Skinning Tip - JPEG Compression!

[BradFu]

I've noticed lately that a lot of jpgs used for skins aren't compressed very well. Good JPEG compression can cut the size down as much as 400%! I wanted to share with you the JPEG compression method I use that has ALWAYS resulted in absolutely no loss of visual quality. This is a Photoshop tip, so if anyone knows how to do the same in Paint Shop Pro or other graphics programs, please share here

 

First, create your skin. Perfect it, and don't worry about the compression. Once you're done, the fun begins.

 

1 - Open all your JPG files in Photoshop

2 - For each in turn, do a Save As

3 - Save as the original file name, tell it to overwrite

4 - The JPEG options window comes up, you see a slider bar with a number that goes up to 12. Set this number to 6

5 - Repeat till all jpgs are done.

 

Simple as that! You'll save a great deal of space compressing in this manner, and you shouldn't loose any visual quality in your skin. While you're compressing, you might want to keep reloading it in ModView after each compression just to make sure.

 

I hope this can be made into a sticky, because I think it's a tip that many can use.

[Nanodagiardino]

For those of you who don't use photshop(but even for those since I started using this) I have found a little freeware programs that is a gem!!!! It works very well and is very small but at the same time very powerfull and well done.

 

GO take a look and start compressing!

 

If you have well packed and compressed files people will appreciate and give you higher ratings even!

 

http://www.irfanview.com/

 

I have even found out what JPEG mean! *Joint Photographic Experts Group* yeah!

[Graphicsgod]

I don't see the point of compressing a file if it's only one or two megs. Even five megs is small.

 

Most skins, that I have created, or downloaded are around one or two megs.

 

So I beg the question, whats the point?

[Nanodagiardino]

You point makes sense if you have a broadband connection.... but it is instead a very stupid consideration if you think about dialup connections. Stupidier even if you think about useless space on computers. The fact that Aayla Secura file got refused by Polycount because it was awkwardly big is a hint that even a few hundred kbs are an issue. I realy don't see the point of your post, are you bragging about the fact that you have a broadband connection? Should have started a new thread for that, "I don't care about size because I have broadband"

[Graphicsgod]

Lol. Even on my old 56k connection, I would have said the same thing.

 

If skins was around ten megs, I could see your point. But one or two is like nothing. And compressing jpegs just to get skins less than a meg at a possible loss in quality, is (as is this thread).. pointless.

[BradFu]

The point is efficiency. If every skin in the JKII.net files section was properly compressed, they would take up AT LEAST half as much space.

 

Maybe downloading 5mb on a dialup connection is no big deal to you, but you are in the serious minority on that.

 

And if you would read my post, I specifically state that there IS NO visual quality loss. I don't compress my skins to the point that I lose any quality.

 

You use the name "Graphicsgod" but you clearly have a great deal to learn about graphics if you think making them as small as possible without losing quality is pointless. If you have the opportunity to take a 3mb skin file and make it 800kb and you don't, you are quite simply an idiot. Not knowing the option is there or not knowing how to do it is understandable, but if you know how and have the ability to do it, it's just stupid not to. To say "why bother" is pretty stupid too. I can take every jpg file from a skin and compress them using my method in about 30 seconds. It takes little effort, almost no time, and has every advantage and no disadvantage to not compressing.

 

If you think this thread is pointless, then please do not post again. This wasn't a thread asking for opinions on JPG compression, it was intended to explain to people HOW to do it, and the advantages of it.