Skinning questions for the community:

[Trackmaniack]

Hey forum! A few skin-related questions for those who know...

Concerning the new ability to change the light color in TM2...I can change how the lights -glow- when you're in the night or braking, but not the actual lights themselves. Well, I can, it just--doesn't work right, for some reason. If you've done this, can I get some tips as to what I need to do to fix it?

Okay, second question. In working with "paths" (GIMP's easiest way of making curved shapes), is there a way to get a sticker to conform to a path? For example I want to make a straight line curve? Or potentially vice-versa? If there's no real feasible way of doing this that's okay, just wanted to know.

And lastly, when editing the transparency of a file in GIMP, at least in terms of the SkinDiffuse.dds, I've been told that the opacity of the image = the shininess of the car. Inversely. The more opaque it is, the more shiny it is. However, I can't seem to get this to work in practice. It's -all- maximum shiny, and while it looks okay-ish, it could look even better if I turned the shiny down some, at least I think so.

Thanks in advance for the replies--and really, any reply will do, even if it's just a partial one.

[Trackmaniack]

Hey, in addition to this: Does anybody know the exact HTML code of the "Nadeo green" used in TMS through TMU?

[Xpowaspa]

about the 1st question... how do you even change the glow colour
but seriously, IIRC for most (all?) models the actual lights have always been in 'details.dds' image so editing that should normally change the actual lights.

don't know about the 2nd one (I use Photoshop)

the 3rd question, it's actually the colour of the alpha channel which determines the shininess of the car. the lighter the shade of grey the shinier the car is and vise versa. Remember to save as DXT5 or the compression will ruin the alpha

[Trackmaniack]

about the 1st question... how do you even change the glow colour
but seriously, IIRC for most (all?) models the actual lights have always been in 'details.dds' image so editing that should normally change the actual lights.

don't know about the 2nd one (I use Photoshop)

the 3rd question, it's actually the colour of the alpha channel which determines the shininess of the car. the lighter the shade of grey the shinier the car is and vise versa. Remember to save as DXT5 or the compression will ruin the alpha

Ohhhhhh....so, for 3, when editing in GIMP, I need 3 layers? One for the original file, one for the color I want to make the alpha channel, and one for any color editing I do on top of that? And then mush it down into one layer and compress it and save for things to work? And as for the first question, yeah, there's a new file in the original CanyonCar files now called DetailsIllum.dds...pretty cool if you ask me

[xrayjay]

The shinyness is all managed by the alpha channel, you find some good tutorials there > http://www.trackmania-carpark.com/forum ... 14&t=11806

And for the lights take a look at this post > http://www.trackmania-carpark.com/forum ... 25#p162625

Good luck

[Trackmaniack]

The shinyness is all managed by the alpha channel, you find some good tutorials there > http://www.trackmania-carpark.com/forum ... 14&t=11806

And for the lights take a look at this post > http://www.trackmania-carpark.com/forum ... 25#p162625

Good luck

Thanks a bunch xray...but as it's using Photoshop and a lot of it's in french, I'm still confused
EDIT: I've been poking around with GIMP, and it doesn't seem to be as simple as it's being outlined in Photoshop. For one, I can't actually directly edit the alpha channel, only "Edit Layer Attributes," and even then not the original alpha channel, only a cloned copy, so I don't know if that reflects in the image or not...I certainly can't get anything like you put here, xray...so I must be doing something wrong.

[xrayjay]

np, in the first link i posted i think you will understand how the alpha channel works, on cp is already a little tut for gimp > http://www.trackmania-carpark.com/forum ... 14&t=16692
a few times practicing and you know how the alpha channel will made good i guess

[Trackmaniack]

Thanks a bunch xray, this is exactly what I need

[rockchef]

Ok just a heads up i am an old flightsim skinner and use dxtbmp to mannage my alpha channels and all other sorts of things i used it also when i used to do mods for sunrise am sure it would help you all a lot.

http://www.btinternet.com/~mnwright/programs/dxtbmp.htm

[Trackmaniack]

Very thankful for all everyone's help--it's proven invaluable. Now, I have been unable to fine-tune pieces of the alpha channel (however I don't even know if that's necessary), but what I have found, is a quick-and-dirty way of making an alpha channel straight from GIMP: When you're finished painting a skin, go to "Add Layer Mask", click "Greyscale copy of Layer", and click Add. There. You're done. Just click "Apply Layer Mask" and then save it like you normally would. Again, this isn't exactly Advanced TM Skinning--but for those who want a quick/easy alpha channel, this is how to do it ^_^