Want part of texture/model transparent

[andersson 285]

I want to make a part of a model transparent and thought that if I make the part of the texture that are used transparent with an alpha channel it would be solved..

So I made an appropriate alpha channel in PSP 9 and saved the tga texture as 32 bit. Opened it up in texview2 and the part I want transparent was grey. I could also see the alpha-layer. PBOed the folder with all the necessary files inside. In game the part I wanted to be transparent were black..

I figured out that I must change the ***_co.* part of the texture name to ***_ca.* because of the alpha-layer.

Ok, opened up the ***_ca.tga in texview2 and the alpha-parts were grey, nothing different from the first attempt except that the *.paa file was bigger (I guess the alpha info?).

PBOed it again and now ingame that part I wanted transparent have normal textures... No visible changed at all.

I have opened up different textures that uses transparent alpha-channels to have a look at them, f.ex BIS camonetting. I cant see any differense from my texture to all other I have looked at. The "alpha-areas" are grey and the channel are black where its supposed to be transparent.

Do I also need to change the model? Are there some faceproperties on the model that need to be changed?

[Linker Split 0]

what signature has your texture?

ARGB4444? or DXT5?

[andersson 285]

Can you please elaborate? Is there some setting in PSP or Texview2 when I save?

[Panda-PL- 0]

Did you save the file as *_CA.paa ?

The name of source file has no meaning, the "Save As" name has to have sufix.

[andersson 285]

Yes, I saved it with _ca.

I searched this forum about "ARGB4444" and found some answers I will try later when I have time. There are people with the same problem as myself. Black textures where it should be transparent and also no sign of the alpha. It looks like you need different compressions for diffferent type of textures containing alphas depending on what you are going to use it for. I will try another tool that one member have had success with.

But anyone please help anyway if you have some ideas/answers!

[Linker Split 0]

save the texture using the keg's plugin for PS, and select ARGB4444

[DaSquade 0]

Although Keg's plugin is good, i prefure Texview2.

DXT5 with the _co.paa works for me aswell.

Not sure what the real difference between DXT5 and ARGB4444 are, btu it works here.

PS: I mean...if you use texview2

RGBA None

DXT5 (nothing-grey)

PS: Euh, isn't it if you use your a part of your texture as alpha you need to use _co and if your full texture will be semi or full transparant you need _ca?

Like the canapy is one texture and is _ca, but when i save my texture (witch only has a part that needs to be transparant) with the _ca prefix it makes the full texture semi transparant in bulldozer. This isn't the case when i use the _co prefix.

Anyway, _co or _ca, in the end you will notice the difference but fact is your alphas need to be correct.

Black in alpha will be full transparant.

White will be non-transparant.

Everything in between is semi-transparant.

[Synide 0]

I've literally tried every combination (i think)...

alpha black/white...

_ca no _ca...

444 and dxt5...

sorting the faces to the top, not sorting to the top...

as tri's and as quads...

all the combinations i've tried result in the texture not being transparent in game... oh, it's transparent in buldozer alright... but only, when i save it either out of PS or TexView2 as 444 _ca and have the transparent faces sorted to the top...

in clearer terms... it's transparent in buldozer if i...

1. have the appropriately fashioned alpha texutre

2. save it as ARGB444

3. use the _ca suffix

4.  make the faces the top in the stack

but, not in game...

my luck is i've missed one of the combinations... so, what's the exact method, please? anyone?

really, i'm no noob, but this is quite literally ridiculous... the old addage of 'blood from a stone' is really wearing thin...

regards, tired & frustrated

[sparky 0]

The only tool that works for me as it should is PaaTool, i've tried Kegetys plugin, texview 2 and none works at least in my case. Mostly the problem i've encountered when i tried to use textures that has a part of them transparent (alpha channel), and the other solid, was that all the texture had a small tranpsarency....

Anyway the only tool that works for me is PaaTool...

1)Save you Image as TGA 32-Bit with Aplha channel.

2)Open PaaTool and select DXT 5:5:5:1

3)Leave Dithering Unchecked and Check Alph Filtering

4)save your texture in Paa and try it....

It should work fine.....

[andersson 285]

Yes, I read in a thread that PaaTool have solved aplha problems. I will test that one myself. Need some food first...

[andersson 285]

I tried different formats with paatool1.1 with no success.

If I use DXT1 5551 I get black textures instead of transparent. "No alpha filtering" doesnt matter.

If I use RGBA 4444 the texture are "normal". No sign of alpha layers. "No alpha filtering" doesnt matter.

To clarify, I only want a part of the texture to be transparent. And its a texture of an existing model, I'm trying to hide a part of the model by making the textures transparent that are used on thet part... I'm not sure if thats possible so I might be working in vain....?

[Linker Split 0]

really try to save the texture using only Paaplug for Photoshop, in ARGB4444. you will have a big file in size, but the alpha should work.

[dmarkwick 261]

For textures with variable alpha, RGB4444 is required as far as I can tell. And although Kegetys' PAA plugin for Photoshop is used, it doesn't save alpha info properly. So the flow I use is:

Save as .paa in PS with Kegetys plugin, using RGB4444 format.

Open & save in Texview2.

That's it. Simply opening & saving with Texview2 fixes it.

[Linker Split 0]

For textures with variable alpha, RGB4444 is required as far as I can tell. And although Kegetys' PAA plugin for Photoshop is used, it doesn't save alpha info properly. So the flow I use is:

Save as .paa in PS with Kegetys plugin, using RGB4444 format.

Open & save in Texview2.

That's it. Simply opening & saving with Texview2 fixes it.

doesn't texview2 save it in another format even if you use the ARGB4444 m8?

[andersson 285]

I have now tried most combinations of programs and compressions. I cant get it to work. I suppose I have to alter the model itself.

The thing is I want that vietnam-helmet on the merc-grenadier off!! I thought/hoped I could do a shortcut and just alpha away all the textures for the helmet.

I have also downloaded the mlod-model, but I dont have the inspiration right now to start the struggle with O2 and getting that model to work ingame... Another weekend maybe..  

Thank you all for the help!

[dmarkwick 261]

For textures with variable alpha, RGB4444 is required as far as I can tell. And although Kegetys' PAA plugin for Photoshop is used, it doesn't save alpha info properly. So the flow I use is:

Save as .paa in PS with Kegetys plugin, using RGB4444 format.

Open & save in Texview2.

That's it. Simply opening & saving with Texview2 fixes it.

doesn't texview2 save it in another format even if you use the ARGB4444 m8?

All I can tell you is that it makes it work