Armor with NiAlphaProperty doesn't react to lighting

[Keks2]

I tried to add transparency to armor but after I add NiAlphaProperty in Nifskope the armor stops reacting to lighting in game. It doesn't matter if my character is in shadow or in sun, the armor is always bright. Transparency is working fine though.

Here is an example: http://imgur.com/a/StVOI. As you can see the clothes are much brighter than skin of my character.

Here is and example without NiAlphaProperty: http://imgur.com/a/B7gph. Chlothes are darker and more natural.

Also, armor with NiAlphaProperty is invisible through a water: http://imgur.com/a/Jw8Al (and without transparency for comprasion: http://imgur.com/a/pzUod   ).

I also checked few translucent armors from nexus. All of them are at least parially invisible through water but none of them had similar lighting problem as mine.

[PsychoMachina]

Open the armor in Nifskope.

Click on the armor and, from the tree list, the armor's NiTriShape will be highlighted.  Expand the NiTriShape branch.

Locate and click on BSLightingShaderProperty and look at the Block Details window at the bottom half of Nifskope.

Locate Shader Flags 2.  To the right, you should have SLSF2 Assume ShadowMask as a selected shader.  If not, double-click the field that lists the shaders for Shader Flags 2 and a drop-down list will appear; select SLSF2 Assume Shadowmask.

Save the mesh and repeat with the other mesh (if you edited armor_1.nif then do the same with armor_0.nif).

 

If the armor contains separate pieces, you will need to repeat the above procedures for each mesh piece.

 

You do not need to do this with the body mesh that is included with the armor.

 

There may be (or not) other shadow-related shader flags you might need to add, but usually the problem you are experiencing is related to a missing ShadowMask.  Don't know how to fix the armor going invisible when underwater.

 

 

[Keks2]

Thank you for ur answer. I did everything you said and the shadows appeared so I guess it's step forward. But unfortunately with that Shader Flag enabled the whole armor is kind of transculent. ( http://imgur.com/a/WUTol , you can see whole body through it). I tried using texture without alpha channel but it didn't changed anything so I think it's still a problem with nif or something. 

[PsychoMachina]

Upload the armor and maybe someone will have a look at it.

[Keks2]

Here are two nifs taken for UNP Minidresses Collection by Tiwa44. I added NiAlphaProperty and Assume Shadowmask to them. If someone could take look at them it would be nice. You don't need orginal mod, just replace them with your files at data/meshes/clothes/fineclothes01.

outfitf_0.nif

outfitf_1.nif

[PsychoMachina]

Question.  What ENB are you using?  Is it quality or performance?

[Keks2]

I am using NLVA Enb, it's pretty balanced in terms of quality/performance but I would say it's more performance.

[Andy14]

If you are using alpha, the effect for glossines / specular is dependent on the normalmap. Unless you created textures for it - In this case - probably not

However, it is usually sufficient to recreate the normal map using an alpha channel. The more transparent the normal map is, the less specular / glossiness effect.

 

[PsychoMachina]

I am using NLVA Enb, it's pretty balanced in terms of quality/performance but I would say it's more performance.

 

The reason I asked is because I was using Puchi, a performance ENB, and the outfit looked normal.  When I swapped to K ENB Pure Light, the outfit completely disappeared.  Double-checked using Dreamer (performance) and Elder Blood (quality) and was able to repeat the results.

 

When using K ENB, I tinkered with the effects turning off Bloom or SSAO and the outfit appeared, but saving, exiting the game, and restarting the game would cause the outfit to disappear again.

 

I tested everything again with an armor set that included parts that were transparent while using K ENB and as you can see, the lace pieces were invisible until I tinkered with some of the effects.

 

 

 

Tested the armor with Puchi and the lace pieces appeared from the start.

 

 

Have you tested the outfit without using an ENB?

[Keks2]

I tried it without ENB, same problem unfortunately. It is much less noticeable, almost unnoticeable in interiors but it's still there.

[PsychoMachina]

Did you intend to make a section of the outfit transparent?  If so then you need to redo the textures so that the alpha channel is applied to the section you want transparent instead of the whole outfit.

[Keks2]

Yup, I want only part of the outfit transparent. I did not put alpha channel on the whole texture, I have this problem even if the texture don't have alpha channel whatsoever. If I put alpha channel on part of the texture, it is transparent, but the rest of the outfit is still weird. I am almost sure it is a nif problem.