Glowing Sprites? Fireflies?

[Dascurf]

Any suggestions as to how I might be able to make sprites glow?

[robcat2075]

glowingsprite.zipa sprite image created with an alpha channel that makes a hazy white fadeout surrounding the main image will look like a glow.

[Dascurf]

glowingsprite.zipa sprite image created with an alpha channel that makes a hazy white fadeout surrounding the main image will look like a glow.

 

That's kind of what I had in mind. I made an oval shape and saved as .tga. How do I get the white around it keyed out?

[robcat2075]

That's a photoshop process. Easy to do. Long to explain. You'll need the "Flaming Pear" plugins for PS.

 

There's a thread around here somewhere on it...

[Caroline]

I always regard this as a challenge, as I don't have Photoshop, but the way cheaper Photoshop Elements, and I don't like buying plugins, as I would not know where to stop.

 

I thought I would share, as in a year's time I will be searching for the answer and find this

 

I'm not sure if I got it exactly, but I think I got the same effect on the alpha:

 

1. Draw a black circle (vector) - this creates a new layer.

3. Filter Menu > Gaussian Blur - (simplify layer when asked) - slide to haziness wanted. Click OK.

4. Control Click on the layer picture to select the layer

5. Select Menu > Save Selection

6. Name selection and click OK.

7. Delete the circle layer.

8. Save as Tga 32 bit.

 

I reckon it would work in Photoshop too, although there is the Quick Mask too, which would probably be quicker.

[Bendytoons]

You can directly create an alpha channel in photoshop without any plugins.

 

In the channel/layer window choose the channel tab. Click the triangle on the right side and choose add new channel. By default it will be called alpha1 and will be an alpha channel. select the alpha channel to paint on it. White is opaque, black is transparent, grey is translucent. Save as a 32 bit TGA or other format that supports more than three channels.

[robcat2075]

YOu can paint alpha channels by hand but for complex tranparencies like this, it won't do:

 

 

The Flaming Pear plugin ("Solidify") is free on the web, ya just gotta find it.

 

what it does is convert transparencies in photoshop layers into solid color. why do yo u want to do that?

 

Because you can't just save a transparant layer as a targa and get an alpha in it that correctly represents the transparency.

 

You need to load the transparency info of the visible layer and paint it into the alpha channel,

 

 

 

then "solidify" the original image.

 

 

THEN you can save a targa and it will work as a decal with the intended transparent effects.

 

Gray fringes will result otherwise if you dont' do it that way.

 

No fringes, even on pure white or pure black patches:

 

[Caroline]

I get it now - anti-fringing.

 

Thanks.

[thefreshestever]

why not just save as a png? includes alpha and works fine with a:m....

[Bendytoons]

Thanks for the clarification, Robert.

 

why not just save as a png? includes alpha and works fine with a:m....

PNG is fine, but you'll still need to go through the steps Robert mentioned, unless you are painting the alpha by hand.

[Rampage0007]

Has anyone tried using the Solidify with paint shop pro?

 

So I create a mask.

 

Then apply the Solidify to my image

 

and save my mask to the Alpha layer.

 

But I get the same results in A:M? Is there a step I am missing here??

[robcat2075]

Has anyone tried using the Solidify with paint shop pro?

 

So I create a mask.

 

Then apply the Solidify to my image

 

and save my mask to the Alpha layer.

 

But I get the same results in A:M? Is there a step I am missing here??

 

you need to transfer the transparency info to the alpha channel BEFORE you solidify, but I dont' know enbough about PSPro to give you exact equivalents or know if it even does the same thing as photoshop.

[Rodney]

What image format are you using with A:M? Targa? JPeg? Something else?

 

The format you use must support Alpha Channels.

JPeg doesn't.

[Tom]

Adobe is now offering a FREE copy of Photoshop online (do a search)for download.

 

There is some size limitation ragrding some of the saving issues...but it's a free copy.

 

Tom