QUESTION: Superfly, Natedog...me262

[Waffle]

Heys guys,

I was curious about the "3.bmp" and the "3_a.bmp" files.
I tried creating a different "3" that would match the skin that I'm doing, but no matter what I tried, the files wouldn't take to the skin. All the properties were the same, ect... I was able to work around this by coloring the "3" file yellow instead of white, and copying the "3_a.bmp" to the folder, then I got a yellow 3.
Not correct, but will work in a pinch.

I did notice that your alpha texture is bigger file size wise than the ones that I created. So what's so special about it? How come mine wont work?  


Anyway, I would just like to change the number and need a little help getting the file system worked out.

Thanks,

Waffle

[Dux]

Waffle, just paint the "3_a.bmp" file pure black... this will completely alpha out the 3, making it invisible.

Then just add whatever marking you want to the fuselage skin.

[flakbait]

Waffle, here's all the info you need about alpha layers:

black = invisible
white = reflective as a mirror

They are done in grayscale and control the reflectivity of the model. Make the alpha the same size as your texture and paint it black for a matte color scheme. Use dark or medium gray for a semi-gloss paint, and white for alunimum or chrome. For Luftwaffe schemes, factory-fresh aircraft had a semi-gloss coat of paint that can be seen in a couple books. Squadron/Signal's Bf-109 in Action part 2 has a great pic on page 26 of a 4 Gruppe JG-26 109-G4. You can see on the tail a soft division line between the colors, and the reflection of the pilot on the horizontal stab/elevator. To get the same effect you might try a medium-dark gray on the alpha.

To get different shades of reflection on different parts, take the finished "3.bmp" image and turn it grayscale. Save that as the "3_a.bmp" image and you'll have different reflectivity on the different aircraft parts. Since your alpha will be based roughly on the skin's color shade (light/dark) it should also accurately reflect light. This is how you can control the reflection on bare-metal aircraft like the B-17 or P-47D30. Using this technique I did a Metallica-themed B757 for FS-2k2 with chromed effects all over the aircraft.



The above pic is a development shot I took while still working on the skin. It shows most of the reflection effects an alpha layer can produce with a little work. Granted, no WW2 aircraft had THAT much reflection (or lightning) but it's a good example of what's possible. If you ever need to do detailed reflection effects like that, use LOTS of layers! I had about ten for the base skin and 15 for the alpha on that 757.



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Flakbait [Delta6]
Delta Six's Flight School
Put the P-61B in Aces High

[Dux]

Flakbait, the Alphas in Aces High have nothing to do with reflectivity... just transparency.

[flakbait]

You're right, Dux, I forgot about that. In which case...

HT/Pyro: Why give players control over skin transparency? It serves no purpose to allow it as the only transparent parts are the windows/canopy panels. I'd suggest making alpha layers control reflectivity effects as it'd be a lot more useful for everyone. You could finally do true aluminum aircraft instead of painting an AC a silvery gray and adding that "wax" effect to the model. Without the added "wax" you could make an aircraft in any paint scheme without sacrificing visual quality, and custom chrome various parts (oleo struts for one) with the alpha.



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Flakbait [Delta6]
Delta Six's Flight School
Put the P-61B in Aces High

[Waffle]

Heya Dux,

The only problem with blacking out the whole alpha file and drawing it on the skin is the issue of having the number reversed on one side.

Still stumped here a bit....lol


going to have to start posting pics of the files....maybe you guys can tell me why they won't work.


thanks

[Dux]

Oops... forgot about the mirroring.

You've almost got it... just a couple of things you need to understand.

You need to realize is that it's the "3_a.bmp" file that is doing all the magic. The "3.bmp" file can be a solid block of color for all you care... it does not have to have the "3" on it at all.

The black and white Alpha file works like a mask, or a stencil. It affects the "3.bmp" file by making everything outside of the white area (the black) invisible.

Also, you can create varying levels of transparency by introducing shades of grey into the alpha... i.e., 50% grey will make something 50% transparent.

Here's one quirky trick that may make the difference for you... instead of saving the alpha file as 8-bit color (indexed color), try saving it as greyscale. I have to do this (I use PhotoShop) or else the mask does not work.

Good luck... it's really pretty easy once you've done it a couple of times.

[Waffle]

cc - I might try saving in grey scale - see what happens then.
I'm familiar with what the alpha does, I have done it before on other skins, just for some reason it wasn't working with this one

[Waffle]

Saving in grey scale did it...guess the conversion from RGB to indexed was throwing it off....

thanks for the help!

[Dux]

Anytime, Waffle. Show us the 262 when you're done!

[Waffle]

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=118897


there's the 262 - with out the new "3"