hey all
this is for cod4, sorry i posted this in the uo section.

i have a question about an image.

i have created a new grenade icon image to replace the stock hud grenade image.
everything shows up correctly but i noticed that the actual grenade icon is a solid image.
i wanted the image to be slightly see through.

i know how to use assetmanager and all but how is the see through effect created?

would anyone be willing to give me a quick write up on how to achieve this please?

thank you so much guys for taking the trouble to help me.

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First you image must have an alpha channel so that it will create the transparency, then in Assman you can pick "blend"; Look at this tutorial, its for the minimap but its the same principle and it should help you.

firstly thank very much for the reply i appreciate your help.

secondly, i followed the tutorial link you gave to a tee.
recompilled the image using the settings.

went back into cod4 to check out the image.
the image is there but it's not see through like i was hoping.

this is what i did exactly:

1) transparent background canvas.

2) image placed in the centre of canvas.

3) right clicked on image in layers table and merged group.

4) holding down CTRL and left click mouse button on my merged image in the layers table, doing this outlines the image i want.

5) i goto channels and left click on the box at the bottom that looks like a camera icon, which is the alpha creation tab.
which creates an alpha 1 channel.

6) i then goto file/save as. and save the image as grenade_test, with the format .DDS then hit save.

7) my nvidia format box popsup, and using these settings:
DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha
2D Texture
Generate MIP maps
and choose save.

8) i loadup Asset Manager and choose material, then i selected New Entry and named my image grenade_test.

9) I then use the settings that are described in the link you sent me sir.

10) once created i copy the newly created iwi from the raw/images folder and paste it into my mods images folder.
i repeated the steps but this time with my materials folder.

compiled and tested again
The image is on the hud but i wanted the image to be see through.

sorry to be a pain but i tried to explain step-by-step what i did exactly.

maybe i am doing something wrong here within photoshop maybe?

please advise sir or anyone.

many thanks for taking the time to help me resolve this issue as i'm sure myself and others would indeed benefit from this post.

Thank You

edited on Jan. 3, 2011 09:06 pm by JackBauer

edited on Jan. 3, 2011 09:07 pm by JackBauer

ok i dont think it is anything to do with asset manager but more of how i am trying to save my image in photoshop.

or rather the way i am creating my alpha channel.

any chane anyone would please give me a quick crash course on how to correctly create the image so it is see through ingame?

or rather, slightly transparent

I suppose the icon is over a white (or any other solid color) background. If so, choose the Magic Wand (with low tolerance) and click anywhere on the background. This will select everything except the icon. Then go to Selection -> Save selection, give it a name.
Now, switch to channels. Your selection is the last one in the list and can be used as an alpha channel.

Select your icon and give it a greyish color. The darker the gray is, the more transparent your icon will be.
Then select everything else and make it black (fully transparent).

Save your file as a 32bit TGA. Then select DXT5 as a compression method in Asset Manager.

yeah it's not working correctly for some reason.

would anyone be willing to do a quick video for me at all please?

as i'm not getting it right somehow

ok i have done this video to show where i got to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toeJFCA86P8

Yeah, sorry, I didn't explain it 100% properly.
I was referring to the alpha channel. Select the white part and give it a grayish color.
Also, on the actual image, you should probably have a background. Any color will do, doesn't matter, as that part will be fully transparent.

Thank you so much for explaining it to me.

I appreciate you taking the time.