Transparency

[tedii]

Hi everyone,

 

So as you know, I do a bit of outfit modding. I have encountered an issue that I would like some help with from other experienced outfit modders.

 

So I have an outfit with 2 layers of the body and I want to add transparency to both layers. I do this by using nifskope and editing the alpha values. So for example I want the outer layer to have alpha of 0.3 (more transparent) and the inner layer to be 0.75 (mildly transparent).

 

The problem arises when my character wears the outfit in game. When moving around / at certain angles, one of the textures disappears from view (see attachments).

 

It also occurs when I have 1 transparent layer over a slavetat, where similarly, the slavetat disappears from view from certain camera positions.

 

NOTE:

This is not a "lighting" issue (I don't think), the screenshots were taken in the same character position and just rotating the view.

 

If you have any ideas, please help.

 

Cheers,

T

[Andy14]

This is unfortunately normal in Skyrim.
Overlapping faces/meshes with alpha are not displayed correctly (depending on the viewing angle, etc.)

In NiTriShape you can set the Consistency Flags to type CT_Mutable and
in Alpha Properties (NiAlphaProperty, not generally alpha) for Alpha Test Threshold use a higher value for the inner or outer mesh.

 

But 100% will not work either.

 

Alternatively, you can try the mod by HDT.

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/51505

[tedii]

10 minutes ago, Andy14 said:

This is unfortunately normal in Skyrim.
Overlapping faces/meshes with alpha are not displayed correctly (depending on the viewing angle, etc.)

In NiTriShape you can set the Consistency Flags to type CT_Mutable and
in Alpha Properties (NiAlphaProperty, not generally alpha) for Alpha Test Threshold use a higher value for the inner or outer mesh.

 

But 100% will not work either.

 

Alternatively, you can try the mod by HDT.

https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/51505

So by the sounds of it, there is no solution?

 

I notice that some mods have transparency without changing the alpha value, how is that done?

[Andy14]

You do not (usually) use the alpha of BSLightingShaderProperty.
But NiAlphaProperty. Just right click on NiTriShape -> Node -> Attach Property -> NiAlphaProperty.

For this, your diffuse map (_d.dds) must have an alpha channel.

Open a hair.nif - to see more how it works.

[tedii]

5 minutes ago, Andy14 said:

You do not (usually) use the alpha of BSLightingShaderProperty.
But NiAlphaProperty. Just right click on NiTriShape -> Node -> Attach Property -> NiAlphaProperty.

For this, your diffuse map (_d.dds) must have an alpha channel.

Open a hair.nif - to see more how it works.

Hmm.... I've gotten to adding the NiAlphaProperty. But what do I do next?

[Seijin8]

Personally, I would change to flags to 4845, threshold somewhere between 50 and 128.  Note that without using HDT OIT (linked above) you will still get the flickering of the textures from time to time when alpha layers overlap.  OIT fixes this, but comes with some of its own problems.

[Andy14]

First, you should use Blending (4845).

Then, your texture (_d.dds) need a Alpha Channel.

You can make this with Gimp, Photoshop, Paint.net etc.

For controll of glossiness/specular you can use a alpha channel in the normal map (_n.dds) 

[tedii]

Damn things got complicated and technical very quick. I thought it wasn't gonna be easy.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

[idle]

9 hours ago, tedii said:

Damn things got complicated and technical very quick. I thought it wasn't gonna be easy.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Creating_an_armour_for_Skyrim._Part_2#Add_transparency

[Guest]

After successfully adding alpha property to clothing, if I rebuild clothing item in bodyslide, it loses the alpha property.

Any way to lock an alpha property onto a mesh through rebuilding?

 

Or queue or script multiple .nif files for alpha property addition?

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Korgil said:

After successfully adding alpha property to clothing, if I rebuild clothing item in bodyslide, it loses the alpha property.

Any way to lock an alpha property onto a mesh through rebuilding?

 

Or queue or script multiple .nif files for alpha property addition?

Here's the type of transparency work I'm doing with outfits.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Korgil said:

After successfully adding alpha property to clothing, if I rebuild clothing item in bodyslide, it loses the alpha property.

Any way to lock an alpha property onto a mesh through rebuilding?

 

Or queue or script multiple .nif files for alpha property addition?

 

Depends how you did it. I'm assuming you added the NiAlphaProperty to the _0 and _1 before running it through Outfit Studio to make it into a BS conversion, right?

[Guest]

Yes, I'm using "Remodeled Armor for cbbe bodyslide  HDT" (https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/25259/). I go through, set alpha property in nifskope, save mesh.

I can go back at any point, check and still shows alpha property set in nifskope.

I use bodyslide, apply a preset, zap items and then build. Lands in OVERWRITE.

The built meshes are the ones that are missing the alpha property. I can re-add it in nifskope and it'll stay until I build item with another bodyslide preset.

I can't figure out how to get Bodyslide to carry alpha property setting through to new meshes it builds.

If that's something that can't be fixed, I wonder if there's a way to apply alpha property across multiple meshes at once, instead of having to do it to every one by hand.

 

Thanks for taking a look and replying!

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Korgil said:

Yes, I'm using "Remodeled Armor for cbbe bodyslide  HDT" (https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/25259/). I go through, set alpha property in nifskope, save mesh.

I can go back at any point, check and still shows alpha property set in nifskope.

I use bodyslide, apply a preset, zap items and then build. Lands in OVERWRITE.

The built meshes are the ones that are missing the alpha property. I can re-add it in nifskope and it'll stay until I build item with another bodyslide preset.

I can't figure out how to get Bodyslide to carry alpha property setting through to new meshes it builds.

If that's something that can't be fixed, I wonder if there's a way to apply alpha property across multiple meshes at once, instead of having to do it to every one by hand.

 

Thanks for taking a look and replying!

 

Okay. I have an idea but first I need you to check your converted outfit/armor in CalienteTools/BodySlide/ShapeData and see if the NIAlphaProperty is applied there. If not, that might be the culprit. If it is applied, I have no idea.

 

I ask because I use BD UUNP Skyrim Armor and Clothes Replacer and the Barkeeper outfit has transparency. When you select your BS preset and export the outfit, it remains transparent. I checked the nif in ShapeData and it has NiAlphaProperty added. So I suggest checking if yours does. Hopefully it doesn't and applying it to the nif in ShapeData will cause the nif to export it in BS with NiAlphaProperty.

[Guest]

I see what you mean . CT77 Wench Outfit has transparency as downloaded. Bodyslide does a half-assed render of transparency in Preview but it's there. And yeah, applying presets keeps the transparency in place. So gotta look in nifskope and see how it's alpha settings differ from other meshes I edited.

 

Ok, went and edited chest mesh in nifskope, set alpha properties same as the trim alpha properties; saved file. Opened it back up in Bodyslide and it did not show transparency on the chest section. Somehow what I save in nifskope is read as transparency by the game but not by bodyslide, and that's why it doesn't show up after Bodyslide makes an edited copy in OVERWRITE. 

Just hit me Bodyslide is not using the same texture file I used for adding transparency to yellow chest area on mesh.

Ok, I set enable blending flag for chest mesh and entire mesh goes transparent. Save, Bodyslide; chest has no transparency. So yeah, some bit isn't getting set that allows bodyslide to read the transparency settings I'm placing on the meshes. Hmm...