Keeping Transparency in .dds Files

[dannamit]

Hey, I started fiddling around with Skyrim mods, and I had a question for all you wise people.

 

I'm using the UNP Clothing Merchants mod (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/24684/?), which includes a modification of UNP Pantyhose. I'm trying to modify the existing files to create different colors of pantyhose (only black and white are available), but I'm running into a lot of difficulty.

 

The default .dds file for pantyhose is translucent (meaning, you can see through it, but it's not completely transparent), with some opaque darker areas (waistband, reinforced toes, backseams). I can change the color and keep the transparency by locking the alpha in the layer. So far, so good.

 

But whenever I export the file as a .dds (since it saves as an .xcf by default), the translucent parts vanish. All I'm left with are the opaque areas.

 

If I remove the alpha, the pantyhose is visible again, but it's no longer translucent. Instead, the pantyhose look like leggings, which isnt' what I want.

 

What exactly do I need to do here?

 

Thanks.

[Alter Native]

Sounds like your doing everything right...

Which compression for the .dds file are you using? I think some compressions don't save the alpha channel. Try using dtx5 or no compression as a test.

[-alpha-]

save as dds. with compression dxt5

[dannamit]

Sounds like your doing everything right...

Which compression for the .dds file are you using? I think some compressions don't save the alpha channel. Try using dtx5 or no compression as a test.

 

That did the trick. Thanks!

[myuhinny]

I use gimp2 with .dds addon and all I ever do is load the file into it add the transparency or make a part transparent and then use the overwrite .dds file and it'll overwrite the file and have no problem and if it doesn't look right you can click undo and retry until you get it to the correct transparency that you want and as long as you don't close gimp you can continue to undo and repeat.

 

Ones like paint-net save different so I use gimp2 for my transparency work.

[dannamit]

Another question. Wasn't sure if I should make a new thread, since it's kinda related to the same subject as this one.

 

I'm fiddling with the pantyhose.dds texture. I'd like to make the top fabric darker to create a control top look. I can do this, but the control top never looks quite right. I think what I need to do is to draw a line across the upper legs, but have it match the same curvature as the waistband. I don't know how to make a line match an existing one, however. Any ideas?

[Guest]

Another question. Wasn't sure if I should make a new thread, since it's kinda related to the same subject as this one.

 

I'm fiddling with the pantyhose.dds texture. I'd like to make the top fabric darker to create a control top look. I can do this, but the control top never looks quite right. I think what I need to do is to draw a line across the upper legs, but have it match the same curvature as the waistband. I don't know how to make a line match an existing one, however. Any ideas?

You can accomplish this sort of work by taking a section of stocking that matches what you want to achieve, define that area with the selection tools, invert your selection and delete everything outside of it, then import that into your working image, position it using the various scale, positioning and perspective tools, do some blending and clean up work so there's nothing incongruous like seams, overlaps etc. Not the most elegant method but can be quite effective.

 

I recently did this to turn a pair of shorts into micro sized ones. The key thing is to ensure that you're conforming to existing mapping otherwise your additions won't be located correctly on the nif. 

[Andy14]

Open the Nif in NikScope.

Right click on the Mesh - Texture -> Eport Template.

Now you have the UV exported as TGA and can work with Gimp or PS with pixel accuracy.

 

Right click -> Edit UV - you can even edit UV in NifScope.

The zoom is not great, but it can sometimes be helpful.

 

 

PS: I do not use often - I forget the handling very quickly  .

Substance Painter I sometimes use to paint directly on 3d model.

[Guest]

 

Open the Nif in NikScope.

Right click on the Mesh - Texture -> Eport Template.

Now you have the UV exported as TGA and can work with Gimp or PS with pixel accuracy.

 

Right click -> Edit UV - you can even edit UV in NifScope.

The zoom is not great, but it can sometimes be helpful.

 

 

PS: I do not use often - I forget the handling very quickly  .

Substance Painter I sometimes use to paint directly on 3d model.

 

Yeah sorry, should have covered that bit myself really, rather than skirting around it.