[Accele]

Ok, so what I'm basically aiming for here is to make a grid of bars, but using a plane with opacity maps. The bars were applied to the plane, with black as what I want transparent. However, it comes out with two problems.

Problem 1) The opacity on the barcage works like the muzzle flash one. Meaning the black is transparent, as it should be, but brownish color the bars are is also slightly transparent. What settings should I be using to make black transparent, but everything not black opaque?

Problem 2) The plane is invisible from one side. If you see it ingame facing in one direction, you can see the mesh, but if you see it from the other side its as if it isn't even there. I know there's some setting in renx to make both sides visible, but I forget what it is.

Anyway, I'd appreciate the help. If I was vague explaining, let me know and I'll try to elaborate.

[Kelso]

Click on the mesh in RenX, click on W3D Tools, Check the radio box that reads 2Sided

[Accele]

thanks for that one. Now, for Problem 2...

[Pestilence]

Kelso's solutions sounds more for problem #2.
for problem #1 in the material editor, Shader tab teh blend mode whould be Alpha Blend. and your Skin texture needs to have an Alpha channel with black marking transparent areas.

sounds like right now your using Add in the blend mode. that would be why the brown bars are also semi transparent, there being added to the background.

[killakanz]

Add just makes dark colours transparent and bright colours glow, which means it's only any good for things like Muzzle flashes or light beams. You wanna put an Alpha Mask on your texture and use Alpha Blend mode.
Making an Alpha Mask on your texture will be explained in the help section on whatever image editor program you use, it's not too difficalt once you know

[Accele]

Thanks, I already had an alpha mask so I could render it in 3dsmax5, I wasn't aware the game accepted them though so I didn't try it. Thanks

[killakanz]

Oh yea Generals accepts Alpha channels, either as 1-bit DDS or standard tga. Just put them on the model under Alpha Blend mode in RenX

[Accele]

I can't figure out the RenX materials window. What am I putting where? I know how to change from opaque to alpha blend, and how to add a texture, but I just don't know which texture goes where. Is it the colored one at stage 0 or the alpha mask or what.

[killakanz]

at Stage 0 Texture, the big button that says none is where you pick your texture, then in the shader tab, switch the blend mode from opaque to Alpha Blend, then assign to the model with the button on the bottom right.

[Accele]

Oh, I was thinking you would have to apply the alpha mask seperately.