Keeping Alpha Channel in TGA skin

[NEONecd888]

I can't seem to save a TGA in Photoshop keeping an extra Alpha channel... Is this even possible? If so, how?

Thanks,
Edan.

[smurfbizkit]

you using photoshop 7? there is some flaw in it regarding the alpha's on tga's...I havn't had any luck with it either

this link might help though
http://www.lowrestv.com/lowres/tutor....asp?tut_id=t6

[Eradicator]

What do you mean extra alpha channel? You mean more than Alpha Channel 1? If you just mean saving a tga with an alpha channel and getting Generals to read make sure you name it Alpha Channel 1 (heh, try 2 :P).

[NEONecd888]

Even when I call it "Alpha 1"... no work. Yeah, I use Adobe Photoshop 7.0.

How do people do it when skinning infantry?

[TylerD]

Targa plug-in
Versions of Adobe Photoshop earlier than version 7.0 saved the first alpha channel in a file into the fourth channel when writing Targa files. Photoshop 7.0 changed the application's default behavior to save transparency information instead of an alpha channel, resulting in incompatibility with some existing workflows. In response to user feedback, this plug-in restores the earlier behavior of the Targa plug-in.

Note: The Photoshop 7.0.1 update contains all functionality included in the revised Targa plug-in, so downloading and using the revised plug-in is unnecessary with Photoshop 7.0.1.

www.adobe.com

[Eradicator]

Even when I call it "Alpha 1"... no work. Yeah, I use Adobe Photoshop 7.0.

How do people do it when skinning infantry?

It needs to be called Alpha Channel 1 not Alpha 1.

[NEONecd888]

Awesome, thanks guys. I had trouble installing the plug-in, but I found an old version of Adobe Photoshop 6.0 I had, and that works fine with saving TGAs. I'll try changing the name too. I'll let you know if it works. Thanks.

[Eradicator]

NP, btw Im not actually sure about the name thing, but I could only get the alpha channel to work when I was making a new repair icon/animation if I named the channel that (using psp7).

[NEONecd888]

Okay, I now have the TGA with the extra alpha channel. Now I am having trouble applying it to the skin.

Does it HAVE to be called "Alpha Channel 1" and not "Alpha 1"? Because it seems that when I save the TGA in photoshop, it is automatically changing it.

When Apply it to the model and Add "Alpha Blend"-- where there is supposed to be color is transparency

When I apply it to the model and add "Alpha Blend" and call the model "HOUSECOLOR01", the whole thing is the house color, and the skin is visible but faded out... so it looks totally wacky.


Is this all due to being unable to change it to "Alpha Channel 1", not "Alpha 1"??

[Eradicator]

I doubt its because of the name. Could your alpha channel is inverted?