TRANSPARENT ALPHA CHANNEL ... What did I do wrong?

[Bill Kestell]

I've been playing with the Alpha F-105F and wanted to get rid of the modeled-on drop tanks and bombs.

After a few false starts, I managed to do it (that in itself is way scary!) ... but I'm not completely happy with my results.

In the attached screen shot, note that while I can see through to the body of the aircraft, the gear door is not visible through the "transparent" drop tank!

Can someone help?

Also, on a non-related matter, I get the following message when I select my UP NORTH loadout ... "Scenery library object (sic ~F-105 tank) not found. This may cause some scenery, such as some buildings, to not display. ID: 0x004D4A62, 0x46324545, 0x00000030, 0x00003030"

I KNOW that I have loaded the obj dp, bgl, and bmp files for the Alpha F-105 Tank ... so I'm wondering if I'm getting a conflict or something. This is loaded in my TEST BED which is full of countless different weapons from countless sources (if that helps narrow it down.):pop4:

[Shessi]

Hi Bill,
Unfortunately it's one of those things. The alpha way of getting rid of items is the quick and easy way but leaves these sort of probs. What you are really doing is putting an 'invisible cloak' over the tanks, the model is still there and so still blocks out light. The only way to make them go is with scasm.


As far as the fault message. Delete the .cdp file in your F105 aircraft, also delete all the filelist.dat files in CFS2 (don't worry they will be re-created by the sim!). Go through the ac's dp and make sure everything is spilt...sorry, spelt correctly (:d), exactly as in the OBJECTDP is. Hopefully that should(!) clear the fault.

Cheers Shessi

[oldwheat]

Sometimes saving in 32 bit 888-8 works for me. Did you happen to check if it was possible to make the offending parts transparent with MDLmat? It works on fairly rare occasions. Can't remember if I tried or not, I'll check.

[Jaxon]

I ran into the same more than once.

First: The material of the model needs to be transparent to tell the game to render the parts behind it.

Next: Different texture formats have different rights. For example DXT3 saved bmps with alpha blend parts behind out, while DXT1 saved bmps do not.

I can`t explain better, this is a bit trial and error. You are doing nothing wrong.

check the tips site in my signature. Maybe you can find something, that helps
Especially the windows part is of interest. (Even, when your part is opaque) just a bit of (virtual) transparency can help!

[oldwheat]

Another thought. Are you importing an alpha channel or using transparent ( pure green or black) textures?

[oldwheat]

Just for the hell of it, I tried several different options including the MDL color one. No joy to any & it seems that the fuselage, wings, ordnance, etc. have all been joined in the .MDL file which may cause problems even if you were to do a 'scasmectomy' .

[Bill Kestell]

:salute:Thanks to all of you for your help in this venture into another part of the DARK ARTS!

At least I learned a little more ... even if the results are NOT what I really wanted ... and that's worth the price of admission.

My next question would be to ask this question ... could someone like Morton or SC or any of our other painters, creat a skin, using the F-105D. Clean model that has the second seat of the "F" bird? Granted, you could still only open the front canopy ... but the visual effect would be that of an "F". I'd just like to have a "F" bird to load out for working UP NORTH against SAMS ... rather than just using a "D" and "pretending" (and NO smart remarks from the peanut gallery about this being a "simulation" and not "reality" ... you don't want to be responsible to burst my bubble)

Just a thought ... cause I don't know squat about painting either!:pop4:

[Shessi]

Well OW...likewise, it's not MDLmat-able!!

BUT, I take my hat off to you Sir, learned something new today.

Tried various things but got the hint from your post of, if alpha imported or transparency. I've made and imported alpha channels before for damage templates but not thought of using it this way.....:ernae: another one in the book..many thanks for the idea :applause:

Bill,
So can be done and looks great. I think the weapons bgl is at fault, see it's ok with a couple of standard 2000lb-ers. If the actual bgl is faulty, there's not a lot to be done but it may be something simple as a file name, I've had a play but not spotted anything yet.

Cheers Shessi

[Bill Kestell]

:engel016:W-O-W!

I don't have a clue what you just did ... but I sure do like it!

[Jagdflieger]

There is a CFS 2 specific version of the Alphasim Thud. I bought the F 105 a while back, so I don't know if the CFS 2 model made it into the Freeware pack currently available.

Obio also converted the the FS 9 D Model to CFS 2 and it should be available in the library if anyone is interested in flying the "Lead Sled" up country.

Here she is diving to attack (in a gross violaton of President Johnson's ROE) and then dodging some SAMs on egres.