Second Life Forums Archive - Texture repeats and memory use

Ford Heberle

Registered User

Join date: 19 Apr 2007

Posts: 2

05-29-2007 22:50

I have a question re texture sizing and repeats. I have been very good at keeping my texture sizes low wherever possible.

However, I'm wondering if anyone knows whether instances of a texture increase lag/use excessive video memory in the following situations:

a) The texture is repeated on multiple prims. Is the texture just loaded once into the video card memory, or multiple times for multiple prims?

b) The texture is repeated many times on a single prim face, eg a 64 x 64 texture occurs say 100 times on a 10 x 10m floor prim, to create the appearance of tiled floor. Is it better lag-wise to use the 64 x64 texture repeated 100 times, or just to use a single 512 x 512 texture containing a picture of the entire floor?

Thanks.

Signed,

Obsessed With Tiles.

Osgeld Barmy

Registered User

Join date: 22 Mar 2005

Posts: 3,336

05-29-2007 23:13

its only loaded once

no matter how many times it appears in a scene

Shirley Marquez

Ethical SLut

Join date: 28 Oct 2005

Posts: 788

05-30-2007 10:53

Texture repeat is done in hardware by your video card, and the texture is only loaded once. Appropriate use of repeating textures is an excellent way to save memory and make your builds more user-friendly.

In at least some circumstances, using a single large texture and offsets rather than a huge collection of small ones can also be a performance booster. A good example is the XYtext script, which uses a single texture (along with appropriate offsets) to represent the entire alphabet, numbers, symbols, etc., rather than a separate one for each letter. XYtext-based message boards rez much more quickly than older designs that used separate textures.

Deanna Trollop

BZ Enterprises

Join date: 30 Jan 2006

Posts: 671

05-30-2007 11:22

From: Shirley Marquez

A good example is the XYtext script, which uses a single texture (along with appropriate offsets) to represent the entire alphabet, numbers, symbols, etc.,

I believe you're thinking of XyzzyText. XYtext uses 66 separate textures, each consisting of a 10x10 grid, which in total represent all possible combinations of 2 characters.

Ceera Murakami

Texture Artist / Builder

Join date: 9 Sep 2005

Posts: 7,750

05-30-2007 11:22

From: Ford Heberle

Ib) The texture is repeated many times on a single prim face, eg a 64 x 64 texture occurs say 100 times on a 10 x 10m floor prim, to create the appearance of tiled floor. Is it better lag-wise to use the 64 x64 texture repeated 100 times, or just to use a single 512 x 512 texture containing a picture of the entire floor?

The 64 x 64 tiled texture will load and rez far faster, and is much kinder to system resources as compared to a 512 x 512 texture.

_____________________

Sorry, LL won't let me tell you where I sell my textures and where I offer my services as a sim builder. Ask me in-world.

Ford Heberle

Registered User

Join date: 19 Apr 2007

Posts: 2

Textures and memory

05-30-2007 17:19

thanks all for the speedy help.

I will be repeating away at my Moorish palace at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glenboon/175/101/54

Osgeld Barmy

Registered User

Join date: 22 Mar 2005

Posts: 3,336

05-30-2007 19:14

From: Deanna Trollop

I believe you're thinking of XyzzyText. XYtext uses 66 separate textures, each consisting of a 10x10 grid, which in total represent all possible combinations of 2 characters.

heh, single texture single charater xy text has been around for a few years now, and has been remade countless times by them me and others, xyzzy text is just this months remake / possible upgrade

(i havent really sat down and debuged the crap out of it yet, not that i would anyways)

Texture repeats and memory use
Ford Heberle Registered User Join date: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 2	05-29-2007 22:50 I have a question re texture sizing and repeats. I have been very good at keeping my texture sizes low wherever possible. However, I'm wondering if anyone knows whether instances of a texture increase lag/use excessive video memory in the following situations: a) The texture is repeated on multiple prims. Is the texture just loaded once into the video card memory, or multiple times for multiple prims? b) The texture is repeated many times on a single prim face, eg a 64 x 64 texture occurs say 100 times on a 10 x 10m floor prim, to create the appearance of tiled floor. Is it better lag-wise to use the 64 x64 texture repeated 100 times, or just to use a single 512 x 512 texture containing a picture of the entire floor? Thanks. Signed, Obsessed With Tiles.
Osgeld Barmy Registered User Join date: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 3,336	05-29-2007 23:13 its only loaded once no matter how many times it appears in a scene
Shirley Marquez Ethical SLut Join date: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 788	05-30-2007 10:53 Texture repeat is done in hardware by your video card, and the texture is only loaded once. Appropriate use of repeating textures is an excellent way to save memory and make your builds more user-friendly. In at least some circumstances, using a single large texture and offsets rather than a huge collection of small ones can also be a performance booster. A good example is the XYtext script, which uses a single texture (along with appropriate offsets) to represent the entire alphabet, numbers, symbols, etc., rather than a separate one for each letter. XYtext-based message boards rez much more quickly than older designs that used separate textures.
Deanna Trollop BZ Enterprises Join date: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 671	05-30-2007 11:22 From: Shirley Marquez A good example is the XYtext script, which uses a single texture (along with appropriate offsets) to represent the entire alphabet, numbers, symbols, etc., I believe you're thinking of XyzzyText. XYtext uses 66 separate textures, each consisting of a 10x10 grid, which in total represent all possible combinations of 2 characters.
Ceera Murakami Texture Artist / Builder Join date: 9 Sep 2005 Posts: 7,750	05-30-2007 11:22 From: Ford Heberle Ib) The texture is repeated many times on a single prim face, eg a 64 x 64 texture occurs say 100 times on a 10 x 10m floor prim, to create the appearance of tiled floor. Is it better lag-wise to use the 64 x64 texture repeated 100 times, or just to use a single 512 x 512 texture containing a picture of the entire floor? The 64 x 64 tiled texture will load and rez far faster, and is much kinder to system resources as compared to a 512 x 512 texture. _____________________ Sorry, LL won't let me tell you where I sell my textures and where I offer my services as a sim builder. Ask me in-world.
Ford Heberle Registered User Join date: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 2	Textures and memory 05-30-2007 17:19 thanks all for the speedy help. I will be repeating away at my Moorish palace at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glenboon/175/101/54
Osgeld Barmy Registered User Join date: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 3,336	05-30-2007 19:14 From: Deanna Trollop I believe you're thinking of XyzzyText. XYtext uses 66 separate textures, each consisting of a 10x10 grid, which in total represent all possible combinations of 2 characters. heh, single texture single charater xy text has been around for a few years now, and has been remade countless times by them me and others, xyzzy text is just this months remake / possible upgrade (i havent really sat down and debuged the crap out of it yet, not that i would anyways)

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Texture repeats and memory use