=====IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS=====
In order for your textures to be properly converted, I have compiled a very descriptive and easy to understand guide to convert from DXT5 to DXT1A formats. You must carry out these following procedures exactly as I explain, or your Flight Simulator X installation may not function or may corrupt. Always keep a backup of your Scenery folder in the main FSX directory before modifying any files.
==INSTALLATION & CONVERSION==
Download the useful DDS Converter called DDS Converter 2 from:
http://eliteforce2.filefront.com/file/DDS_Converter;29412.
Now that you have downloaded the program, install it, and open the program. You will be presented with a large middle section of the window for selecting files, Input/Output formats, Output Folders, Options, and many other options. We will now take this one step at a time. Please listen carefully.
Open your main FSX scenery folder. The path is usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Scenery. You will be presented with a wide arrangement of folders. We will start with the Global Folder. Double-click on it, and go to the folder inside it called Texture. Now you are looking at the .dds texture files. You will now need to find the same folder called Global\Texture through DDS Converter 2. Once you have found the textures, select only about a quarter of the dds files at a time, or the program will crash. Record which file you selected last, to prevent any duplicates. Now, on the Input Format box, select DirectDraw Surface (.dds), and for the Output Format, select the same thing. Now here is what's important. Click Options, under the column called General, uncheck 'On success/cancel = Close DDS Converter 2'. This will prevent the program from automatically closing when the selected texture conversions are done. Next, under the column called DDS, where it says DXTc format, select DXT1A. Also select 'Save Alpha (if any )'. Now you are set for conversion. Make a new folder on your desktop, and change the Output Folder to your new folder. After conversions are done, you will copy/paste the new textures from your new folder to the Scenery folders of the FSX directory. Every single time a conversion is done, click 'Restart' on the popup window, and the program will restart for you. Start converting the next quarter of files from where you left off. Once you are done with all the files from each folder, go onto the next one. The folders within the FSX\Scenery\ folder I recommend converting are:
AFRI, ASIA, AUST, EURE, EURW, NAMC, NAME, NAMW, OCEN, and SAME.
Do NOT convert .bgl files, as these are AFCAD files for positioning of objects, and have nothing to do with the textures. I will remind those of you again, ALWAYS back up your Flight Simulator X\Scenery folder before making any modifications. This method has worked for me, and has really brought forth the fun in flying with FSX.
==UPDATES==
3-18-08: I have tested and found that converting the main FSX\Texture DDS files are safe to do as well, and boosts another 8+ FPS to your FSX experience. Once again, almost no detail in the textures are lost.
Conversions will NOT work on Vista machines at the moment. Convert the textures on an XP machine and transfer the files to your Vista machine.
And finally, don't feel miserable if you don't understand something. Leave a comment here and I will get back to those who need help as soon as possible. I am here to support all of you, to get the best out of FSX on all of your computers. Never hesitate to ask a question.
Thanks for reading this and all the best in flight simming to all of you.
~ Cheers, Steve.
Tags: FSX FS9 Flight Simulator frame rate fps better serious performance DDS Conversion DXT5 DXT1A Ultra High Smooth
