Second Life Forums Archive - My Transparent is Black! Can I get a freebie?

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

02-14-2007 18:53

I'm sorry to be asking this, but here goes: Is there source for a simple, all transparent texture? I tried to make my own using my newfound abilities and ended up with a black square! Before I spend a whopping $10L to upload another failure I feel compelled to ask, is there a place to get a free or inexpensive all trans texture? And if it's not too much to ask, copyright free would be nice

Thanks and Happy Valentine's Day!

Sylvia Trilling

Flying Tribe

Join date: 2 Oct 2006

Posts: 1,117

02-14-2007 19:01

I sent you one ingame. It is called transparentAlpha.

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

02-14-2007 19:03

You're the best, Sylvia! I appreciate your generosity.

Ceera Murakami

Texture Artist / Builder

Join date: 9 Sep 2005

Posts: 7,750

02-15-2007 15:38

FYI - It sounds like you saved it as 24-bit TGA or some format other than TGA. It needs to be 32-bit TGA to retain transparency.

_____________________

Sorry, LL won't let me tell you where I sell my textures and where I offer my services as a sim builder. Ask me in-world.

Duke Vanbeeck

Registered User

Join date: 7 Dec 2006

Posts: 1

02-21-2007 02:42

Hi!
Try to look at these tutorials. They've helped me a lot

http://www.sluniverse.com/kb/article.aspx?id=10190
http://www.sluniverse.com/kb/article.aspx?id=10199

Duke

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

02-21-2007 05:32

Thanks for the info, folks. I seem to have found what I was doing wrong. It has something to do with going back and making changes on my opaque layer after saving the mask and then proceeding and saving the mask again. It just doesn't work. If I do it again, I'll try to record all the steps I did in hope there's a way to fix it instead of having to start over. It's been a long time since I've worked with paint programs.

Kathryn Mahoney

Registered User

Join date: 4 Apr 2006

Posts: 68

02-21-2007 06:32

Chosen, please explain about the more than one alpha channel problem. I've tried three times and every time my explanation just sounds more confusing. In short, if you end up with more than one alpha channel it messes things up.

Katie

Robin Sojourner

Registered User

Join date: 16 Sep 2004

Posts: 1,080

02-21-2007 14:05

I'm not Chosen, but that's exactly right, Kathryn.

It's like Highlander; There Can Be Only One.

You see, the .tga format doesn't allow multiple Alpha channels.

If you have more than one, Photoshop (and, I believe, most of the other graphics programs) doesn't really know what to do. So it saves a totally opaque Alpha Channel, instead.

Which results in a totally opaque 32 bit texture. No transparency, but with all the Alpha Sorting problems of a transparent texture. Sort of like the worst of both worlds.

The solution is simple. Open the Channels palette, and delete all but the one Alpha Channel you want. Then save as a 32 bit tga, and you'll have what you expect.

(For Photoshop Elements users, who don't have a Channels palette, go to the Delete Selection menu, and Delete all but the one you want. If you're not sure which one that is, Delete them all, and make a new one.)

Hope this helps!

_____________________

Robin (Sojourner) Wood
www.robinwood.com

"Second Life ... is an Internet-based virtual world ... and a libertarian anarchy..." Wikipedia

Bodhisatva Paperclip

Tip: Savor pie, bald chap

Join date: 12 Jan 2007

Posts: 970

02-22-2007 09:26

Thanks so much, Robin! I've redone the ones I screwed up but next time I see something I missed and have to go back I'll have a handle on what's going on and what to do.

(BTW, I don't know if you saw it, but I made a t-shirt with your template and tutorial and now I'm in danger of becoming a t-shirt junkie--Xlent resources!! Thanks!)

My Transparent is Black! Can I get a freebie?
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	02-14-2007 18:53 I'm sorry to be asking this, but here goes: Is there source for a simple, all transparent texture? I tried to make my own using my newfound abilities and ended up with a black square! Before I spend a whopping $10L to upload another failure I feel compelled to ask, is there a place to get a free or inexpensive all trans texture? And if it's not too much to ask, copyright free would be nice Thanks and Happy Valentine's Day!
Sylvia Trilling Flying Tribe Join date: 2 Oct 2006 Posts: 1,117	02-14-2007 19:01 I sent you one ingame. It is called transparentAlpha.
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	02-14-2007 19:03 You're the best, Sylvia! I appreciate your generosity.
Ceera Murakami Texture Artist / Builder Join date: 9 Sep 2005 Posts: 7,750	02-15-2007 15:38 FYI - It sounds like you saved it as 24-bit TGA or some format other than TGA. It needs to be 32-bit TGA to retain transparency. _____________________ Sorry, LL won't let me tell you where I sell my textures and where I offer my services as a sim builder. Ask me in-world.
Duke Vanbeeck Registered User Join date: 7 Dec 2006 Posts: 1	02-21-2007 02:42 Hi! Try to look at these tutorials. They've helped me a lot http://www.sluniverse.com/kb/article.aspx?id=10190 http://www.sluniverse.com/kb/article.aspx?id=10199 Duke
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	02-21-2007 05:32 Thanks for the info, folks. I seem to have found what I was doing wrong. It has something to do with going back and making changes on my opaque layer after saving the mask and then proceeding and saving the mask again. It just doesn't work. If I do it again, I'll try to record all the steps I did in hope there's a way to fix it instead of having to start over. It's been a long time since I've worked with paint programs.
Kathryn Mahoney Registered User Join date: 4 Apr 2006 Posts: 68	02-21-2007 06:32 Chosen, please explain about the more than one alpha channel problem. I've tried three times and every time my explanation just sounds more confusing. In short, if you end up with more than one alpha channel it messes things up. Katie
Robin Sojourner Registered User Join date: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 1,080	02-21-2007 14:05 I'm not Chosen, but that's exactly right, Kathryn. It's like Highlander; There Can Be Only One. You see, the .tga format doesn't allow multiple Alpha channels. If you have more than one, Photoshop (and, I believe, most of the other graphics programs) doesn't really know what to do. So it saves a totally opaque Alpha Channel, instead. Which results in a totally opaque 32 bit texture. No transparency, but with all the Alpha Sorting problems of a transparent texture. Sort of like the worst of both worlds. The solution is simple. Open the Channels palette, and delete all but the one Alpha Channel you want. Then save as a 32 bit tga, and you'll have what you expect. (For Photoshop Elements users, who don't have a Channels palette, go to the Delete Selection menu, and Delete all but the one you want. If you're not sure which one that is, Delete them all, and make a new one.) Hope this helps! _____________________ Robin (Sojourner) Wood www.robinwood.com "Second Life ... is an Internet-based virtual world ... and a libertarian anarchy..." Wikipedia
Bodhisatva Paperclip Tip: Savor pie, bald chap Join date: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 970	02-22-2007 09:26 Thanks so much, Robin! I've redone the ones I screwed up but next time I see something I missed and have to go back I'll have a handle on what's going on and what to do. (BTW, I don't know if you saw it, but I made a t-shirt with your template and tutorial and now I'm in danger of becoming a t-shirt junkie--Xlent resources!! Thanks!)

Welcome to the Second Life Forums Archive

My Transparent is Black! Can I get a freebie?