The GIMP and alpha texturing

[Red Tail 444]

I am trying to make an "illuminated" gunsight and recently downloaded GIMP software. Theres no documentation regarding alpha texturing....anyone have any ideas or should I post this elsewhere?

Gainsie

[Superfly]

The file has to be square (64x64 or 128x128) with a bright purple background.  RGB value is 255, 0, 255
Draw your gunsight (don't use anit-aliasing).  Make sure you leave at least a 1 pixel border around the gunsight.  Otherwise, it will look strange when the gunsight moves.
Save the file to a 256 color bitmap.
Copy that file, and turn it into a grayscale bitmap.  Black will be transparent, and White is solid.  Anything else will be semi-transparent.
When your done, make sure you name the grayscale file the same as the color file but add _alpha after the filename.  Example:  Superfly.bmp (color file)  Superfly_alpha.bmp (grayscale)
Take a look at some of the player made sights to get an idea of the look you want.

[Red Tail 444]

OKay....

Just HOW  do I save the bmp. I don't see a "save as" command anyhere on GIMP, and once I do that, how do I get the program to read both bmps at the same time?

Your directions are good, but GIMP software isint exactly user (idiot-like-me) friendly...Een  locating the help files are a mystery...

[Innominate]

All of the gimp's file specific commands are accessed by right-clicking on the window the image is in.  

Also, super is partially wrong about the purple background, it must be the last color in the pallette for it  to be transparent.  (The alpha channel file can be used instead though)

To set the final color of the pallete, right click the image, look under dialogs, select "Indexed Pallette".  From there, right click on the final (bottom right) color, and choose edit, change it to 255,0,255.

Finally, http://gimp-savvy.com/BOOK/ has a decent runthrough of using the gimp.

[fffreeze220]

Originally posted by Innominate
All of the gimp's file specific commands are accessed by right-clicking on the window the image is in.  

Also, super is partially wrong about the purple background, it must be the last color in the pallette for it  to be transparent.  (The alpha channel file can be used instead though)

To set the final color of the pallete, right click the image, look under dialogs, select "Indexed Pallette".  From there, right click on the final (bottom right) color, and choose edit, change it to 255,0,255.

Finally, http://gimp-savvy.com/BOOK/ has a decent runthrough of using the gimp.

u have an answer on everything eh?

[Sancho]

one more thing... you can do a 256x256 gunsight too.  this gives you a lot more detail than the 128x128 gunsight especially when zoomed in.  512x512 doesn't work.

[Red Tail 444]

Yeah, I discovered the drop-down menu and have been using the tutorials as best I can.

I've gotten to the point where I can modify the transparency of the template, but the individual pixels on the site aren't any more flourescent than the other sights. I'll get there.

I have to leave for a weekend trip so hopefully I'll have more to read up on when I return.

Thanks for helping me out, I appreciate it!

 I may have to return the favor by killing some of you, though

Gainsie

[Red Tail 444]

OK I am just about done, but regarding the alpha site, how do I get this...

[Red Tail 444]

Originally posted by Red Tail 444
OK I am just about done, but regarding the alpha site, how do I get this...

...to look like this


Do I need to enlarge and paint each individual pixel? In both RGB and grayscale BMPs?