Unity build time - is it effected by filetype (such as PSD)?

Unity Engine
1

Hey guys, I had a question about the way unity builds files out.

When I tell the editor to build a game, for android, and then the editor takes all the textures and packages them into an APK file, does it cause the build process to take longer depending on the format of textures? For instance if I keep a PSD file copy in the assets and use that, versus using a PNG file of the same image, will it make any difference in the time it takes unity to build out? Or any other filetype (like models, OBJ or 3DS… blend or FBX?)

I ask this, because I assume it has to turn that PSD file into a filetype thats friendly for android, so is this process where unity asks photoshop to convert through a silent command? Is it a process where unity actually understands PSD files and how to convert them into DXT compressed or something, without photoshops intervention?

And I’d imagine unity asks blender to convert some blend file into a more universal format as well… errr… right?

This is something I’ve wondered a few times over the years but never found a solid answer for online. Can somebody clarify that for me?

2

Unity can handle the images without Photoshop’s intervention as I don’t have Photoshop installed and PSD files have worked for me. The same goes for Blender. I think (I might be wrong) the only time Unity used a 3rd party app in the build process was QuickTime for displaying video in-game, and that has been upgraded recently so you can play in-game video without QuickTime.

This is an interesting thread: https://answers.unity.com/questions/275187/best-practicesto-use-psd-or-png-files-for-my-asset.html

I think it would be rather easy to test: take dozens of very high res PSD pictures and add them to a scene and build. Time that build, then repeat with PNG or another format you want to compare to. I would do that but I don’t have PSD pictures, I’m rather bad at the art side of game making. But from what I’ve read, I think the results would be about the same.

1 Like
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Good point about doing a simple test. Suppose I could do that when I get a moment to try it out, and see what happens for the sake of knowing.

Thanks for the advice - if anybody has anything else to add, be sure to let me know!