alpha layer unpredictability - help you vet modders

[Gurra]

I am trying to give the damaged buildings files an overhaul, however, the alpha layers involved do not behave. It is either full transparancy over whole wall section, or none. So cant really change the very shape of blasted holes. Any

idea?

[Rambler]

Make sure you don't have any gray pixels in your alpha. A lot of the alpha channels in the game don't allow any gray pixels at all. Best way is to make sure you use the pencil tool instead of the paintbrush tool.

[akd]

Are you trying to change "damaged" for modular buildings? The damage to modular buildings is a change in 3D geometry, not 2D textures. Damaged independent buildings, however, are handled with textures.

[MikeyD]

There are two alpha channels for the indi building walls, if distant memory serves. The embedded channel of the damage BMP that knocks out the beams and supports, and a standalone 'alpha' file that's B&W art for the overall KO hole in the wall.

Here's a trick I learned for doing complex alpha channels.

Create a new layer (I work in photoshop) and paint the areas you want knocked out. When you're done use the magic wand tool to select everything but with the 'anti-aliasing box *unchecked* so theres absolutely no feathering. Then create a new channel, select that channel layer only and hit DELETE. You'll get a clean hole. Any cleanup I use a small box and delete out individual pixels. Attempts to simply erase or paint over will give you feathering. One pixel is enough to mess everything up.

Some alpha channels in the game can take greyscale feathering but most can't.

[Gurra]

Ah, ok! Could be some gray pixels then. And yes, it is for individual buildings. Yup, MikeyD, that is correct. The second alpha also allows for whatever wall texture to go together with the actual damage bmp. Thanks for the psp tip!

I want something more messy with some bricks thrown in. Off to clean up the alpha layers then.

thanks again