±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 561
Total: 561
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Community Forums
03: Photo Gallery
04: Statistics
05: Community Forums
06: Member Screenshots
07: Community Forums
08: Member Screenshots
09: Community Forums
10: News Archive
11: Photo Gallery
12: Home
13: Community Forums
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: Community Forums
17: Home
18: Community Forums
19: Community Forums
20: Community Forums
21: Community Forums
22: Home
23: Home
24: Community Forums
25: Community Forums
26: Photo Gallery
27: Photo Gallery
28: Community Forums
29: Photo Gallery
30: Community Forums
31: Community Forums
32: Community Forums
33: Community Forums
34: Community Forums
35: Member Screenshots
36: Community Forums
37: Home
38: Community Forums
39: Downloads
40: Photo Gallery
41: Member Screenshots
42: Community Forums
43: Your Account
44: Home
45: Community Forums
46: Photo Gallery
47: Member Screenshots
48: Community Forums
49: Community Forums
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Community Forums
53: Community Forums
54: Community Forums
55: Photo Gallery
56: Home
57: Community Forums
58: Member Screenshots
59: Home
60: Community Forums
61: Photo Gallery
62: Community Forums
63: Home
64: Community Forums
65: Community Forums
66: Photo Gallery
67: Community Forums
68: Community Forums
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Community Forums
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Community Forums
79: Community Forums
80: Your Account
81: Community Forums
82: Community Forums
83: Community Forums
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Contact
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: Community Forums
90: Home
91: Photo Gallery
92: Photo Gallery
93: Photo Gallery
94: Photo Gallery
95: Community Forums
96: Member Screenshots
97: Member Screenshots
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Home
101: Home
102: Community Forums
103: Home
104: Home
105: Community Forums
106: Community Forums
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: Community Forums
110: Home
111: Photo Gallery
112: Home
113: Community Forums
114: Photo Gallery
115: Home
116: Community Forums
117: Statistics
118: Community Forums
119: Community Forums
120: Home
121: Photo Gallery
122: Community Forums
123: Community Forums
124: Community Forums
125: Downloads
126: Community Forums
127: Community Forums
128: Home
129: Photo Gallery
130: Community Forums
131: Home
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Home
135: Home
136: Community Forums
137: Home
138: Community Forums
139: Community Forums
140: Community Forums
141: Photo Gallery
142: Home
143: Photo Gallery
144: Community Forums
145: Home
146: Community Forums
147: Member Screenshots
148: Photo Gallery
149: Community Forums
150: Community Forums
151: Photo Gallery
152: Photo Gallery
153: Photo Gallery
154: Community Forums
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: Member Screenshots
158: Photo Gallery
159: Photo Gallery
160: Community Forums
161: Home
162: Community Forums
163: Community Forums
164: Member Screenshots
165: Home
166: Home
167: Community Forums
168: Photo Gallery
169: Community Forums
170: Community Forums
171: Photo Gallery
172: Home
173: Home
174: Photo Gallery
175: Home
176: News Archive
177: Community Forums
178: Your Account
179: Photo Gallery
180: Community Forums
181: Your Account
182: Community Forums
183: Photo Gallery
184: Community Forums
185: Community Forums
186: Member Screenshots
187: Community Forums
188: Home
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Home
192: Community Forums
193: Community Forums
194: Home
195: Downloads
196: Community Forums
197: Community Forums
198: Home
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Community Forums
202: Home
203: Home
204: Photo Gallery
205: Downloads
206: Downloads
207: Home
208: News Archive
209: Downloads
210: Community Forums
211: Photo Gallery
212: Downloads
213: Home
214: Home
215: Home
216: Community Forums
217: Community Forums
218: Home
219: Home
220: Downloads
221: Community Forums
222: Home
223: News Archive
224: News Archive
225: News Archive
226: Downloads
227: Member Screenshots
228: Community Forums
229: Home
230: Community Forums
231: Home
232: Home
233: Community Forums
234: News Archive
235: Home
236: Home
237: Community Forums
238: Statistics
239: Photo Gallery
240: Community Forums
241: Community Forums
242: Home
243: Community Forums
244: Member Screenshots
245: News
246: Downloads
247: Home
248: Photo Gallery
249: Home
250: Photo Gallery
251: Photo Gallery
252: Home
253: Photo Gallery
254: Member Screenshots
255: Community Forums
256: Community Forums
257: Photo Gallery
258: Home
259: Your Account
260: Home
261: Community Forums
262: Member Screenshots
263: Member Screenshots
264: Statistics
265: Home
266: Community Forums
267: Home
268: Home
269: News Archive
270: Statistics
271: Photo Gallery
272: Home
273: Downloads
274: Community Forums
275: Community Forums
276: Community Forums
277: Community Forums
278: Home
279: Your Account
280: Photo Gallery
281: Home
282: Home
283: Photo Gallery
284: Community Forums
285: Downloads
286: Photo Gallery
287: Community Forums
288: Photo Gallery
289: Photo Gallery
290: Member Screenshots
291: Home
292: Home
293: Home
294: Home
295: Community Forums
296: Community Forums
297: Statistics
298: Home
299: Home
300: Home
301: Photo Gallery
302: Community Forums
303: Downloads
304: Community Forums
305: Community Forums
306: Home
307: Home
308: Community Forums
309: Community Forums
310: Community Forums
311: Community Forums
312: Community Forums
313: Community Forums
314: Community Forums
315: Home
316: Community Forums
317: Community Forums
318: News Archive
319: Downloads
320: Community Forums
321: Home
322: Community Forums
323: Community Forums
324: Home
325: Community Forums
326: Home
327: Home
328: Home
329: Home
330: Home
331: Home
332: Home
333: Community Forums
334: Statistics
335: Downloads
336: Community Forums
337: Community Forums
338: Community Forums
339: Community Forums
340: Home
341: Home
342: Home
343: Community Forums
344: Home
345: Photo Gallery
346: Community Forums
347: Community Forums
348: Home
349: Home
350: Home
351: Photo Gallery
352: Community Forums
353: Photo Gallery
354: Community Forums
355: Community Forums
356: News Archive
357: Home
358: Home
359: Community Forums
360: Statistics
361: Photo Gallery
362: Photo Gallery
363: Community Forums
364: Home
365: Community Forums
366: Photo Gallery
367: Community Forums
368: Photo Gallery
369: Photo Gallery
370: Home
371: Home
372: Community Forums
373: Member Screenshots
374: Home
375: Photo Gallery
376: Home
377: Community Forums
378: Home
379: Home
380: Photo Gallery
381: Community Forums
382: Community Forums
383: Member Screenshots
384: Home
385: Home
386: Community Forums
387: Community Forums
388: Community Forums
389: Community Forums
390: Community Forums
391: Community Forums
392: Community Forums
393: Community Forums
394: Community Forums
395: Statistics
396: Community Forums
397: Community Forums
398: Community Forums
399: Community Forums
400: Community Forums
401: Members List
402: Downloads
403: Member Screenshots
404: Photo Gallery
405: Downloads
406: Home
407: Home
408: Home
409: Home
410: Community Forums
411: Community Forums
412: Photo Gallery
413: Photo Gallery
414: Home
415: Photo Gallery
416: Community Forums
417: Member Screenshots
418: Photo Gallery
419: Community Forums
420: Community Forums
421: Community Forums
422: Community Forums
423: Home
424: Member Screenshots
425: Photo Gallery
426: Home
427: Downloads
428: Community Forums
429: Community Forums
430: Community Forums
431: Home
432: Community Forums
433: Member Screenshots
434: Photo Gallery
435: Home
436: Downloads
437: Community Forums
438: Community Forums
439: Member Screenshots
440: Community Forums
441: Community Forums
442: Community Forums
443: Home
444: Home
445: Community Forums
446: Community Forums
447: Community Forums
448: Community Forums
449: Home
450: Community Forums
451: Photo Gallery
452: Your Account
453: Home
454: Community Forums
455: Community Forums
456: Community Forums
457: Home
458: Member Screenshots
459: Community Forums
460: Home
461: Community Forums
462: Community Forums
463: Home
464: Photo Gallery
465: Home
466: Home
467: Downloads
468: Home
469: News
470: Community Forums
471: Member Screenshots
472: Community Forums
473: News Archive
474: Home
475: Member Screenshots
476: Photo Gallery
477: Photo Gallery
478: Home
479: Community Forums
480: Home
481: Community Forums
482: Member Screenshots
483: Home
484: Community Forums
485: Community Forums
486: Community Forums
487: Community Forums
488: Community Forums
489: Member Screenshots
490: Photo Gallery
491: Community Forums
492: Home
493: Photo Gallery
494: Member Screenshots
495: Community Forums
496: Community Forums
497: Photo Gallery
498: Community Forums
499: Photo Gallery
500: Downloads
501: Photo Gallery
502: Community Forums
503: Photo Gallery
504: Photo Gallery
505: Community Forums
506: Home
507: Downloads
508: Community Forums
509: Member Screenshots
510: Home
511: Community Forums
512: Member Screenshots
513: Community Forums
514: Home
515: Community Forums
516: Community Forums
517: Community Forums
518: Community Forums
519: Home
520: Photo Gallery
521: Home
522: Home
523: Community Forums
524: Member Screenshots
525: Community Forums
526: Community Forums
527: Community Forums
528: Community Forums
529: Member Screenshots
530: Photo Gallery
531: Photo Gallery
532: Home
533: Community Forums
534: Community Forums
535: Home
536: Photo Gallery
537: Community Forums
538: Community Forums
539: Community Forums
540: News Archive
541: Community Forums
542: Home
543: Photo Gallery
544: Member Screenshots
545: Community Forums
546: Community Forums
547: Home
548: Home
549: Home
550: Community Forums
551: Community Forums
552: Community Forums
553: Community Forums
554: Home
555: Downloads
556: Community Forums
557: Community Forums
558: Member Screenshots
559: Photo Gallery
560: Member Screenshots
561: Home

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"
A public forum for the JG300 Wild Sau Gruppe!
Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  JG300 Wild Sau Gruppe Public Forum

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Uhu_Fledermaus
Aircraft Demolition Expert

Offline Offline
Joined: Nov 28, 2004
Posts: 4369
Location: Blaricum, The Netherlands ~GMT+1
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:26 am
Post subject: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

couldn't find the post where Stoopy hinted at this issue, this I found, and tought it could be helpfull.
this is specifically for fsX.

=>
Re transparency this is what Abacus say on the subject

How do I create glass on my windows?
In order to get glass, you need to do 2 things:

1) Assign a Material to the part.
2) Apply a texture with an alpha channel

You will need to assign the glass parts in your model a material with a specific name prefix. The names required for transparent parts, like glass, MUST start with one of the following:

• glass
• window
• prop
• trans

The color and display options for the material are not important and you can use the default colors and settings. All that matters is the material name. You can have multiple names like glass_blue and glass_green for example. If the material name starts with “glass�, “window�, “prop� or “trans�, FSDS will tell the MDL file to use the alpha channel on the applied texture as a transparency.

The Alpha channel on the texture as discussed in the FSDS Help file is greyscale. White is solid (no transparency) and pure black is invisible. The grey in between is a level of transparency. The darker the color on the alpha channel, the more invisible it will appear. The texture itself should be a green, blue or grey texture the basic color of the window.

How do I create an Alpha Channel on my textures? FS Design Studio does not create textures or modify them. You will have to have a separate program to load in your texture, create the alpha channel and re-save it. Once such program is called DXTBMP. This is a freeware program that can be found on-line with a simple web search.

If you have a separate glass texture you can simply open DXTBMP, load the image, choose Create Alpha Template from the Alpha menu. You then use Save As to save the image as an Extended Bitmap image. Set the Save As Type to DXT3 or DXT5 and overwrite your original image.

If needed, you can read the help files for DXTBMP to see how to edit the Alpha Channel by sending it to your favorite image editor.

A few sample files are included with FS Design Studio v3.5 in the \Projects folder including: ds_propdisk.bmp and ds_glass.bmp. The file ds_propdisk can be used to texture your transparent prop disks – just remember to assign a material (material name of “prop� for example).
<=


fled
Cool
Back to top
View user's profile ICQ Number MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
Uhu_Fledermaus
Aircraft Demolition Expert

Offline Offline
Joined: Nov 28, 2004
Posts: 4369
Location: Blaricum, The Netherlands ~GMT+1
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:07 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Google also for "phil taylor blog" for his discussion re: possible tranparency fixes
Back to top
View user's profile ICQ Number MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:07 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Thanks Fled!

I've been tracking this as well since with the release of SP2 for FSX there are obviously some changes in how the alpha layers are treated. This goes to a thread I had in the FSX forum.

I've found that aside from windows on certain aircraft, prop discs also on certain aircraft are impacted, you get a black disc. Only on certain aircraft however.

The fix that was suggested on another board says that opening the transparency file (which is usually sensibly named and easy to identify) and importing then saving as a 32-bit DXT format (using ImageTool or DXTBMP) will fix it. However I have tried this and it has made no change.

Curiously, the real issue is that (so far) these texture files used a non-standard alpha transparency method, and in at least one case so far, modifying the alpha layer of the texture to a much more normal approach (i.e., making it black or dark gray per the above) fixed the issue.

I found this also last night with the prop disc on another aircraft and I believe (but have not yet confirmed by trying to fix) that it also uses a non-standard alpha layer method. I'll make a nice dark gray alpha for it and I hope that solves the problem, becuase otherwise the fix depends on having access to the source files for the model and changing the texture properties in the model.

Bottom line is that it seems when the model is designed "by the book" it doesn't seem to have these backward-compatability issues.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Uhu_Fledermaus
Aircraft Demolition Expert

Offline Offline
Joined: Nov 28, 2004
Posts: 4369
Location: Blaricum, The Netherlands ~GMT+1
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:01 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

okidokie Stoopy ! Cool

Back to top
View user's profile ICQ Number MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7020
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:02 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Stoopy, are you having any problems seeing the MFD's on the F18? All I see are two black squares where the MFD's should show gauges. I also have the same issues on the new Helo. Shocked
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:36 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Hmm......no, I don't.....now that's a poser. Here's some screenies, but everything that should be there is, for me. I know there've been questions on using the MFD's in the F/A-18 but I don't recall hearing about this one. Is it that way in the missions (like the carrier tutorial) too, even when starting up with CTRL-E?





And just as I thought, the dark-gray alpha layer did the trick on the prop circle of the BF109 I was messin' with...no more black circle!:


_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:12 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

- Uhu_Fledermaus
Google also for "phil taylor blog" for his discussion re: possible tranparency fixes


Thanks Fled.....actually I have Phil Taylor's blog bookmarked as it's a great resource, but I haven't looked there yet...

So, imagine my surprise when I saw this:

blogs.msdn.com/ptaylor...nt-in.aspx

Sounds familiar?

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Uhu_Fledermaus
Aircraft Demolition Expert

Offline Offline
Joined: Nov 28, 2004
Posts: 4369
Location: Blaricum, The Netherlands ~GMT+1
PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:18 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Rolling Eyes

Good News travels fast ?? Laughing rotflmao Laughing


fled
Wink
Back to top
View user's profile ICQ Number MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:22 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Yep!

And....since it's a special occasion, Stoop's name in lights on the Microsoft FSX program manager's web log, this calls for....


.....my happy dance.....






_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300_Hunt
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Mar 08, 2006
Posts: 750
Location: WA State
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:30 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Shocked Oh for the love of all things sacred!

_________________
Back to top
View user's profile
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7020
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:14 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Hmmm, that's odd for sure! I don't see any MFD's come up. Guess I need to look into the config files and look for the references and see 'what's up'. I'll let you know. Smile

Congrats on making the top blog spot too..
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:40 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Configuration setting maybe? Is your panel transparency set to 0% (not transparent) and is your global detail level set to high or max?

Video driver issue? You're using an NVidia card, right? I'm on ATI so we can't compare notes there.....

I could upload my configuration settings and you could save yours via the menus, then load mine for kicks and then go back to your save set after seeing what happens. I think that's a very cool and underutilized feature for feature events like this... let me know.

I can (and need to) also post the secific tweaks in my fsx.cfg file. High time I did that, as I've found some that have little to no effect, and others that make a good bit of difference based on the newer behavior.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7020
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:54 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

No luck so far. I've checked all the settings and tried to lower, change, up, etc all the setting with no luck.

Now, I did order a new vid card yesterday as the one I'm using is my old backup vid card which is a 5700 Nvidea card. I'm not too sure that may be cause. My new card will be here in a week or so and I'll let you know how that works.

I did look into the plane config file and seen the reference to the gauges MFD. It seem as if they reference a .dll file. I'm wondering if that DLL file may be corrupted??

Any chance you could fire off that file to me and let me try it? Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
JG300-Stoopy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 05, 2005
Posts: 5840
Location: Group W bench
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:36 am
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Sho'thang if you PM me the dll file name.

_________________
"Once your reputation is ruined, you can live quite freely."
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7020
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:34 pm
Post subject: Re: Transparancy in fsX "glass windows"

Will do AND, as soon as I get home.. Wink
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  JG300 Wild Sau Gruppe Public Forum
Page 1 of 3
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum