The creation of a "AboutS3TC.txt"

[creavion]

Personally I think it is sometimes difficult to understand what S3TC exactly is (the first time Shadow told me about that, I could not imagine anything) and what you need to use it.
Some minutes ago I thought about to write a small readme which should/could be included into a release archive (in an extra folder "S3TC" with the S3TC package if the map uses custom textures). So lets say you have your content here of "MyMap.zip":
MyMap.unr,
MyMapTex.utx,
MyMap.txt,
MyMapShot1.jpg,
MyMapShot2.jpg,
MyMapShot3.jpg, I think you get it...
-------------------------------------
along with an extra folder \S3TC\
--------------------------------------
contains:
MyMapTex.utx (s3tc version)
-> Some Screenshots of the map with all available s3tc textures (which were used) as high resolution (which I could not do, small monitor resolution: 1024x768, I could ... anyway)
MyMapShot1-S3TC.jpg,
MyMapShot2-S3TC.jpg,
MyMapShot3-S3TC.jpg,
also maybe a short "AboutS3TC.txt"

And now I wanted actually to know how this AboutS3TC.txt Readme might look, my ideas so far:

-> a really short introduction about s3tc (technical aspects and than in short words: highres 24bit textures and than bla bli blubb -> Advanced Options -> you choosed render: bUseS3TC=True)
-> I would include a link to this forum part
-> A mirror link to your beyondunreal update/release thread: http://forums.beyondunreal.com/showthread.php?t=176064
-> Of course a link to your website unrealtexture.com
-> A link to this website: http://www.cwdohnal.com/utglr/ , where you can get the needed renders to play any/this map with S3TC textures
-> in some points what the user needs to know (DO and DO NOTs)

So what do you think about that?

[DieHard SCWS]

Actually i have been working in the last months to have a large helpfile included with all my releases in the form of an HTML helpfile. And the helpfile contains all info how to use the package, how to use the aligntools that come with the package, and much and much more.


Here is a very beta example from what is to come, and does not even have remotelly what will be in the final helpfile but it gives an idea: [url=http://www.unrealtexture.com/HelpFiles/URP_URP/URP_UTRP_SGC%20Manual/Manual.htm]Manual[/url]


But what you said, is something i should include as well, so you made a good point here. And i am still working out the design for the helpfiles, but it is something that should be included as well. An idiots first guide to S3TC, so to speak.


So for my releases i will go include that as well. And i am not gonna link stuff directly to existing webpages or forum posts, but i will do that indirectly by using an iframe. And the iframe makes it possible to project new info directly towards the reader. So even if the reader downloads an old release, if he clicks on the proper button he will get the latest info regardless, since he will see the page locally on his computer.


And i simply can update those pages on the website so the reader gets the latest info possible. The idea is kinda similar to the 227 patch, where you can see the mainpage from OldUnreal in the browser. So if OldUnreal's mainpage is updated, the browser withing Unreal is also being updated. This of course is usefull to show the latest texture releases, but also if there are new patches that have been released.


This stuff is also the reason why it takes so long to develope those helpfiles. I really need to make sure it will always work under all circumstances. So all together a few of your remarks were already in the pipeline, but indeed, an idiot guide to S3TC should also be included.


There is btw already for years a page where to get info about S3TC and where everything is explained. But its an old design and it need an update badly. But its the mainpage for the [url=http://www.unrealtexture.com/Unreal/Website/Projects/URProject/URProject.htm]URP[/url] and [url=http://www.unrealtexture.com/UT/Website/Projects/UTRProject/UTRProject.htm]UTRP[/url] project

But as said, i am the first to admit, they need an overhaul real fast.....


The only thing i will not do is, is also adding the S3TC textures to the normal package download. And the reason is simple, if the normal downloads also contain the S3TC packages, than people are forced to download ridiculous files.


And some packages have small S3TC versions, but other packages will have hundreds of megabytes. And there is where i choose to never add those in oné download. So all normal releases are seperate to the S3TC downloads.


The result is, that a map always goes with the normal packages, but with the helpfile that also will contain the downloads to the S3TC packages. So even if people download the map not knowing theres S3TC, than hopfuly they read the helpfile and they will get the needed info and downloads anyway.


Aside that, you may have noticed or not, that the MasterFiles pages have been extended to MasterFiles that cover thirdparty releases. And hopefully those masterfiles will also steadelly grow over time.
.
.
.

[creavion]

Holy sh1t.. your help file looks .. big! Seriously as newcomer I would be scared of that thing to read xD
@Linking to forums: Ok :>
@Including S3TC package: Ok :> well than classic uplaod to your page + ut-files. Although at least my custom packages would not be that big, I think.
@Masterfiles: Oh I have not :O
I guess I should update my files?

[DieHard SCWS]

@Including S3TC package: Ok :> well than classic uplaod to your page + ut-files. Although at least my custom packages would not be that big, I think.

Eeeuhm your last release CrevMH_Antalius.utx is 3 Mb, but if you would have added the Low End and High end S3TC packages to your map zipfile than the total size would have been 126Mb and thats exluded the map itself and the mods


So that would have been a big download alright. And if i would do the same for the SGC map, than the zipfile would be around 1600-1800 Mb. So its better if you release a map and only include the normal textures, and have the S3TC textures download seperatelly.

@Masterfiles: Oh I have not
I guess I should update my files?

Well its the textures as you can see at the bottom of this page: [url=http://www.unrealtexture.com/Unreal/Website/Downloads/Textures/HighEnd/MasterFiles/MasterFilesHighEnd.htm]Unreal MasterFiles High End[/url]


And you can get those for UT, Unreal and they are available in Low End and High End. But at the moment it only contains 3 relative small packages, but they are cool if you want to add UT and/or Unreal related goodies to your maps. The third package is specific to create Xmas themed maps with it. But in time, much and much more packages will be added.
.
.
.

[creavion]

Ok, I get it^^
although next time I will include an s3tc package, I think it will be much smaller... I think at least^^

Do you have done any work so far of the package SGTech1? I ask because I make currently heavy use of it for something...