Help me with the Alpha Channel

[hausnm]

Hello,

when I download skins, there is a psd called alpha channel included. I am using gimp for creating skins. When exporting it to dds i apply the alpha channel. But there are sometimes very strong reflections and transparency. This looks unnaturally for an aircraft. the reflections are very strong. when exporting without alpha channel the skins look used, dirty but very dark. what am i doing wrong ? can anyone help me please ? Thank you. Best regards hausnm

[Raptorattacker]

Dunno how you manipulate it in GIMP but the Alpha is basically the reflections mapping.

Lighter is more reflective and darker more matte. TRUE black results in a transparency, totally see-through, NOTHING there on the plane (for holes etc). The Alpha is a representation of the actual colour file but is in Greyscale (or Grayscale, as America has it).

You can manipulate it to suit your needs for the skin you are creating. If you want a battered and weathered-looking plane then it then follows that the Alpha will generally be darker overall to represent a more weathered paintjob but if you are doing a bare aluminium plane then the bodywork would be much lighter on the Alpha to give the reflective nature of the bare metal.

Just mess around with them to see what you get.

Rap

Edited September 7, 2019 by Raptorattacker

[hausnm]

Hallo Rap, Thank you . I Tested brightness of the Alpha file a Bit, Reduction of brightness brings convenient Results. Thank you.

by the way: how do i get the bos bom and bok plates you have on your Profile ? I bought them on Steam But they dont appear here.

[6FG_JoBravo]

Does anyone know how to actually work with an alpha channel in photoshop ? I cant figure out how to get the alpha channel working. When I go to channels and click on the alpha, it just changes the whole template to red

 

[TG-55Panthercules]

1 hour ago, 6FG_JoBravo said:

Does anyone know how to actually work with an alpha channel in photoshop ? I cant figure out how to get the alpha channel working. When I go to channels and click on the alpha, it just changes the whole template to red

 

 

Make sure that the last entry is the only one checked - sometimes when you click on it all the ones above it also get selected/checked, in which case you get an all red tint to things (see screenshot below):