Alpha channel and semi-transparency

[Nitegeist]

So, we know how to edit the alpha channel; inside BODYPART.TDB there's this bit of code

k_27   // Texture
 "rk_hat"
{
   k_2A   // Bitmap (remove this to denote a TGA texture)
   k_28
   k_2C   // Transparent Color   // CONFIRM THIS ONE
   217
   252
   252
}


...where the three numbers after k_2C // Transparent Color // CONFIRM THIS ONE are the transparent color's RGB values.

 

 

Moving to the subject of semi-transparency, i'm fairly certain it's impossibile to obtain it with textures, but there's a lot of semi-transparent stuff in the game

and i guess the trick here is that the objects themselves are semi-transparent, not the texture.

Also notice how the pharao's curse effect is more transparent at the top and more opaque at the bottom.

[Brickulator]

So I just worked out how to do semi-transparency, I haven't seen it posted before so forgive me if this has already been discussed

I think you can only make whole objects semi-transparent, rather than just parts of the texture like with alpha channels. To do it, you need to go into an MDB file, like BODYPART.MDB, and add the following to one of the material entries:

k_46
[number from 0-255]

0 is fully transparent, 255 is opaque. So for example, I added this:

k_46
127

To the entry for vv_chst, which produced this:

[Aokpisz]

THANK YOU.

*goes off to work on custom Blacktron re-skin*

[Jimbob]

:O

 

Wow. Have a manhug. Thank you so much for uncovering this.

 

Then again, how was this not seen before? Seeing as VV's car is semi-transparent.

[Brickulator]

:o

 

Wow. Have a manhug. Thank you so much for uncovering this.

 

Then again, how was this not seen before? Seeing as VV's car is semi-transparent.

It was completely accidental. I've messing with cutscenes a lot the last couple of days and I noticed the k_46 string while looking through the codes of King Kahuka's cutscene.

[alan]

Yeah, great work!

Another step in the direction of modding LR has been discovered! 

 

Edit: I think this topic should be pinned

[RobExplorien]

:o

 

Wow. Have a manhug. Thank you so much for uncovering this.

 

Then again, how was this not seen before? Seeing as VV's car is semi-transparent.

It was completely accidental. I've messing with cutscenes a lot the last couple of days and I noticed the k_46 string while looking through the codes of King Kahuka's cutscene.

Surprising discoveries are the best.

[Brickulator]

Surprising discoveries are the best.

Indeed they are

This was my second attempt at semi-transparency, after VV's torso...

Ignore everything else that's wrong with the cutscene Like I said I've been messing with them a lot ;)

[RobExplorien]

It is The Flying Dutchman!

[LUModder]

 

Set to 201

[Jimbob]

A ghost pirate texture mod, now that's an excellent idea.