translucency isn’t working

1) Create Cab (or whatever)
2) Use 100% transparency (no translucency)
3) Create faces for windows
4) Merge all faces
5) Rotate object 180 on the Y axis with andquot;Shift Selectionandquot;
andnbsp; andnbsp;button
6) Rotate object -180 on the X axis with andquot;Shift Selectionandquot;
andnbsp; andnbsp;button
7) Right click on object, and rotate back to proper
andnbsp; andnbsp;orientation using the Object Properties dialog box
Texture using translucency (2)
9) Crease (14)

It worked for me, It may or may not work for other
models….. andnbsp; <!– s;) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!– s;) –>

Patrick

I cannot get the translucency to work in this version of
3DC. I have it set to andquot;2andquot;, and I have also tried andquot;1andquot;.
I have tried it with the update plugin, and also by
re-applying the textures.

Have also used Trainsim Wizard, and manual export.

Patrick

One thing to check is that you are having 3DC convert the textures for you. If you have turned off the andquot;convert texturesandquot; check box you will need to convert them yourself.

Richard

I haven’t had any problems with this in my recent testing, but I can have a look at it for you. Can you send your 3DC file and associated textures to <!– e –><a href="mailto:submissions@amabilis.com">submissions@amabilis.com</a><!– e –>?

Richard

Okay, I’ve been playing with this for along time now, and
one thing I’ve noticed.

There are no updated andquot;named_shadersandquot; lines in the
exported .S file.

I had this option working in 3DC 5.?, I don’t remember
what release it was, but it was a release andnbsp;sometime
before 5.5….

Unfortionatly, all of my current 3D models have been
updated to 5.6, and they will not open in any release
earlier then this….

Can someone here at Amabilis please look into this
issue.

Thanks
Patrick

Hi Richard

Well, I feel like an idiot, but I found the problem….

The texture maps I sent you, I shrunk down to 512X512
to save room for the email. The texture maps I’m using
for this locomotive are 1024X1024, and being converted
with TGA Tool2. With TGA Tool2, we don’t get the error
message that the texture maps are to large, it just bypasses
all of that.

Well, for some reason, the larger texture maps, or trainsim,
or it’s conversion process destroys the alpha channel, so
unless your using a fully transparent alpha mask (100%),
you loose the alpha channel all together.

When I used the texture maps in 512X512 size, I have the
semi-transparent windows I’m looking for….. So, we have found the
problem, MSTS does not like 1024 sized texture maps with semi-transparent alpha channels…

Richard, I am sorry to put you through this crap, but at least
I learned something about MSTS today…..

Patrick

Translucency did work (on my computer) with the model you sent. But, I noticed that the priority was not working properly. So, the window was translucent but the trees behind the window were not visible.

This turned out to be something obscure. You have two textures with andquot;translucentandquot; values set. The windows on the side are set to andquot;2andquot;, but the non-translucent area at the front has been set to andquot;translucentandquot;=1. 3DC prioritizes using the minimum andquot;translucentandquot; value. That means the priority was set to andquot;1andquot; not andquot;2andquot; for all translucent textures. I’m going to change 3DC to use the maximum andquot;translucentandquot; value, even though that could mean less efficiency, so there is less confusion.

In the mean time, if you set all non-translucent textures to a andquot;translucentandquot; value of andquot;0andquot; it should work properly. I’ve attached a picture that highlights the area that has a andquot;translucentandquot; value of 1.

Richard

Okay

I’ll be sending it here shortly…

Thanks
Patrick

Okay, thank you….

Patrick

OKay, now that I’ve figured out the translucency bit,
here’s the next problem.

When I use translucency on a face (for semi-transparent
windows), the face seems to glow on and off, depending
where the camara is located in the simulator. This only
happens with the head lights turned on, and at night,
it’s real bad.

I have checked my .ENG files light settings, and they
match 99% of whats been released by others.

Is there a fix for this problem?

I’ve noticed other locomotives do this, but I also see
others that don’t…..

Any ideas?

Patrick

Yeah, that problem has been discussed both here and at train-sim, and I don’t remember ever seeing a good explanation. Look for threads by a guy named andquot;MaineLinesandquot; about a caboose. . .

I think this has been posted here or at train-sim.com but I forget.

Perhaps re-creasing the items will help.

Richard

Patrick,

Can you tell us how to do it?

Richard

Thanks Troub and Richard…

I figured out how to get it to stop…

Thanks
Patrick