GIMP View

[Feldgrun]

I'm not a skinner, yet, but am curious about viewing skins on GIMP. Some are easy to view, and others seem obscured or greyed out. Can I view them all as I can the 4 A-36 skins below?

 

 

[ROCKET_KNUT]

If I´m not wrong, the effect you´re describing is caused by the alpha channel. The duller the skin in game, the darker the .dds-files look in the viewer (GIMP, inkscape,...).

And here is an excellent guide for beginners in skinning. It might be outdated a bit in some details but it should help you getting started.

 

 

[BOO]

There is a little program call DXTbmp. If you have a few skins where you think "i really like the effect" you can use it to drag the alpha out of a finished dds file. you can also use it to remove the alpha so you just have the paint layers. 

 

It was useful to me as I could see how the orignal skinner has toned their alpha for instance what grade was used for metal, what grade for cloth or wood. Take a little of the guesswork outta stuff. 

 

The temptation with the alpha is to matte everything or leave it out (as on the first of those skins) but if you do this you loose detail from the normal map (the fine detail lumps, bumps and dents) which makes the finished skin lifeless. 

 

 

 

 

[Skywarp]

On 9/15/2022 at 1:32 PM, Feldgrun said:

I'm not a skinner, yet, but am curious about viewing skins on GIMP. Some are easy to view, and others seem obscured or greyed out. Can I view them all as I can the 4 A-36 skins below?

 

 

 

 

Here is what your're looking for: