Editing DDS files with BC7 compression and keeping/deleting mipmaps? Texture shows up black ingame

[gleaming pumice]

I have been trying to edit textures for the new Tomb Raider 1-3 remaster. And it's just dds files which are easy enough to open and edit but whenever I save them, and try to use them ingame. The texture shows up as fully black. I have been fiddling all day with it and I can't seem to fix it. The closest I can get it to working is when I save as a PNG first, then save that PNG as a DDS without generating mipmaps. But then the texture only shows up when im zoomed into Lara, when im in the regular 3rd person running around it fades into a blotchy grey, and shows up again when close up. Does anyone know how to keep the original mipmaps intact while editing and saving? I'm using Gimp with the plugins and the scripts for exporting with BC7 but that doesn't allow for generating or keeping mipmaps. Also using paint.net. Nothing seems to work.

[wintry crow]

Hey Bruce, you need to use Compressonator GUI to generate the Mipmaps. https://github.com/GPUOpen-Tools/Compressonator/releases

By default, the Intel plugin generates 10 mipmaps which creates a blacked out texture in-game. To generate the proper amount of maps, the next step is to:

1. Download the Compressonator (GUI version).
2. Double-click "Double Click here to add files" in the "Project Explorer" window and select your .TGA file from earlier.
3. Double-click the file icon next to your project and it should appear in the "Original Image file" window on the right-hand side with the alpha layer visible.
4. Click the "Generate MIP maps on selected source images" button on the toolbar at the top of the program.
5. Set "Smallest Mipmap Size" to 16x16 and hit "Generate".
6. Make sure that "Mip Levels" in the "Property View" window is at 6.
7. Hit the little "+" button next to the file icon to expand the project and double-click "Add destination".
8. Configure where you want the file to go and then make sure that "Destination Options" are set to:

• Format: BC7
• Quality: 0.05

9. Hit "Save".
10. Select the new file name that's been generated. It should have the same name as your source file with no extension and a green orb next to it.
11. Select "Process" at the bottom of the program.
12. If it's successful, place the new file in the proper Remastered folder and you're done!

Editting .DDs.

Open it in Paint.net
Save this texture in "tga" format and start you modifications
When you finish open the TGA file on CompressonatorGUI and follow the instructions above.