified as high LOD.


Unless someone has a good counter argument, this suggestion will also be
applied.



Btw, I'm also adding a template for skybox textures, and some skyboxes.
They will be added to 3d_objects/environment/sky/


-- 
Hans Häggström (zzorn)



Hans Häggström wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Here's a proposal on changing the naming of texture and model directory
> structure and naming in the WF media repository.  It's based on a
> discussion yesterday in #media @ irc.worldforge.org.
> 
> I'm cc:ing this proposal to the Once-media list too, as Once is planning
> to make use of WF media, as well as to the general@ list to get some
> feedback from client coders and other WF persons.
> 
> 
> Problems with current structure:
>  - No distributable texture files in the repository
>   (all are original size)
> 
>  - Current naming convention does not address subtemplates,
>    so it's incomplete.
> 
>  - Current naming pattern results in many textures having the same name
>    This causes many problems in common usage scenarios.
> 
> 
> Proposed changes:
>  - Include two resolution levels, low and high, and place low and high
>    resolution distribution textures in folders with these names under
>    the current texture directories.
> 
>  - Place original layered source files, and a full resolution texture
>    file in an original/ directory
> 
>  - Leave only readme.txt and authors.txt in the current texture
>    directories.
> 
>  - Name textures based on the texture directory name.
> 
>  - For templates that consist of sub-templates (e.g. tool consists
>    of tool head and tool handle), append the sub template name to the
>    texture name.
> 
>  - Template textures do not need low, high, and originals directories,
>    and should stay named after the template directory name.
> 
>  - JPG format files could be used for distributed textures without
>    transparent areas, as it allows better compression for some types of
>    textures.
> 
> 
> So the pattern is:
> 
> 3d_objects/{main_category}/{template_type}/textures/{texture_name}/{resolution}/{texture_name}[_{sub_template_name}].[png/jpg] 
> 
> 
> Where {resolution} is one of low, high, or original.
> 
> 
> Examples:
> 
> Currently we have:
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/tool_head.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/tool_handle.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/tool_head.psp
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/tool_handle.psp
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/tool_head.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/tool_handle.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/tool_head.psp
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/tool_handle.psp
> 
> With the new naming standard, there would be:
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/low/settler_tools_head.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/low/settler_tools_handle.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/high/settler_tools_head.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/high/settler_tools_handle.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/original/settler_tools_head.png 
> 
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/original/settler_tools_handle.png 
> 
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/original/settler_tools_head.psp 
> 
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/settler_tools/original/settler_tools_handle.psp 
> 
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/tool_head.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/tool_handle.png
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/originals/tool_head.psp
> 3d_objects/items/tool/textures/template/originals/tool_handle.psp
> 
> 
> Rationales:
>  - For using low/ and high/ instead of adding _low and _high to the
>    filename: during uclient development, this system was used, and it
>    was felt that it was too cumbersome to add this kind of metadata to
>    filenames.  Directories are a bit easier to use for this.
> 
>  - By placing all originals and other input data files in an original/
>    directory, we make it easy to filter out those from a distribution.
>    Also template/ directories can be removed from end user
>    distributions, if desired.
> 
> 
> Resolution sizes:
> 
> Resolution sizes to use for low and high should be determined based on
> the details in the texture, the importance of the texture, and the
> expected size of objects with the texture in the game.
> 
> Low should be really rather small files, for low end hardware, or far
> away objects.  Sizes could range from 64*64, to 128*128, and sometimes
> up to 256*256 pixels for important and detailed textures for large
> objects.
> 
> High can be larger textures, but still acceptable for todays hardware.
> Sizes can range from 128*128, to 256*256, and 512*512 for the largest
> textures.
> 
> Originals should be 1024*1024 in general, so that they can be used for
> rendering, and future hardware.
> 
> 
> Models:
> 
> For models, a similar pattern might be used.  I don't think we need to
> create several resolutions of a model, though, so the resolution can be
> left out.  But the names of models should be based on the model
> directory name, and originals should be placed in an original/
> directory.
> 
> E.g.
> 
> 3d_objects/items/tool/models/axe/axe.3ds
> 3d_objects/items/tool/models/axe/original/axe.max
> 
> 
> Implementation:
> 
> If this change is acceptable, we'll do the necessary moves and renames
> in the repository, and add distribution versions of texture files.
> 
> 
> Links:
> 
> The WF Media Repository:
> https://svn.worldforge.org:886/svn/media/trunk/
> 
> Previous WF Media Repository structure specification: 
> http://www.worldforge.org/media/documents/media_repository_layout
> 
>