Hi Res Textures - 1024x1024

[Mystiphi Giha]

I was taught early on to avoid 1024x1024 textures as while it is a higher resolution, they produce significant Lag client side " because larger ones consume more memory and take substantially longer to load " (http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Limits).  Thus people entering an area with a high amount of high rez textures on plants and architecture, will find it significantly more laggy. I would think land owners would be consicous of this especially this time of year with adding a ton of extra scripts and items to their sims to decorate for the holidays.

As we enter the holiday seasons, and we all tend to get "happy" decorating. I was wondering if something had changed as I am seeing more and more textures advertised as HIGH RES 1024. Generally I find myself exporting these textures and dropping them back to 512x512 which of course usually doubles the cost of what I intitially paid for them. Once I switch them my customers and I generally notice little difference in quality but, I had hoped to save them on the additional lag as I am also conscious of script times for items I produce. Am I just wasting money and time, or has there been some changes I am not aware of ?

[BlckCobra Shikami]

Hello Mythiphi,

actually it's not about avoiding 1024x1204 textures complettely. A texture has to have an appropriate size for the purpose it serves. Small things: small textures, bigger things, with few details: small textures, big things which need lots of details: higher resolution. It simply depends what you want to achive with the texture: a 32x32 can sometimes be more efficient than a 512x512 texture. Even 128x512 has it usage(s).

But you are correct in regards to big textures: they need higher bandwidth to be transferred from the server to the client, more CPU power on the sim and also a lot more CPU/memory transfer/GPU power than smaller textures. And that won't problably change in the near (and far) future: More pixel, more data, more work for the involved hardware & software

Cobra

[Mystiphi Giha]

Ok that makes sense for large items. I suppose I am frustrated with those uploading them for uses in furniture and small plants and advertising them as Hi Res, when really, it serves no purpose at that particular size. It just "sounds" good but in fact would make a lot more lag for their customers.

[BlckCobra Shikami]

My 2 cents: The term "Hi Res textures" as quality criteria used for advertisement isn't really good (at least not for those who know the side effects) ... I'd rather prefer the terms "optimized" / "optimal or smart use" :-)

Cobra

[Starship Jefferson]

I have a sword in my inventory which has 3 different 1024s on the handle alone.

I just wanted y'all to know that.

I started off two years ago making 1024s and indeed marketing them as 'high res'....

But then I got wise to the fact that they are laggy so I started including two sets of textures in each pack.. a 512 set and a 1024 set.

1024s became increasingly unpopular following a video by Torley on the subject, and much scathing on the XStreet forums, so I dropped the 1024s completely and just made 512s.

However I have realised that there will come a time when the lag that 1024s cause will not be as much of an issue as it is right now.. so I'm planning on including both sizes again.

What's important IMO, as has already been pointed out in this thread, is that you use an appropriately sized texture.

i.e Don't put three 1024s on a sword handle where 256s would do the job, (or better still a lil' texture map but that's beside the point).

[Mystiphi Giha]

Yes I own a few of your texture sets , and I do appreciate/prefer the choices. I was purchasing a bunch of plant textures recently. Plants that were not intended for mega's either.. flowers, shrubs etc.  Now, Flowers are small and generally people decorate their sims with alot of small plants... so it baffles me why people even consider loading a batch at 1024 when it really serves no purpose other than to make it *sound* bette.  In fact they are selling their customers textures that will put a strain on their system and could explain why their own sims are lag fests.

I suppose I am making a plea to those texture makers to offer other reasonable sizes. It also explains why many of the sims that sell items made with these textures take an incredible time to res and are laggy as heck.

[Indeterminate Schism]

I think you have all the answers and information you need Mystiphi - I just wanted to add 'thanks for asking this question.  It shows that you are really thinking of how to give people the best experience you can, even if that isn't the 'obvious' his-res wy."

[Mystiphi Giha]

Heh, I suppose the answer is nothing has changed and although the uses are for large builds. 1024 plants will make someo awesome 20x20 daffodils & rose bushes, but I will still be altering them to 512s for my use and paying 2x for them