Custom Spray Help

[beejblazzk]

hello,

i have come across a problem in making my custom sprays with transparency. i use paint shop pro 8 and there is not an option for a 32 bit .tga file. which makes vtex, tga2vtf.bat, pointless.

because i cannot make a 32 bit .tga file of my spray, im forced to save as .jpg's and have crappy looking sprays.

ive searched google for hours without end for any plug-in for PSP that can help me save a 32bit .tga file but no luck. the closest i have found to getting an answer is a topic from june of this year in Adobe's forums talking about this problem and how their newest version of photoshop has 32bit .tga and how they took the 32 bit .tga option out of all their previous applications.

if anyone has any hlep on this, or how i can get around the issue of putting transparency into a spray without using vtex and greatly appreciated.

please, oh please, somebody help me out. ROFL

:afro:
scout sniper on compound ftw
:sniper:

 

[DrDevin]

Use the plugin to save directly as VTF files. I think it works in PSP too. Anyway worth a try.

http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?c=155

 

[Qonfused]

Limewire.

 

[beejblazzk]

Limewire.

what do you suggest a proper search string for on limewire?
- 32 bit .tga plug-in ??

 

[beejblazzk]

Use the plugin to save directly as VTF files. I think it works in PSP too. Anyway worth a try.

http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?c=155

OK i got it installed, havent yet tried to save an actually .vtf though.

reason because i dont know the settings of the CS:S vtf. haha

what are the settings you use? or what are/should be the settings of a CS:S vtf?


------
to install the photoshop plug-in for PSP, place both files into the main directory as well as its own folder in the plug-in dir.

 

[StardogChampion]

When the vtf settings box pops up, use these settings:

Template: Compressed Texture With Alpha

That's it. Click OK.

 

[Qonfused]

what do you suggest a proper search string for on limewire?
- 32 bit .tga plug-in ??

I meant for Photoshop.

 

[beejblazzk]

i dont understand why i still dont have transparency in my sprays.

paint shop pro says i have to merge everything in order for the file to be saved (this goes for every single image i save minus those that imaging programs can read. u know what i mean...)

so when i try to save even a png, theres no transparency because whenever i try to save... everything is merged (flattened)... leaving me with a white background!!

UGHHHHHHH

i dont understand. i make a guy with speech bubbles, and transparent background. in the end vtf, following what help i received from this forum and tutorials, i still dont have any transparency. im starting to believe that paint shop pro doesnt allow it. :frown: :frown:

i am getting very annoyed.

 

[beejblazzk]

I meant for Photoshop.

pfft, yeah im ready to flippin' do a search for photoshop cs and screw paint shop pro. heh, maybe downloading maya 6.0 and paint shop pro 8 from warez sites arent the way to go. (that was like almost 2 years ago).

i shall start my search on limewire now. wish me luck! :|

 

[StardogChampion]

i dont understand why i still dont have transparency in my sprays.

paint shop pro says i have to merge everything in order for the file to be saved (this goes for every single image i save minus those that imaging programs can read. u know what i mean...)

so when i try to save even a png, theres no transparency because whenever i try to save... everything is merged (flattened)... leaving me with a white background!!

UGHHHHHHH

i dont understand. i make a guy with speech bubbles, and transparent background. in the end vtf, following what help i received from this forum and tutorials, i still dont have any transparency. im starting to believe that paint shop pro doesnt allow it. :frown: :frown:

i am getting very annoyed.

When you merge an image it should only merge the layers. If you have an Alpha Channel it should still be there after merging. Search in PSP's help file for "alpha channel", or "alpha mask".

Using a transparent BG layer will probably only work when you save as .gif.

 

[beejblazzk]

Alright, Stardog. Thanks for the pointer, I'll keep that in mind.

Here's what i do. open up an image i found on the web to edit, making sure its RGB 8bit. i delete some stuff i dont want, add in some speech bubbles, throw in text. done for everything except the transparency. i use magic wand and since the backgrounds white, i select the background, i inverse it so i get my guy and the speech bubbles. i copy and paste it, which becomes a new layer. now after this part, i dont know why it doesnt work. the copied layer says its transparent. sometimes when i try to save the image as a vtf (using the plugin) i get "error" image width not a power of 2." OR i save as 32bit compressed tga and theres always a white background when i view it in-game using vtex to transform to vtf.

i got photoshop cs now, so if this is what u use.. please give me an example of how to correctly add transparency.. what works for you, i mean. the photoshop help wizard uses my browser and for some reason, searching anything doesn't do anything. (yes, javascript is allowed.) so, whatever.

also, ive noticed using a 256/256 px/px image is still blurry when actually viewed in the game. WHY?!?!?! im going nuts.

this brings up MORE problems, or at least more questions and urgency for advice. what is a good size to make a spray? i assume +256/+256 = clearer because it shrinks. although, -256/-256 or 256/256 will expand, making it furry. i base this upon how i use a big jpg for a spray to a small tiny icon. ive seen sites say that sprays are best no bigger than 256/256, 126/180, 64/64, etc.. BUT IT DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE!!!1!!one!

sorry for sounding like a total tard, but it's hard learning by yourself. didnt think adding transparency to a certain file type would be so hard.

things just aren't going my way lately...

 

[beejblazzk]

i got photoshop cs now, so if this is what u use.. please give me an example of how to correctly add transparency.. what works for you, i mean. the photoshop help wizard uses my browser and for some reason, searching anything doesn't do anything. (yes, javascript is allowed.) so, whatever.

haha popup blocker wasnt allowing me to view the article.

i read somewhere that transparent sprays were lots of work with painting in black/white. now its all coming together. i was confused as to why the transparenct background and white/black and yada yada... all bits of information, and trying to make sense of it all.

i'd still appreciate some acceptable sizes or max image aspects so it doesnt make text blurry. i see peoples sprays that have 100% clear text, and i just dont know how.

i'll look int the "ceating alpha channel" article later. but as for now, ive gotta go out and do some errands.

 

[StardogChampion]

Here's a tutorial I made:
http://sprays.hlgaming.com/tutorials-transparency.php

It's for making transparent text, but just substitute the text for your image.

also, ive noticed using a 256/256 px/px image is still blurry when actually viewed in the game. WHY?!?!?! im going nuts.

If it's blurry in-game then you might not have your texture detail set to high in Options.

this brings up MORE problems, or at least more questions and urgency for advice. what is a good size to make a spray? i assume +256/+256 = clearer because it shrinks. although, -256/-256 or 256/256 will expand, making it furry. i base this upon how i use a big jpg for a spray to a small tiny icon. ive seen sites say that sprays are best no bigger than 256/256, 126/180, 64/64, etc.. BUT IT DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE!!!1!!one!

I think sprays have to be 256x256 in Source. If you want to make a 64x64 spray, paste it into a 256x256 then use the Alpha Channel to block out the extra space. I'm not sure though, I only ever make 256x256 sprays.

 

[beejblazzk]

I <3 Stardog

thanks for all the spray help. ive made 6 sprays over the past day or two or whenever i figured it out. im a fast learner

im already in depth as to making highly detailed solid-to-fading-transparent (opague? cant remember the word that means not entirely transparent) sprays.

mucho fun.