model invisible below waterline

[[aps]gnat 28]

Been playing with a couple of models from OFP, but I've just notices a couple become invisible below the waterline, when looking from above.

If the viewer is under the water the model is fully visible, but only when looking from above, any part of the model below the waterline is invisible.

.... but it still casts a shadow on the sea floor

I can't really see any difference between the ones that are visible vs the ones that are invisible. Not even sure where to start ...

Anyone got any ideas how to stop this?

[VXR 9]

Do you have the same problem when your model is behind a window?

When you stand left of a jeep and your model is on the right side and you look trough the jeep windows.. is it visable then?

[TeRp 1]

are you using .paa textures?

[[aps]gnat 28]

Do you have the same problem when your model is behind a window?

Yep, disappears behind vehicle (4x4 for example) windows!

Whats does that mean ?

@TeRpEnTiN

Using some .paa and some .pac

[DaSquade 0]

Well the reason they asked if you are using PAA texture is, if you are using them you proberbly hit the (famous) paa bug. Meaning multiple paa textures are 'conflicting' with each other and you need to play around with the 'transparantcy layers' in O2.

Can be found under:

Face->Move to top/Move to buttom/Move to next alpha/Move to previous alpha.

If you don't want to play with that, you can always consider simply work with as less paa textures and convert them into pac (those don't have the alpha bug).

The alpha bug can be very usefull (see the weapon muzzle/reload animation), but can be frustration when you don't want to have it (see multiple muzzle flash faces).

Good luck.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Ok, thanks DeSquade ....... but I've looked again and only my Damage textures are .paa, the normal textures are all but 1, .pac files.

Can just one .paa cause the whole model to become invisible?

[Jackal326 1182]

In the screenshot you posted, what texture is the .PAA? If its of the area that is invsible (the main body), make it a .PAC file. If it still happens, its an issue with the water.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Most of those textures you can see (and can't) are PACs .... bit weird because my own addons (ie 100% my textures) use mostly PAAs (because TexView is about the only thing that works for me ) are all visible below the waterline!

So .....

To try something .... what program can I use to take a PAA and make it a PAC, or vice versa ?

With TexView, if you try to save as a PAC extension, it actually just saves a PAA

[Corkey 0]

Meaning multiple paa textures are 'conflicting' with each other and you need to play around with the 'transparantcy layers' in O2.

Gnat, firstly, save a backup of this .p3d, as it may be useful in the future when we need to hide something using this method.

Secondly, as DaSquade mentioned, something is flagged in the p3d, which is causing the geometry to disappear when it is covered by a .paa file.

I would suggest looking in the face / vertex options and seeing if checking different layer options causes the model to appear while overlaid with a .paa texture.

*edit*

Your submarine on the very right appears to be showing.

For texture view, I believe you need to have the "Hide known file extensions" turned off in windows. When saving the file you need to give it a new name and .pac after the name. Works for me, last I checked.

[R0adki11 3949]

Textview will save as Pac, just select all files, and save the file as a .pac it works. If you not sure what i mean here's a screenshot: