Techniques

Exporting and editing textures/diffuse maps

• Download and install Nvidia's various tools
  • GameWorks Tools Overview (https://developer.nvidia.com/gameworks-tools-overview)
    • all games related applications
  • NVIDIA Texture Tools for Adobe Photoshop (https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop)
    • specific Photoshop plug-ins. However, for me, under Windows 10 and Photoshop CC 2017, the bump map filter kept crashing Photoshop
  • Legacy Texture Tools (https://developer.nvidia.com/legacy-texture-tools)
    • some file viewers and importers, including DDS files
• export textures from packages via Swat editor texture browser as .dds files
  • not all files within a package are textures, some are bump/normal maps and shaders
• export completed textures from image editor (Photoshop, Gimp etc.) as 32bit .tga files

Importing textures/diffuse maps

import into SwatEd editor for an existing package (i.e. replacing existing textures), or a new package (i.e. entirely new textures for new objects).

• Choose "generate mipmaps".
  • dxt1 for greatest compression
  • dxt3, or dxt5 for alpha channels

Assigning textures/diffuse maps to shaders

Shaders determine reflection, absorbtion, translucency and glow. As mentioned previously, the texture/diffuse map alpha channel informs this. Create a shader for all textures, except UI elements.

• Open SwatEd texture browser
• "File > New"
• name item "shader_itemname"
• click "New"
• move new window to side
• highlight texture in browser
• select "diffuse" channel in new window
• select "Use"
• close window
• save package as "packagename.utx"

Creating bump/normal maps with CrazyBump

As mentioned previously, the Nvidia Photoshop plug-in can provide the bump/normal maps, but were unusable for me in Windows 10 Photoshop CC 2017.

• All Normal Map settings to zero
• Intensity: -30
• Shape Recognition: 30
• Medium Detail: 30
• Large Detail: 30
• Very Large Detail: 30
• Experiment with these values. The originals went bump crazy in places; ideally just pick out details that really need it.
• Bump/Normal Map needs to be saved as 24bit .tga, convention is "_norm" as end of file name.

NOTE: Photoshop 3D offers "Filter > 3D > Generate Nromal Map".

Importing bump/normal maps

Within the editor texture browser:

• "File > import"
• Choose package to import into
• choose "DXT5-NORM" compression
• When asked if you want to set "LODset value" for your Normal map to "LODSET_NormalMap", click "Yes"

Assigning bump/normal maps to shaders

Within the editor texture browser:

• choose a shader
• right-click and select "Properties"
• Put new window to side
• select correct normal map in texture browser
• return to new window
• select "NormalMap" channel
• select "Use"
• close window

Models

I don't have any experience of importing and exporting models with SWAT4, but here are some pointers:

• http://www.gildor.org/news
• http://cgig.ru/en/2010/12/game-3d-model-converting/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWAT_4
• http://induktio.net/wiki/Main_Page