alpha channels

[petokosun]

please could somebody explain how i can use alpha channels to make a decal transperent in AM

thz

[robcat2075]

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=241122

 

 

 

if you dont' have photoshop you'll need some paint program that can make and show the alpha channel in an image.

 

Bascially, the alpha channel controls how much of the decal shows. Where it's white, it all shows, where it's gray the decal gets mixed with whatever the original patch color is. Where it's black, none of the decal shows.

[NancyGormezano]

please could somebody explain how i can use alpha channels to make a decal transperent in AM

thz

 

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking but I think you want to apply the decal as a cookie-cut type instead of color. The alpha channel will define the shape cutout - and will also give it the color as defined in the alpha channel. In addition, you can combine a cookie cut map with a color map and the cut-out shape will take on the coloring of the color map.

 

If you are wanting to define varying levels of transparency - then you would use a "grey toned" image, without an alpha channel, applied as transparency map - where black = 100% transparent, white = 100% opaque. You would probably also use a color map, along with transparency map (if you wanted something different than surface color)

 

Try a simple test - with a simple image.

 

Have you tried something and it didn't work?

 

EDIT: Robcat beat me to it! he's a fast little devil.

 

Image 1 - uses transparency map (black & white - no alpha) & color map

Image 2 - transparency - shades of grey & color

Image 3 - cookie cut - image with alpha channel - no color decal

Image 4 - cookie cut with a color map

Edited May 20, 2009 by NancyGormezano

[petokosun]

i m using 3d painter from pixosaur as a plugin in in AM

[NancyGormezano]

i m using 3d painter from pixosaur as a plugin in in AM

 

3D painter probably knows about transparency maps, or cookie cut maps - but I prefer to work with color maps in painter and then bring them back into A:M and switch the type in A:M. You may prefer to work with them as cookie cut or transparency in painter. Regardless - you need to create FIRST the decal in A:M and give it a type (color or cookie cut or transparency or bump etc)

 

What I would do to create an image in 3Dpainter to be used as cookie cut map :

 

1) decal model in A:M with any ol' blank.tga (white) or otherwise image - make it a color type

2) go into 3d painter - edit this decal/image - but change brush tool to ADD transparency (from standard brush) where you want the cutout (transparent part) to be. Use REMOVE transparency to correct, use Standard to add color, etc

3) EXPORT the map to new name - call it something like Cookie.tga (must be tga type for alpha channel). I prefer to export - rather than save, as I don't like to destroy versions, in case I need to go back to them

4) return to A:M - import cookie.tga

5) switch in the model's decal container where you had blank.tga to point to cookie.tga.

6) Change the type to cookie cut.

 

If I were making a transparency map in 3D painter I would

1) do same as 1) above - make a color map - white, black doesn't matter

2) go into painter - and paint with varying shades of gray

3) bring image into A:M - switch type to transparency