Odd transparency bug related to dust

[TeRp 1]

Hey guys.

I've a problem with one of our helicopter addons.

As soon as the engine causes dust on the ground, the helicopter becomes transparent and you can actually see the crew through the model itself.

http://bwmod.armedassault.info/users/TeRp/transparencyBug.jpg

I've tried changing the face order in o2 but had no success and was wondering if someone else has had this bug and found a way to fix it?

[t_d 47]

does the texture of the heli contain alpha channel and does it end with _ca then?

[mikebart 1]

hey terp, theres an existing thread about this issue here, just incase you dont know

[Darkhorse 1-6 16]

This is the Project RACS solution...

simply select the mat in question in the texture window, go to sort faces and select move to bottom

Or DaSquades solution...

Only use xxx_co.paa files for non-alpha related textures. That is 'bullet' proof.

Like Mike says, make sure you also save your xxx_co.tga texture as 24bit (so no alpha).

For alpha related textures you best use xxx_ca.tga (32bit)/xxx_ca.paa textures. But not that _ca texture will always give even solid colors/alpha 100% white a soft transparent look...no mather what setting afaik. That effect isn't always that noticable, but in certain angles and lighting like above it causes bad effects.

Additionally, always work (convert) with your tga source files. Renaming paa files won't work.

Edited April 6, 2010 by Darkhorse 1-6

[TeRp 1]

does the texture of the heli contain alpha channel and does it end with _ca then?

Only the windows and the rotor blur texture have an alpha channel, the texture on the fuselage (which is the texture with the transparency issues) doesn't have an alpha channel at all.

All textures have been converted with the proper suffix (_ca / _co).

hey terp, theres an existing thread about this issue here, just incase you dont know

Thanks mate, don't know how I missed that one.

Thanks for suggestions DarkHorse, but changing the face order didn't work, I've already tried it and just did it again, just to make sure I didn't miss anything.

I'll try converting the textures again when I find the original tgas, perhaps something went wrong when I initially converted them.

Thanks for the help so far. :)

//Updated:

I converted the fuselage texture again as a _co, as it doesn't have any transparency at all and also move the fuselage to the bottom and every alpha texture to the top of the face order.

Anyways, it didn't work :(

Edited April 6, 2010 by TeRp
updated

[DaSquade 0]

Maybe a wild shot, but did you save your fuselage_co.tga as 24bit or 32bit? Not saying it would fix it, but save it as 24bit as it doesn't have any alpha info.

Maybe it is indeed something rvmat related as some claimed it. Might want to try the model without rvmat's used...

Same as above, smdi and nohq -> 24bit for the _co files.

By the way, you saved them as .paa or .pac? Although BIS only used .paa anymore afaik, you might want to try the good old .pac format (i thought i read even BIS as encounter this problem).

Good luck.

[TeRp 1]

Maybe a wild shot, but did you save your fuselage_co.tga as 24bit or 32bit? Not saying it would fix it, but save it as 24bit as it doesn't have any alpha info.

Maybe it is indeed something rvmat related as some claimed it. Might want to try the model without rvmat's used...

Same as above, smdi and nohq -> 24bit for the _co files.

By the way, you saved them as .paa or .pac? Although BIS only used .paa anymore afaik, you might want to try the good old .pac format (i thought i read even BIS as encounter this problem).

Good luck.

Hey.

I used jpgs to convert the fuselage texture, and those for sure don't have any transparency at all. :)

Anyways lol, today I removed both the texture and the rvmat and tried again ingame. Guess what, the fricking thing is still happening:

http://bwmod.armedassault.info/users/TeRp/transparencyBug2.jpg

I think we just got ourselves a magic helo.

[namman2 0]

WTF! how can this be model related :(

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=39571&page=3 < cant understand what he means :(

and some say that making more than one res lod worked (it worked in ofp and worked for the NZDF mod in arma2 but not me ) :(

[DaSquade 0]

Very odd indeed. I think the problem is related with the proxies though. All 'transparency bug' pic only have a bug with the pilot/gunner/cargo proxy models, where on the other hand the background doesn't get rendered throught the model. Not sure if it will have effect, but maybe you need to put all proxies to the buttom (alpha) layer. Makes a bit sense, since often one would past the proxy models as last object in the model...

[TeRp 1]

Got it.

When I worked on the helo the other day, I accidentally deleted the rotor blur texture before binarizing it. I couldn't believe my eyes when the transparency error was gone..

I don't know why the blur texture caused the error, anyways it's working now.

Thanks for all the help. :)

[namman2 0]

F#^! it worked !

what i did is just made all the textures comperesssed (using texview 2 open and save)

[DaSquade 0]

Can i ask what you used to use as convertor then?

Terp: In case of your heli, i suggest you also use proxies for your tail and main rotor blur models.

[namman2 0]

1-st i made the textures in PS and saved them to paa using keygt's plugin (they are uncompressed)

2nd i opend them in texview2(wich comes with Arma 2 tools) and saved the textures as paa too (replace the old ones if it askes)

[DaSquade 0]

Thanks for the info.

Correct me if wrong, but isn't keygets plugin outdated?

Anyway, BIS didn't released tools for nothing :).

Personally i always use tga in the models and let bulldozer auto-convert them.

[mikebart 1]

Personally i always use tga in the models and let bulldozer auto-convert them.

when you do that, you have to always rename the texture paths before you binarize right?, is there a way around that?

[icewindo 29]

when you do that, you have to always rename the texture paths before you binarize right?, is there a way around that?

You mean rename e.g. from test.tga to test.paa? If yes, it is not necessary, even if the tga files get deleted and their path remains in the model ArmA will still load the proper paa.

I had alot of models with tga paths binarized with no problems.

[[aps]gnat 28]

You mean rename e.g. from test.tga to test.paa? If yes, it is not necessary, even if the tga files get deleted and their path remains in the model ArmA will still load the proper paa.

I had alot of models with tga paths binarized with no problems.

Agree, mapping TGA's to models works just perfect.

O2 and Buldozer auto-converts the file to PAA for you, and even updates the PAA whenever you re-save the TGA.

While the texture path may say .tga in O2, everything works peachy, even at Binarization.

And with the default BinPBO settings the tga textures are not carried through to the final addon, just the paa's.

To me, seems BIS deliberatly designed the tools to be used this way.

[mikebart 1]

ah ok, thanks guys.

[TeRp 1]

Terp: In case of your heli, i suggest you also use proxies for your tail and main rotor blur models.

That fixed it, finally.

I had used a proxy earlier (about a month ago) but when I replaced the blur texture and removed DRS, I didn't use a proxy at all but rather added it the blur right into the main model.

Well, it's working now. I don't know why you need to use a proxy, and honestly, I don't care.

Thanks a lot DaSquade! :)

[miles teg 1]

Question, where these BI rotor proxies that you used? If so, is there a list of proxies for rotor blurs anywhere or do you have to make it yourself? I would be at a total loss of how to do that without having a sample helicopter model to use as a template (something I really hope BI will do as they did in ArmA1 as it helped more novice addon makers tremendously).

[[aps]gnat 28]

- Make separate p3d model of just the rotor

- In main model, Select Create -> Proxy -> Browse -> select your rotor p3d

- Apply your section names to the proxy itself.

You will likely have to ensure proxy is centered etc, before it lines up correctly in the main model.

[DaSquade 0]

You will likely have to ensure proxy is centered etc, before it lines up correctly in the main model.

It isn't a must afaik in case you add "autocenter = 0" (property name value).

- Apply your section names to the proxy itself.

I would say it is best you define your named selections in both files. So select your proxy in the heli model and give it the needed named selection. But also in your proxy model itself, apply the same named selection.

Edited April 20, 2010 by DaSquade