Author Topic: Transparency (Read 3951 times)

DKealt · « **on:** January 08, 2009, 11:51:24 AM »

Im just putting a quick question out to know if it is even possible and how to apply a translucent texture to a model

Any pointers would be appreciated

Kirk · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2009, 11:56:00 AM »

I believe it is possible, however, that texture can then not glow IIRC.

CJLarkin · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2009, 12:08:29 PM »

I "think" it's to do with lowering the Opactiy of the Material in the Materials Editor (if you're using Max)

DKealt · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2009, 12:17:06 PM »

OK yeh ive managed to use a variety of different tools to make a model part semi transparent, however when loaded up in BC ths ship part becomes basically solid,

when loaded in anything like Max, Milkshape or NifSkope it appears tranpsparent just not ingame

Does anyone know how to make it possible?

MarkyD · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:06:42 PM »

All i can help you with mate.. was that when i created transparencies for models in SFCIII it was all done with the alpha channels, how this effects or is achieved in BC i have not got an idea.

Raven Night · « **Reply #5 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:21:13 PM »

I was wondering this as well. i have a few shuttles I wanted to give translucent windows, but didnt know how to do it.

CJLarkin · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:23:12 PM »

I know it's certainly possible though, Lint used Transparency when it come to his Defiant, in the Nacelles.

limey BSc. · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:25:19 PM »

Quote from: CJLarkin on January 09, 2009, 02:23:12 PM

I know it's certainly possible though, Lint used Transparency when it come to his Defiant, in the Nacelles.

Where? The mesh over the front of the "nacelles" was modelled in. Thats the only place I can think of that would have it.

I'm not entirely sure, but if you leave "_glow" off the end of the texture name and gave it an alpha channel, wouldn't that make it transparent?

CJLarkin · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:35:27 PM »

Look carefully here:
http://screenshots.filesnetwork.com/8/files2/90467_4.jpg
The grille on the Rear of the Nacelles is a texture, with Transparent parts. Hence, a grille.

limey BSc. · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:41:45 PM »

No, its all modelled!

CJLarkin · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:52:56 PM »

Holy Frak that's nicely done.

Raven Night · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:54:51 PM »

Ah, thats too bad. Would have been nice to model in a window.

limey BSc. · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2009, 02:58:07 PM »

I'm not saying its not possible, just that lint didn't use it!

Wasn't there a type 9 or something that had transparent windows? Or did it just not have any windows?

MarkyD · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2009, 03:55:21 PM »

If you dont use alpha chanels to actively texture in the transparencies you can also, select the polygon faces and flip the normals.. this gives a translucent effect........ so if u made a shuttle.... selected the polies which made up the windows, flipped their normals it would show in game as translucent... i have seen a few examples where this has worked in the past.

DKealt · « **Reply #14 on:** January 09, 2009, 05:17:27 PM »

Thanks anyway guys, im just not too sure if its so easily achievable now, espcially with alphas, as far as i know they're used for transparencies but in BC they can only be used for adding glow textures

Adonis · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2009, 05:19:38 PM »

There was a Type11 shuttle by Admiral_Ames that has the interior visible. In that case (as with the Khaliban TMP Connie) the trick was to not model the window surfaces (Dunno about DJ's Juno tho, haven't checked the model yet).

Now, transparencies work in the following fashion:

When you set up your materials, the textures that need to be transparent should have map applied as a diffuse and as an opacity map set to alpha channel. The rule is the same as with glow, black is visible, white is transparent. The apparent downside of it all is a limitation in the BC engine in the form that you cannot have a glowing surface (as far as my and everybody's experience shows who fooled around with this) behind the transparency, but don't quite qoute me on this. My TOS Daedalus model for example has the glowing bulbs working-ish in the buzzard collectors.

Aeries · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2009, 09:25:27 PM »

Quote from: limey98 on January 09, 2009, 02:41:45 PM

No, its all modelled!

And on that note, if anyone has the know-how to model a grille like that, please let me know? I've been needing to model a nice grille for FOREVER but not one person i've talked to so far has had the know-how to do it... Lint, himself, couldn't remember how he did it when I asked him [something like 4 or 5 months ago now? Lol. xD]

Anyways, sorry for going off-topic. I've been needing to ask the community that for a while now and just haven't had all that much of an opportunity lately.

Edit: Yeah, forgot to mention that I'd taken a look at the Juno already; it's just one nice unified mesh... as he already stated.

hehe

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2009, 09:32:47 PM »

the interiors of the Juno are part of a unified mesh. In other words, the windows are holes in the mesh, and the interior walls are no different in terms of facing outward of the mesh as the outer hull.

limey BSc. · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2009, 09:34:35 PM »

Quote from: Aeries on January 09, 2009, 09:25:27 PM

And on that note, if anyone has the know-how to model a grille like that, please let me know? I've been needing to model a nice grille for FOREVER but not one person i've talked to so far has had the know-how to do it... Lint, himself, couldn't remember how he did it when I asked him [something like 4 or 5 months ago now? Lol. xD]

Anyways, sorry for going off-topic. I've been needing to ask the community that for a while now and just haven't had all that much of an opportunity lately.

Boolean?
Creating one "link", cloning, moving to position, welding, cloning, moving, welding ad infinitum.

cordanilus · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2009, 02:06:12 PM »

Yup, for Adonis's Daedalus bussards...they do glow inside 2 other meshes but only in close proximity. The glow effect seems to dissappear when viewing from a distance. I had to change a few settings within the Nif model to acheive that. That's because it was a translucent object and not completely transparent.

However, you can have parts of the object with the textures completely transparent and allow glows to shine through without a problem..that is, until it receives damage. Then that nif modification resets to standard, which means no transparencies. I don't mean translucency though. Textured animation with "NiFlipController" completely cuts out any glow of any object. I know, I've tried about 120,000 different combinations so far.

All in all, it is possible to make a translucent (semi-transparent) object in bc, glows for short range if you have any inside them. Transparent, whole or in part. Different kinds of looks for opacity without changing the textures, inverse the texture colors without changing them...different color hues, darkness, lightness. Oh, I discovered a lot of different possibilities with the Nif format.

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Author Topic: Transparency (Read 3951 times)