Help with Alpha Channels

[doctorhr2]

I have had some success with my Ultimate Warrior mod, changing the default WM 6 attire for something more like his SS'89 attire. Problem I'm having is that I'm trying to get rid of one set of arm tassles so he has three per arm instead of four. The color.dds file doesn't have an alpha channel so I've created one in Photoshop, blacked out one of the tassle textures and saved it as a DXT1 with alpha channel. In game the tassles in question just come out black, so is there something else that needs to be altered to tell the game engine to look for an alpha channel with that character? 

 

  I have some 3D modelling experience and I know the basics behind alpha channels, but can't think why what I'm doing isn't working. Anyone else tried this?

 

[MrManolo135]

the alpha channel is in normal.dds

[Titavius]

the game won't take any notice of an alpha channel saved in a DXT1 formatted DDS, especially if it's in the color image. You'd have to try with the normal alpha. I havent modded Warrior before, but I'm pretty sure if the tassels are apart of the main YOBJ model, then they cannot be removed. it'd be like trying to make his forearms invisible or something. you'd have to use 3ds

Edited April 14, 2014 by Titan83

[doctorhr2]

the game won't take any notice of an alpha channel saved in a DXT1 formatted DDS, especially if it's in the color image. You'd have to try with the normal alpha. I havent modded Warrior before, but I'm pretty sure if the tassels are apart of the main YOBJ model, then they cannot be removed. it'd be like trying to make his forearms invisible or something. you'd have to use 3ds

That's a bugger as the normal map already contains the spec/shine map. In theory though that's what the alpha should do, make parts of the model disappear, regardless of what they are, tassles or forearms.

[doctorhr2]

the alpha channel is in normal.dds

Do you know this for a fact, as to my eye the normal.dds contains the specular map, not the alpha. I'd be happy if I'm wrong as that will solve my problem.

Edited April 14, 2014 by doctorhr2

[Titavius]

 

the alpha channel is in normal.dds

Do you know this for a fact, as to my eye the normal.dds contains the specular map, not the alpha. I'd be happy if I'm wrong as that will solve my problem.

 

 

are you using photoshop? photoshop should detect an Alpha channel as being part of the normal map, provided you're using the nvidia plugin.

 

 

If you're saving a DDS as DXT1 (4 mipmaps) then you're not going to get an Alpha channel in there. The only Alpha channel you'll be able to modify is in a DXT 5 interpolated Normal map.  

 

The only things you're able to make invisible are objects not attached to the main YOBJ. Other YOBJ's such as hair, can be made invisible in the Normal map via the Alpha channel.    

Edited April 14, 2014 by Titan83

[UndertakerWLF]

I believe this has come up before and it cannot be done, you can however hide parts of the model using 3DS Max and then use Tekkens Xray program.

[doctorhr2]

I believe this has come up before and it cannot be done, you can however hide parts of the model using 3DS Max and then use Tekkens Xray program

I have both so that's what I'll have to do. Thanks for the help everyone.

[UndertakerWLF]

No problem, let us know how you get on.