hi Tsakali


In the case your working with Gmax or 3d studio max...
Locate and download the freeware program called DXTBmp.exe.  It has a small window that you can have show up that is on the right side of the screen (when DXTBmp is on).  The small window is the Alpha channel.

When you set up DXTBmp, select the graphics program you use so it can send your bitmaps to it when you double click on them.  When done, open a texture.  Note that the Alpha shows up on the right.  Double click it and it will go to your graphics program, (such as Photoshop).  You tune the gray there, then save and return to DXTBmp, click the 'refresh Alpha after editing' button, then Save/Save as DXT3 (or setting of your choice).

Next, your 'reflection' textures must have 2 things.  First is the name must have a '_t' at the end, such as Fuselage_t.bmp or it will not be recognized in FS as a reflection texture.

Second, you must make up a little small square, like 128 X 128 in size that is pure black (RGB 0,0,0).  Name it 'lightmap_L.bmp'.  (It must have an _L on the end so that FS knows its a light map bitmap, otherwise its pointless).  Assign this to the 'Has Light Illumination' section in Gmax in your color material that has reflection.  Tick 'Has.....' so its on and select the little black square you made.  For each of the textures that has a reflection, assign this bitmap to them.  (Use the same one).

If you dont do light maps, your reflection textures at night go transparent.  (Dont ask, I dont know why, lol).

If you decide to make something 'illuminate' such as airliners have with their 'recognition lights', you would simply make a 'negative' texture of say your rudder or fuselage with light only applied where it will show (on pure black background) and assign it to that bitmap only that you wish to illuminate.  (This would be a replica of your original Fuselage bitmap, but in black and with light (white) in the area's you wish to 'illuminate').

make sure both names like fuselage_L & fuselage_T have the same name

Also, you need to make sure that the reflection level in gmax also has a map as well as the diffuse color.



I know that when I had just the diffuse and no reflection maped, the alpha just made the aircraft transperent.