12 réponses à ce sujet

[IAmDeathComeForThee]

How do I get alpha maps to work ig when applying a material to a mesh in 3ds?  I can't seem to get this to work.

I'm trying to creat a completely invisible weapon by applying a full transparency map to the object, and then just apply a weapon VFX in the toolset.

A point in the right direction would be very much appreciated as far as 3ds settings go etc. 

[Tchos]

I can tell you how to do it outside of 3DS, if that will help. The transparency map is the alpha channel of the diffuse map for NWN2. So, if I were to make a completely invisible object, I would create a full-black alpha channel for the main diffuse map, and then open up the MDB in MDB cloner and choose "use alpha transparency".

[IAmDeathComeForThee]

That is completely fine, as long as there is some way for me to do it. I'll give MDB cloner a go then.
Thanks a lot for the reply.

[Dann-J]

IAmDeathComeForThee wrote...
I'm trying to creat a completely invisible weapon by applying a full transparency map to the object, and then just apply a weapon VFX in the toolset.

I beleive one of the Sword of Gith blueprints does that. The handle and guard are visible, but one of the blade variations is completely invisible (or just doesn't have any polygons) with a VFX attached to replace the blade.

The 'shadow general' blueprint seems to be holding that version of the sword. You can't see the VFX in the toolset, so it looks like he's holding a broken sword. I've never checked what the shadow general looks like in-game though.

[PDubulous]

If you want to see what your alpha looks like in 3ds Max, you must copy the bitmap from the diffuse position and then paste it to the opacity position. Once there, you have to select the bitmap and them change the bitmap parameters "Mono Channel Output" and "Alpha Source" to Alpha and Image Alpha respectively. Let me know if you need a visual and I'll throw something together. I also do the same thing with the Alpha from the Normal Map so that I can see how the Specular looks in Max.

[PDubulous]

Another option you may try for an invisible weapon... maybe... is create a SEF in the Visual Effects Editor and then add a "Game Model Effect" of "Change Alpha" and then add the effect. No need for a custom model. I tried it with a creature and it worked. Do you want the effect to outline the invisible blade? I think maybe an animated TGA might be needed on a custom model for that.

[IAmDeathComeForThee]

Hey sorry for forgetting about this, but I had sort of just abandoned the issue i was having, but ran into this again. MDB cloner doesn't work as that works with only one texture and a single object model. I have a multi object model with 2 separate textures that have transparency but I can still not get to work. When I try to apply your method PD, I don't have the option to change "Mono Channel Output" and "Alpha Source" to Alpha and Image Alpha respectively. They are faded out as non-optional.

I'm asuuming there is some other simple setting I need to apply for this to change, but I can't seem to figure it out.

[Dann-J]

PDubulous wrote...

Another option you may try for an invisible weapon... maybe... is create a SEF in the Visual Effects Editor and then add a "Game Model Effect" of "Change Alpha" and then add the effect. No need for a custom model. I tried it with a creature and it worked. Do you want the effect to outline the invisible blade? I think maybe an animated TGA might be needed on a custom model for that.

That works fine with creatures, but won't work on most standard weapon models already in the game. I think that Akachi's scythe is the only weapon in the game that supports transparencies at the moment.

Maybe if you cloned the weapon model you wanted, and made sure to check the 'use alpha transparency' box in MDB Cloner, then alpha-changing FX might start to work on them. That'd make things like semi-transparent ice weapons doable.

[IAmDeathComeForThee]

Well Ive moved on from the above weapon situation and onto placeables now. In particular I have a building that is composed of two objects, each with their own set of textures (diffuse and normal). The one has of course an alpha channel and I am trying to apply the transparency.

If I use MDB cloner, the texture with the alpha channel is applied to the other object which should have an entirely separate texture. So this is where the problem lies, how do I get the transparency to apply to just the one part of the model and not the other, which is not what I'm getting with MDB cloner.

Making two separate MDBs and fitting them up to each other in the toolset is of course not an ideal situation.

Modifié par IAmDeathComeForThee, 11 février 2013 - 03:00 .

[Dann-J]

It sounds like you'd have to built the two models separately, get them both as you want them transparency-wise, then join them together using SnipMDB.

http://nwvault.ign.c...ls.Detail&id=80

Modifié par DannJ, 11 février 2013 - 03:27 .

[-Semper-]

IAmDeathComeForThee wrote...

When I try to apply your method PD, I don't have the option to change "Mono Channel Output" and "Alpha Source" to Alpha and Image Alpha respectively. They are faded out as non-optional. I'm asuuming there is some other simple setting I need to apply for this to change, but I can't seem to figure it out.

pd described a way to show transparency within the viewport of max - this has nothing to do with nwn2's engine. you have to add an alpha channel to the diffuse maps of your two meshes. the one without the transparency needs a completely white one and the other one a regular alpha map (like this for example). after adding your textures you have to change the properties of your model to "transparency mask" with the nwn2 utility. this utility is added with tazpn's plugin.

afterwards your model uses the alpha channel. no need to fiddle around with dozens of clone apps.

Modifié par -Semper-, 11 février 2013 - 09:28 .

[IAmDeathComeForThee]

Pshh, that's it? Man, thanks Semper. I've had tazpn's exporter installed forever and never knew that. Sheesh, thanks a ton. Transparency is working perfectly now.

[-Semper-]

np. sry that i overlooked your topic months ago. it could've been so easy