Question to Photoshop Experts

[Kweassa]

Remember how some people used the alpha channel thingy, to make cool stuff like the plane wings being tattered with holes, or a "make-shift" clip-wing Spitfire?


 Well, how exactly is that done?

 I'm working on a texture for some other game, and it's in *.dds format. It's a texture of a shield carried by an infantryman, and since I don't know anything about 3D modelling, I thought a quick workaround would be to "alpha-out" the shiled and make the shield transparent by fiddling with the textures.

 Any instructions on how to create an "alpha" layer, channel, or whatever something, to make a certain polygon transparent?

 I'd greatly appreciate any help from the real experts...

[Kev367th]

In AH we used a index color that was listed in an additional text file.

To use a 'transparent' mask you will have to check the program you are going to use the skin in supports it.
DDS files can be saved as DXT1 (no alpha), DXT3 (with alpha).

To use an alpha -
Create a file in grey scale (set it so Black is transparent).
Easiest way is to take orignal image convert to greyscale then work from there, blocking in parts in the appropriate colors.

Convert this image to a mask.

Copy the mask to your original images alpha channel.

Not strictly for your prog but good explanation here -
http://www.addictedtopirates.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=822

[Kweassa]

Thanks for the tips Kev.

Create a file in grey scale (set it so Black is transparent).

 How do I set it so black is realized as "transparent"?

 
 Also, I'm getting a message when I try to save the file which says;

 "Alpha is all zero, formats with alpha will appear black in preview"... which seems to me the reason why the polygons applied with the texture look black.

 Does this mean anything?

[Kev367th]

When you convert the greyscale to a mask black becomes transparent.
You then copy this mask to the alpha channel.

"All zero" - sounds like the alpha is all black.