Removing mipmaps from VTF WITHOUT re-importing or ticking No Mipmaps flag?

[ficool2]

I want to make a normal map look like it should with mat_picmip -10 (but unfortunately in most Source games its capped at -1). However, a texture can be forced to be displayed at the highest resolution if all mipmaps are removed. VTFEdit can make no mipmaps when importing a texture, however I want to change an existing normal map and if I try re-import a texture, it will be DXT compressed again and look horrible. I need the textures to be preserved basically, with ONLY the mipmaps removed. No Mipmap/No Level of Detail flag doesn't actually work, as it still displays a lower mipmap. I cannot use RGBA8888 as it uses up too much file space.

Here I am using an example with the 2007 TF2 build (which allowed mat_picmip -10). Note the screws and lines on the Spy's hands. mat_picmip -10 is the equivalent to mipmaps completely deleted from the VTF.

No mipmaps (mat_picmip -10)

https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/111014/0eb0c540-db52-40fb-a942-cf23285a1a1c/knifegood.png

With mipmaps (mat_picmip -1)

https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/111014/67763cc3-f55d-40ee-91de-f84c9db8dda6/knifebad.png

If this was too confusing, tell me and I will try to re-clarify.

[Loadingue]

I'm not sure it can do something to help, but TopHattWaffle's VIDE program allows mass modification of texture files. Maybe it'll be of use to you.

[ficool2]

There is an option to remove mipmaps/LOD, but unfortunately VTFedit/the game thinks that the VTF is corrupt.

[Loadingue]

Sorry I don't know how to fix that.

[dlight]

Which format version is it? Gotta modify my lil bms script.

[ficool2]

7.3 and 7.2. I would prefer support for 7.4 too because I could modify every weapon texture to have no mipmaps, so its always highest quality.

[dlight]

Okay. took ages, again. Lil typos, I hate them. -_- I left the debugger in it.

vtf2vtf_mipcut

[Game Zombie]

The issue isn't the mipmaps but the LOD settings which were added with 7.3.

https://i.imgur.com/uK4Jq0L.png

If's just 2^N so the normal map is trying to stay at 128x64 when at mat_picmip 0. Unfortunately you can't edit these in VTFEdit so you'll need a hex editor to adjust them

https://i.imgur.com/lWw5tzS.png

and if you do bother with this try to keep it one below the actual texture's resolution since mat_picmip -1 will make it full res then.

[dlight]

Yeh. I may have to figure out that one. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me tho. Anyway, I cut 33% of storage space requirement. Is that bad?

[ficool2]

I prefer the removed mipmaps method in this case (and since its a v_model texture it won't matter) the reduced file size is a really good thing as I'm tight on it.