Transparent resource images... HOW?

[Burn]

Hi all :wave:, I've got a few real annoying problems on my hands here, well the ones that's giving me the most headache, is how to create a transparent resource image. Well I've tried virtually everything: searched google for tutorials on how to create alpha channel (that's an transparent overlay btw), tried modifying other peoples transparent resources and saving them back to .paa, searched the forums, searched for tutorials, experimented some more on my image editing software, read a few other tutorials, and what do I get?!?!... Nothing, nada, zip... no effect what so ever, sometimes TexView (BIS Texture viewer) didn't even open those god damn .tga files .  :-\Anyways I'm using a trial version of PSP8 (Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8... took me 3 friggin' hours to d\l), so I tried to open up those files that I'd saved as .tga format, and check if there was any alpha channel present (there's a load mask from alpha channel button), so was there any :hmm:?!! NO WAY . Well I've been at this for a few days now and I've got no clue what so ever what I'm doing wrong here, and it's really... I mean REALLY starting to pee me off . So before I self ignite could anyone kind enough, that has even so much as a hint of what I'm doing wrong here give me a clue... this is giving me skin disorders, and I've recently started to have chest pains :hmm: :beat:... pleeeeeeeaase have mercy on me :'(. :help:

[Sui]

They way I tend to do it is create a new image with the background set to transparent. I then cut/paste the intended resourse object into that.

I save it as a .tga, and then use texview to convert it to .paa.

I wouldn't bother with alpha channels, as OFP only uses simple images. Masking and layers would just confuse the hell out of it ;D

Try that and see if you have any joy...

[Burn]

Ok I did what you said: created a new image set to transparent, wrote a simple text on it with the text tool and saved, then i got this:

Because of the limitations of the specified file format (and possibly the save options you've selected), the saved file will be limited to a merged image. Would you like to continue?

I clicked on yes... then I tryed to open it up in texview... but... no go. It just wouldn't open the damn file, what's up with that. :hmm: :-\

[Sui]

Hmm... I'm afraid I'm not sure what the answer to that one is...

I use photoshop, rather than PSP. I wouldn't think it should make that much of a difference though.

I'm guessing you need to get it so it's not a merged image, but I'm not sure how you'd go about that...

[Burn]

Well thanks anyways ... I'll have to go get some sleep now, before this takes away my sanity (...too late  :beat:), Well have to look at my setup tomorrow then. Or perhaps d\l Photoshop, but let's hope it don't come to that :noo:... see ya :wave:

[Black_Feather]

hmm I think you have to make sure the tga isn't compressed, press the option button when you save the file.

[Burn]

Sorry for the late reply guys, my computer DIED :'(, so I've have to salvage whats left and have it rapaired... well anyways,
@ Black_Feather
Thanks for the reply mate :thumbsup:, about that options button, i didn't see any options button when i saved, or did you meen the properties button? (or whatever it's called) ...I might not post anything for a while, depends on how fast the raparations on my computer comes along, but feel free to reply any suggestions or solutions to my problem. I'll try to reply as fast as possible.
Thank you both for helping me out, I appresiate it alot :thumbsup: :cheers:

[Burn]

Huh ... no help\replies :hmm:. Ok, well my comp's back up n' running, and I've discovered that the reason those damned images wont open in TexView definitely has something to do with PSP, and to Black_Feather I found that options button when saving, and checked that uncompressed option, but no result .
@Sui

I wouldn't bother with alpha channels, as OFP only uses simple images. Masking and layers would just confuse the hell out of it

But texView-ReadMe sez:
Supported formats
=================

Input:

JPG
TGA (24 bit / 32 bit with alpha channel )
PAA
PAC

Important note: All input textures should have resolution 2^x / 2^y (e.g. 16 / 16, 32 / 32, 64 / 64, 256 /256)

Output:
TGA (32 bit with alpha channel)
PAA/PAC ( 12 bit RGB + 4 bit alpha channel / 8 bit grayscale + 8 bit alpha channel / 16 bit DTX DirectX compressed texture format with optional 1 bit alpha channel)
==================================================
So doesn't that mean that a transparent picture has to have alpha channel in OFP :hmm:

And I also checked your pic's that you used in "Facile Ground" (great mission btw) in TexView, and found out that your resources also used alpha channel...

I could just use my crappy ol Microsoft "picture it!" photo editing program that can't do all those fancy things that PSP can (like creating a transparent image), but at least with that I can use the images I make in OFP. Another option would be to d\l a trial version of Photoshop, but I'd really like to get this working... So any of you know how to get this to work or maybe this should be moved over to add-ons editing. :-\

[Sui]

It may do acutally...

However when I tried to 'add' alpha channels, it kind of spit the dummy

Also bear in mind that it is possible to have images that work fine in texview, but not in OFP as far as I know