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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Red Tail 444 on September 18, 2002, 04:11:26 PM

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Red Tail 444 on September 18, 2002, 04:11:26 PM

OK, I have a gunsight I would like to illuminate. Is there any possible way to make our own sights illuminated using the same program you have, Mitsu?

Gainsie

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: SlapShot on September 19, 2002, 10:52:20 AM

Gainsie,

Mitsu does not have a program .. he has a buddy.

His name is AERO ... he doesn't participate on this BBS.

Quote

Originally posted by Mitsu
OK, Guys.
His illuminated gunsight bank is here. :)

http://www.ah.wakwak.com/~mitsu/battoutai/aero_sights.htm

You can find all sorts of "alpha" (illuminated) gunsights here and I think if you were to post your gunsight, Mitsu might be graceous enough to pass it on to AERO and he might do it for you.

I have created a few "alpha" gunsights myself, but the quality of the "alpha" sights created by AERO are second to none ... this guy's work is FANTASTIC.

How he does the graduated grayscale is the real secret and I have yet to figure it out (PhotoShop). I have taken (cut/paste) different aspects from different AERO gunsights to make my own.

Hope this helps ... :D

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Red Tail 444 on September 21, 2002, 12:51:07 PM

Thanks, I'll try!! :)

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Wotan on September 21, 2002, 01:45:22 PM

they arent really "illuminated"

they just use an alpha channel.

(http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/t/y/tyr88/Screens/n9-2_alpha.bmp)

Heres your alpha channel

black is transparent
white is you site / solid

(http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/t/y/tyr88/Screens/n9-2.bmp)

This is .bmp file you assign as your site

The red color creates a red/orange hase that gives it the glowing effect. You can just use a solid color here bit it gives you a more crisp site wityh out the glow.

Here what it looks like

(its a jpg image so the quality aint as good as it will be in game)

(http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/t/y/tyr88/Screens/site.jpg)

Heres another example:
(http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/t/y/tyr88/Screens/jabo.bmp)

(http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/t/y/tyr88/Screens/jabo_alpha.bmp)

This site wont have the "glow" it will be a red site:

(its a jpg image so the quality aint as good as it will be in game)
(http://personal.jax.bellsouth.net/jax/t/y/tyr88/Screens/site2.jpg)

These have to be 128 x 128 (or 64 x 64) and 256 colors 8 bits.

The alpha channel must be named XXX.alpha_.bmp.

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: SlapShot on September 21, 2002, 02:55:40 PM

the XXX_alpha.bmp is an 8-bit grayscale image.

Pure Black = NO color will bleed-thru

Pure White = FULL color will bleed-thru

Varying shades of gray will allow color bleed-thru depending on how close the shade of gray is towards the black or white end of the scale.

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Mitsu on September 21, 2002, 05:18:10 PM

He's using Lightwave and Photoshop to make these illuminated gunsights.

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Red Tail 444 on September 21, 2002, 11:12:03 PM

Quote

Originally posted by SlapShot
the XXX_alpha.bmp is an 8-bit grayscale image.

Pure Black = NO color will bleed-thru

Pure White = FULL color will bleed-thru

Varying shades of gray will allow color bleed-thru depending on how close the shade of gray is towards the black or white end of the scale.

Thanks Wotan, Slapshot and Mitsu.

I am going to try to re-create my sights in photoshop, but is there any specific procedure I must follow or is it already there for me in photoshop (meaning the "alpha" command)

(I hope I have photoshop on my Dell!)  :rolleyes:

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: ergRTC on September 24, 2002, 04:14:13 PM

I would suggest downloading GIMP instead of paying or stealing photoshop for 300 dollars.

go to http://www.gimp.org and follow the "is there a gimp for windows?"  it has almost all of the functionality of photoshop. or.... just download the following.....

http://ftp://ftp.arnes.si/software/gimp-win/gimp-1.2.4-20020907-setup.zip

download this and this

http://ftp://ftp.arnes.si/software/gimp-win/gtk+-1.3.0-20020912-setup.zip

unzip and run both installers.  Then gimp will be yours.....

oh and for gifs, because they are protected by some nazi bellybutton law, you need this file installed, but you are also supposed to reside someplace where those nazi bellybutton laws dont apply.

http://ftp://ftp.arnes.si/software/gimp-win/gimp-1.2.4-20020907-lzw-setup.zip


erg

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Red Tail 444 on September 25, 2002, 12:36:34 PM

Thanks ERG, I'll hope there's a procedure for alpha texturing there, we'll see tonight.

Regarding alpha...how do I change the filtering from black to white, and shades in between?

I had no idea this was gonna be so consusing. At least when my hand is healed I'll have some new sights to test out.

TY Gainsie

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: MaddogJoe on October 05, 2002, 09:25:43 AM

I've got it working in "paint shop pro", but I havn't figure the right "blur yet to get a good "glow". I'll post the steps as soon as I get it figured out all the way.

Maddog Joe

(http://webpages.charter.net/maddogjoe/444th3.jpg)

Title: Designing Illuminated Gunsights...MITSU, HELP!
Post by: Red Tail 444 on October 05, 2002, 11:40:08 AM

Me too. theres also another patch under screenshots and images