Just a little suggestion: How about instead of using JPEGs for skins, use PNG images. It has lossless compression so it can be compressed without losing quality. It is also better for images containing text and rounded lines. It doesn't really bother me that LFS uses JPEG, I just think it would be better to use PNGs instead.

Quote from Panda X :

Just a little suggestion: How about instead of using JPEGs for skins, use PNG images. It has lossless compression so it can be compressed without losing quality. It is also better for images containing text and rounded lines. It doesn't really bother me that LFS uses JPEG, I just think it would be better to use PNGs instead.

FYI.. LFS uses dds now for skins beause its better for the gfx card so I doubt that it will change again. That was a recent change btw when the skin download system came in.

I think you post should read "when the high res skin download system came in," Woz. We didn't get DDS till we got the option for 1024 skin auto-downloads.

But yes, LFS uses DDS textures now. Using JPG files to start just means smaller file sizes to download skins with.

Quote from MAGGOT :

I think you post should read "when the high res skin download system came in," Woz. We didn't get DDS till we got the option for 1024 skin auto-downloads.

opps.... My bad

Yep, sort of forgot skin download cam in ages ago. lol

There's no such thing as PNG compression.

DDS is much better and faster than any other format in games, plus, you have the option to add alpha channels which I hope will bring different levels of glossiness in the future.

And with dds, new skinable areas will be easier to implement.

Quote from wheel4hummer :

There's no such thing as PNG compression.

Yes there is... unless your trying to be smart in some way...
It's compression method just like JPEG, GIF, TIFF etc... These methods may use different algorithms but they are still the labels given to a particular method of compression.

Eh, dds is the final output but we upload JPEGs...
I agree, PNG would be better than JPEG but would more than likely be bigger file size.

Quote from Woz :

FYI.. LFS uses dds now for skins beause its better for the gfx card so I doubt that it will change again. That was a recent change btw when the skin download system came in.

you are wrong, LFS convert the jpg to dds for the gfx cache. for download it just use the jpg. And the png can after download just also be converted to dds, where is the problem?
Some skins with big color surfaces and text and lines can be very much smaller than jpg by a better resolution. JPG is just needed for Photo realistic skins. Therefore i dont understand why LFS dont use png for color surfaces and Text and lines and JPG for Photo realistic skins. I dont see where is the difficulty to do this @ devs.

Lack of support for PNG? Paint even supports PNG...

It is possible and could be done, BUT JPG is already implemented, it literally supported on all software and OS' and most importantly it works. Don't fix it if it isn't broken.

Quote from geeman1 :

I meant lack of support on the programming side. Like not all APIs support PNG for example.

Huh? There are multiple free, open source libraries for reading (and writing) PNGs and it is an open and well documented standard with no patent problems either. Even d3dx comes with PNG support.

Quote from nikimere :

Yes there is... unless your trying to be smart in some way...

Yes, I am trying to be smart in some way. PNG does not have its own compression like a JPEG does. The PNG format uses a deflate algorithim called the Adam7 algorithim.