View source for Magic.TXD/Choosing the right Encoding/

The '''Magic.TXD''' editor supports many forms of RW texture encodings. Choosing the '''right encoding in the right situation is important''' if you want to mind the visual quality and performance of your mods. Encodings differ in size, color storage degradation, performance and limits. This article is meant to give you a quick overview.

{| class="wikitable"
|+General Format Overview
|-
|'''Format Name'''
|'''Storage Form'''
|'''Quality'''
|'''Alpha'''
|'''Byte Size'''
|'''Dimension Constraints'''
|'''Supported Games'''
|'''Supported Platforms'''
|-
|RASTER_1555
|16bit raw
|good
|yes
|2bpp
|none
|{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX, PS2
|-
|RASTER_565
|16bit raw
|good
|no
|2bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX, mobile
|-
|RASTER_4444
|16bit raw
|good
|yes
|2bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX, mobile
|-
|RASTER_LUM
|8bit raw mono
|high
|no
|1bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX
|-
|RASTER_8888
|32bit raw
|high
|yes
|4bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX, PS2
|-
|RASTER_888
|32bit raw
|high
|no
|4bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX
|-
|RASTER_555
|16bit raw
|good
|no
|2bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX
|-
|DXT1
|4x4 block compression
|medium
|yes
|4bits per pixel
|multiple of four
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX, mobile
|-
|DXT2/4
|4x4 block compression
|medium
|yes
|1bpp
|multiple of four
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC
|-
|DXT3/5
|4x4 block compression
|medium
|yes
|1bpp
|multiple of four
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}, {{Icon|SA}}
|PC, XBOX, mobile
|-
|4bit palette
|16 indexed colors
|medium
|yes
|4bits per pixel
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}
|PC, XBOX, PS2
|-
|8bit palette
|256 indexed colors
|medium
|yes
|1bpp
|none
||{{Icon|3}}, {{Icon|VC}}
|PC, XBOX, PS2
|-
|RASTER_LUM_ALPHA
|16bit raw mono
|high
|yes
|2bpp
|none
|{{Icon|SA}}
|PC
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Platform specifics
|-
|'''Platform Name'''
|'''Max Dimension'''
|'''Dimension Constraint'''
|-
|PC
|4096
|none
|-
|PlayStation 2
|1024
|power of two
|-
|XBOX
|1024
|power of two
|-
|S3TC mobile
|2048
|multiple of four
|-
|uncompressed mobile
|2048
|none
|-
|AMD TC
|2048
|multiple of four
|-
|PowerVR
|2048
|power of two
|}

==Visual Comparisons==
{| class="wikitable"
|+CJ Fist
|-
|Original
|1555
|4444
|L8A8
|DXT1
|DXT2
|DXT3
|DXT4
|DXT5
|PAL4
|PAL8
|AMDTC
|PowerVR
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_orig.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_1555.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_4444.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_lum8a8.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_dxt1.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_dxt2.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_dxt3.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_dxt4.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_dxt5.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_pal4.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_pal8.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_amdtc.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_cjfist_powervr.png]]
|}
(source: http://gtaforums.com/topic/487753-relsa-new-weapon-style-icons/)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Gradient
|-
|Original
|1555
|565
|4444
|DXT
|PAL4
|PAL8
|AMDTC
|PowerVR
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_1555.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_565.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_4444.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_dxt.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_pal4.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_pal8.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_amdtc.png|96px]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_grad_powervr.png|96px]]
|}
(source: http://samthederpyotaku.deviantart.com/art/Rainbow-gradient-vector-501022672)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Lake
|-
|Original
|1555
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_1555.png]]
|-
|565
|4444
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_565.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_4444.png]]
|-
|DXT
|PAL4
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_dxt.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_pal4.png]]
|-
|PAL8
|AMDTC
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_pal8.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_amdtc.png]]
|-
|PowerVR
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_lake_powervr.png]]
|}
(source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Lake_mapourika_NZ.jpeg)

{| class="wikitable"
|+Palm Tree
|-
|Original
|1555
|4444
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_1555.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_4444.png]]
|-
|DXT1
|DXT2
|DXT3
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_dxt1.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_dxt2.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_dxt3.png]]
|-
|DXT4
|DXT5
|PAL4
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_dxt4.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_dxt5.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_pal4.png]]
|-
|PAL8
|AMDTC
|PowerVR
|-
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_pal8.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_amdtc.png]]
|[[File:Mgtxd_palm_powervr.png]]
|}
(source: Ash Rogers)