Building FAQs

All about Maps, Mods & Creating them
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xistence
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Re: Building FAQs

Post by xistence »

The stuff about the alpha mask heavily depends on the current graphic application you use. Most apps these days understand to use the 'mask' tool as alpha.
Furthermore most apps can work with RGBA-Channels. Combined with the use of TGA format, which can additionally store the alpha channel of a picture, it should be not difficult to create alpha masks. Just look for an option to 'create a mask from an object'. If this object has a gradient with transparency, it should create a corresponding alpha-channel with gradient. From my experience most current and well known graphic apps should have this or a coresponding option.
I don't create extra layers these days, or converting anythung to B/W. What i do is:
- checking that each mask selection is added to the current set mask
- clean once the whole mask
- select each object that should be part of the alpha mask, then using the option 'create mask from object' to buld up the mask step by step
- after that export to TGA
As all is stored in an alpha channel, i can store it in this working type of image (like CPT, PSD, etc-).

I, for myself, am not working with Adobe PS (but i did for a long time in the past) as i miss a lot of the functions that makes the life much easier, i prefer Corel Photoshop. PS is way to inefficient for a lot of task, but this is just my humble opinion. I worked with a lot of apps a long time to make this decision.
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Re: Building FAQs

Post by TronFAQ »

Like X said, most paint programs have a feature that reads similar to "Create mask from selection" which does what you were describing. In Paintshop Pro I have a feature named "New Mask Layer from Image" that does the same thing.

It has options on how to create the mask: whether to base the mask on non-zero pixels (any color but black becomes a visible part of the texture in game), source opacity (whether the mask should make the texture semi-transparent in the game), and source luminance (transparent and dark areas disappear from the texture altogether in the game). There's also an option to invert the result.

After creating the mask, I save that layer to the alpha channel of the texture.

I think the version of Paintshop Pro I have is an earlier version of the same program X is using. It was made by JASC Software and then Corel bought them out. Paintshop Pro is kind of a poor man's Adobe Photoshop. I find it does most of the tasks I need, without the bloat and complexity of Adobe Photoshop.

But for a free paint program, Paint .NET is probably the best out there. It should have the same type of mask creation feature.
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Re: Building FAQs

Post by deeahchur »

I have to admit to be an Adobe Photoshop user since version 4, but at the same time I haven't used a lot of its functions or delved very deeply into tools such as masks and alpha channels. Most of what I need I have been very happy with Adobe and have barely touched anything else, even G.I.M.P. I have no excuse other than lack of exploration and laziness. I'll be learning about those features soon, tho.
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Re: Building FAQs

Post by xistence »

tronfaq wrote:I think the version of Paintshop Pro I have is an earlier version of the same program X is using. It was made by JASC Software and then Corel bought them out.
Precisely Corel has two programs of that type, Photopaint (was always their own raster painting application, part of their graphic suite), and later (as you said) Paintshop, but which is different a bit, as formerly developed by a different company. What i use is Photopaint, or better the complete suite. Was mistyped by myself in the post before (where i said 'Photoshop'). I just touched the JASC app a few times long time ago, don't know how it is these days, although i still wonder that they continue both apps parallel.
deeahchur wrote:I have no excuse other than lack of exploration and laziness. I'll be learning about those features soon, tho.
Excuse for what? You can just begin somewhere and then going on. And laziness can be good, if you use it for you and to make things more efficient instead of avoiding 'work'.
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Re: Building FAQs

Post by TronFAQ »

While waiting for Load to start the first stage of updating the site, I've continued working on adding content to the Wiki. (I originally wasn't going to add this much before it went live, but I'm not sending more files until the first stage of upgrading is done.)

I've uploaded a bunch of videos to my Youtube account (which has essentially become the LDSO Youtube channel :D ), and these videos will be added to the Wiki. But if you'd like to take an earlier peek at them, you can.

http://www.youtube.com/user/redrain85

And I'll still be adding more videos, at a later point. So you might want to check back now and then.
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Re: Building FAQs

Post by deeahchur »

Sweet! Thanks FAQ! I'll check those out when I have a chance this week.
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