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Need help with my heavy Metal.... (Read 1158 times)
Dec 14th, 2006 at 7:13pm
fabian_e   Ex Member

 
Hello guys,

ah I just don't get it how I can get Metal looking parts on an aircraft. Roll Eyes

Maybe some of you noticed my preview pics in the Freeware-Screenshot of my B787-8 - Dreamliner colors.
I saw on the actual Boeing image, that the wing leading edges are made of a shiny metal.

I tried to get the parts look like metal by editing the Alpha-Channels, but when I edited the Alpha-Channels, all I got was, that the parts changed into transparent. I'm using the GIMP for my edits and DXTbmp.

I hope that hasn't been asked yet,

Greetings,

Fabian
 
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Reply #1 - Dec 14th, 2006 at 10:00pm

wji   Offline
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Hi Fabian . . . most of what I refer to as 'looking like metal' has been created by artists. That is, the texture is that of metal and it is applied in a consistant way to maintain this illusion; e.g., the Default DC-3 or the payware MAAM R4D.

Here's some 'metal' I purloined off the Default Ford Tri-Motor and and applied to Kristensen's Fokker VIIa

...

I hope you find this useful
 
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Reply #2 - Dec 15th, 2006 at 2:36am
fabian_e   Ex Member

 
I mean something like that:

...

How can I get results like that?

Cheers,
Fabian
 
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Reply #3 - Dec 15th, 2006 at 9:46am
Jakemaster   Ex Member

 
Im not an alpha expert, but my understanding is that black = transparent, and grey is reflective.  So paint the parts dark grey, or light grey to get the reflections
 
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Reply #4 - Dec 15th, 2006 at 10:50am

SkyNoz   Offline
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Quote:
Im not an alpha expert, but my understanding is that black = transparent, and grey is reflective.  So paint the parts dark grey, or light grey to get the reflections


Dark black=Highly Reflective/trans
Grey=50%reflective/no trans
White=High Gloss

You need to have the paint of the Fuselage Black, with a dark Grey or black alpha to achieve chrome effects as the 727 shown.
 
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Reply #5 - Dec 15th, 2006 at 11:58pm

wji   Offline
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"I mean something like that:"
Well, to me that looks like Alpha Channel shading which you said you already tried.
I can't add any more to what has been stated here except: Good Luck.
 
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Reply #6 - Dec 16th, 2006 at 3:12pm
fabian_e   Ex Member

 
No, that wasn't my work. It was just an example to show you what I want to achieve. Would be glad if I got that type of metal.

Thank you all for your help so far, but wasn't able to get my metal  Roll Eyes. Is it possible, that it depends on the model? Or is there a special editing programm one has to use? (I use: GIMP 2.0 / DXTbmp)

Ok this is a screenshot of the texture in DXTbmp:
...

The result is, that the Alpha-Channel turns the wing leading edges transparent / invisible.

Greetings,

Fabian
 
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Reply #7 - Dec 16th, 2006 at 4:14pm

Sakura   Offline
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As Noted Above,Black Make Transparent.
 
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Reply #8 - Dec 16th, 2006 at 4:20pm

wji   Offline
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I have not found the name of the B788 model anywhere in this thread so cannot comment on the specific (unnamed) model to which you refer.
As you know, FS9 models come in two flavors:
a.) show black alpha as chrome
b.) show black alpha as transparent

I'm just curious why you're using black in the alpha channel for the leading edge when shades-of-grey would be a more logical choice (for me). I would also try removing the black leading-edge from the RBG channel and see what that does.

...
 
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Reply #9 - Dec 17th, 2006 at 5:57am
fabian_e   Ex Member

 
Sorry, It's the Camsim 787-8 model, available here:

http://www.simviation.com/fs2004jets159.htm

As far as I understand it: Different shades of grey make different levels of transparency, where black means transparent and white solid. Could it be, that chrome isn't possible on that model?

Cheers, have a nice sunday,

Fabian

 
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Reply #10 - Dec 17th, 2006 at 8:15am

igorski   Offline
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Alpha will either make the affected part reflective OR transparent, not both. In theory a modeller can set some parts to transparent, and some to reflective, but I havn't seen many exaples of this mix'n'match approach.

-----

If a part has been set up for Alpha Channel reflections:
Black = Chrome, 100% reflective
White = Matt, 0% reflective
Grey Scale gives varying levels of reflections, and can be used over different colours to change the appearance, e.g. to make a park look like shiney gold.

-----

If the part is one that is designed with Alpha Channel transparency:
Black = 100% transparent
White = 0% transparent (i.e. fully opaque)
Grey Scale gives varying levels of transparency.

-----
 
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Reply #11 - Dec 17th, 2006 at 11:26am
fabian_e   Ex Member

 
Thanks Igorski, that cleared a lot. Smiley,
And thank you all, who replied to my question.
I'll write an email to Camil V. about that problem.

Cheers, have a good start for the coming week!

Fabian

 
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Reply #12 - Dec 17th, 2006 at 11:30am

igorski   Offline
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No worries, this comes up quite often.. I think I might even make a copy of what I wrote for the future..  Cool
 
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Reply #13 - Dec 17th, 2006 at 11:32am
fabian_e   Ex Member

 
Or we can pin a topic dealing with the Alpha-channels at the top of this section.
Would be a good idea.... Smiley
Cheers,
Fabian
 
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Reply #14 - Dec 17th, 2006 at 11:39am

igorski   Offline
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Would be useful.. as long as people dont pick up some of the previous, not entirely correct, explanations.

Think we need a Mod to make stick posts though.
 
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Reply #15 - Jan 14th, 2007 at 2:13pm

Jon H   Offline
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As far as I understand it, the suffix of the texture file determines how the file is used.

For texture_t.bmp the alpha controls how reflective the texture is.
For texture_l.bmp the alpha controls how transparent it is.

You also get texture_c.bmp for the virtual cockpit, and texture_d.bmp for damage.
 
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Reply #16 - Jan 14th, 2007 at 2:18pm

igorski   Offline
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I'm afraid thats not strictly true. _T's can be reflective or transparent. _L is usally the lightmap! where the ALPHA does neither, it controls which particular lights cause that area of the bmp to be used.

_c and _d are often only found ion default models, but your right about those!  Smiley
 
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Reply #17 - Jan 21st, 2007 at 8:39am

Jon H   Offline
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Cheers for clearing that up.
 
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Reply #18 - Jan 21st, 2007 at 8:42am

igorski   Offline
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No worries  Smiley
 
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