Good Texture Size?

Hey

When i make textures in cs2 for my builds, i think i might make the document size too big and im wondering if that causes lag? i usually make the document size around 1000 pixels by 1500 pixels. Is that too big a file to use? does it cause lag? and what size of document is good for creating a texture?

thanks,
wavie

The best size to use is 512 x 512 pixels. SL resizes all images to a power of 2 up to 1024x1024 anyhow, so your larger size isn't helping. And 1024x1024 can get very laggy when used in abundance.

You should be able to do anything you want within a 512x512 image, really.

Actually 256 x 256 works in most cases for builds. Either of those two sizes would be best for most of you needs. 1024 x 1024 has it uses but unless you absolutely need high detail at a close range stick to the smaller sizes to help with rezz times. If you don't need much detail such as a wall covering that does not have intricate designs then even smaller sizes are good to use.

Depending on the detail of the texture, you may even be able to make them 64x64.

Have a glance at the Texture Size sticky, it may not make too much sense, at first, but it's rather invaluable info.

Yep. Go out to the beta grid where you can upload for free, try some different sizes out, and when you think you've picked the right one try the next smaller size on again.

It's easy for a bit of blur to look ghastly because you're zoomed in with the editor, when the finished object may never be inspected that closely by anyone else, ever. So don't be afraid to try a size or two smaller than you think you need, then step back to a realistic distance to see if it really matters.

No that's huge. I only use 1024 for text and posters. And usually one variable of 1024 x 512. I usually use 512 for the base of most of my builds. However filling a SIM with 512's will lag it to death. For trim and such even a 128 is fine. It depends what you are trying to do. I often make my textures at a really hige rez. Like 4000x4000. And if you compress properly to a 256 and upload it, you often can't tell the difference between a 512 and a 256. You may want to get into the habit of making differnt versions and testing them inworld. If you can drop your resolution down and get no visable differneces, then why not?

Q"make my textures at a really hige rez. Like 4000x4000"q
-surely any texture aside from size ought to be 2^n in dimension?

How about textures for clothing -The structure of a 512 is less detailed than a 1024 -But will it couse lag?
..Imagine
100 avi in one specific sim
first all wears a body-suit made from a texture of 512*512
Mesure framerate
Second, all wears a body-suit made from a texture of 1024*1024
Mesure framerate
Are there any reason to believe that the framerate would be different?
I think no (actually maby even opposit because no internal scaling is needed...) -but details on 1024 could look better -or ?

Yep, if you don't size it that way, the SL software will do it for you.

Clothes will get resized to 512 at baking time, so in the end it doesn't matter much.

See the stickied post at the top of the Texturing Tips forum entitled "Texture Size, Pixel Counts, Video Memory, and File Formats", it contains a lot of good info.