Battlezone Universe

Battlezone Universe => Archive Vault => 1.3 Public Beta 5: Tech Alpha 5 => Topic started by: General_Hoohah on June 22, 2009, 03:35:44 AM

Title: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: General_Hoohah on June 22, 2009, 03:35:44 AM
Can a building in BZ2 or for that matter, 1.3, have windows that are tinted blue and are translucent? I need to know because this will impact the way I'm designing an command tower.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: Arbystrider on June 22, 2009, 04:48:13 AM
Don't the comm towers have tinted windows? Look at XMOD.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: Nielk1 on June 22, 2009, 05:13:51 AM
I use Reflection3.PIC with some black tinting and very little opacity. I do not know exactly what the glass flag does, but try adding __g to the end of a mesh name for glass as well.

You MIGHT in some cases want __2g (or __g2) to make it also 2 sided.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: mrtwosheds on June 22, 2009, 09:34:26 AM
The best way to do glass now in ta5+ is using transparent dxtbz2 textures (alpha channel) they look good, can be any colour you want, any amount of transparency and they work in no lighting  mode.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: General_Hoohah on June 22, 2009, 12:41:18 PM
Remember guys, I don't model, I only make concept designs. So lol I have no idea what you're talking about. I just wanted to know if it was possible. :) If anyone wants my stuff, they'll have to take the wings file and do the rest of the stuff to it.... like umm... what you  just said. I don't know much about modeling, just sculpting something and leaving it at that.

Anyway, now I know its possible. :) Thanks
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: TheJamsh on June 22, 2009, 01:34:07 PM
be careful with the opacity setting. i know that if you switch lights to 'none', objects with their own transparency settings will turn solid white.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: Nielk1 on June 22, 2009, 07:19:28 PM
Quote from: TheJamsh on June 22, 2009, 01:34:07 PM
be careful with the opacity setting. i know that if you switch lights to 'none', objects with their own transparency settings will turn solid white.

I've NEVER had that happen. Only lightning ever does it for me, which looks good actually.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: General_Hoohah on June 22, 2009, 10:37:02 PM
Probably different video card drivers... believe me, that can make all the difference in the world. I've had everything happen as a result of changing drivers in lots of video games, from Battlezone, to Battlezone 2, to Far Cry, to Crysis. Everything from dissapearing textures, missing effects, untextured ships, dissapearing water, clear water turning bright green, the sky dissapearing, complete computer melt down... and lots of other wierd stuff. The newer high end video cards like mine seem the most sensitive. AND ITS A PAIN IN THE ASS!!!
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: Avatar on June 22, 2009, 10:54:10 PM
You also don't want one transparency behind another.  BZ2 will NOT like that and throw a framerate temper tantrum...

I agree, the best way is to use texture alpha channels to make things transparent, and the __2 flag to make it double sided.

The __g flag makes things glossy and semi-transparent.  It can do cool things but you give up control over the amount of transparency. 

-Av-
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: General_Hoohah on June 23, 2009, 02:04:42 AM
Hmmm. Does the window have to be a seperate polygon seperate from the building, just fitted into place?
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: GSH on June 23, 2009, 02:06:16 AM
Quote
You also don't want one transparency behind another.  BZ2 will NOT like that and throw a framerate temper tantrum...

I think this is better in 1.3ta5.

-- GSH
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: AHadley on June 23, 2009, 06:36:26 AM
If you want to do things Twoshed's way, I can make the texture. Just tell me the dimensions and what colour you want it. It may be a good idea to try using base textures on the model at first, to see how they look.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: General_Hoohah on June 24, 2009, 10:07:59 PM
Quote from: General_Hoohah on June 23, 2009, 02:04:42 AM
Hmmm. Does the window have to be a seperate polygon seperate from the building, just fitted into place?
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: Clavin12 on June 24, 2009, 10:17:01 PM
Quote from: AHadley on June 23, 2009, 06:36:26 AM
If you want to do things Twoshed's way, I can make the texture. Just tell me the dimensions and what colour you want it. It may be a good idea to try using base textures on the model at first, to see how they look.

BTW Ahadley (this doesn't have much to do with the thread) but can you (and I mean you, yourself not "is it possible") texture models in 3ds, or in x form, because if I help with concept design and modeling for a Community Project I'll need sum1 to do textures for me because I don't have the ability to do that.
Title: Re: Transparent/Translucent Windows?
Post by: AHadley on June 24, 2009, 11:39:18 PM
Not as yet, but I'm working on learning to create new textures so bear with me.