First of all, here is a quick tutorial on:-


Creating an alpha layer in Paint Shop Pro.

1. Use the 'Magic Wand' selection tool to select only the area that you want to add transparency to.
   
   TIP: You can alter the settings of the wand tool so that it will select across a broader range of colours.
   
   
   
2. Select the menu option:-
   
   Masks \ New \ Hide Selection
   
   This will cause the selected area to become transparent. Now deselect the selection.
   
   
   
3. Now select the menu option
   
   Masks \ Save To Alpha Channel...
   
   This will open the 'Save To Alpha' dialogue box.
   
   
   
4. Select 'New Channel' and click "OK" to open the 'New Channel' dialogue box.
   
   
   
5. Enter the name "alpha" in the text box and click "OK". Now it will possible to store your transparent background when you save in .TGA or .DDS formats.
   
   
   
   
6. For icons, and any other images where you want to have a black background to represent the transparent area, now select the menu option
   
   Layers \ New Rastor Layer
   
   and when the dialogue opens, just click "OK" accepting the default settings.
   
   
   
7. Use the 'flood fill' tool to colour the whole image black. The fill will only actually affect the new layer you have just added, so don't worry when your icon disappears.
   
   
   
8. Select the menu option
   
   Layers \ Arrange \ Send To Bottom
   
   now your icon should reappear, with a new black background.
   
   
   
   
9. For all images, now select the menu option
   
   Layers \ Merge \ Merge All (Flatten)
   
   This will squish all of the layers, including the alpha, into one making your image flat with a black background (if you included steps 6-8) that will be rendered transparently in MW.
   
   
   
10. For icons only, resize your image to 32x32 pixels, using bilinear compression method.
    
    
    
11. Save your image either as a TGA (Truevision Targa) or a DDS (Direct Draw Surface) file.
    
    Notes:
    
    For TGA format, the 'options' (click the button marked 'options') should be set as 24 bit and 'uncompressed'.
    
    To save directly to DDS format, you need the NVIDIA dds plugin. You also need to select the DXT3 format, when asked, to preserve the alpha layer.

The following is a list of applications, that I and others have tried, (many free to download) for converting other image formats to DDS.

This is the best format for the majority of artwork for Morrowind since it compresses images and allows them to be rendered faster by the Morrowind game engine, maintaining the best game performance. It also keeps your plugins small and quick to download.

• PaintShop Pro v7 (Jasc Software) with DDS plugin (NVIDIA):
  
  - converts individual files fine to any DDS format, including DXT3 which is essential for preservation of alpha transparency.
  
  - converts *small* batches of files, but process tends to break down when converting larger batches. Also, requires constant user input (reselection of save preferences) during batch conversion.
  
  
  
• ConvIm (MW Graphics):
  
  - converts individual files or batches automatically.
  
  - limited to DXT1 format with no apha transparency support.
  
  
  
• DXT BMP (MW Graphics), info provided by OldeCow69:
  
  - converts individual files to multiple DDS formats, including DXT3.
  
  
  
• DDSTool (John Ratcliff, available from flipcode.com):
  
  - batch conversion only.
  
  - I have found this to be limited to DXT1 format with no support for alpha transparency, but some people have reported it works fine for them.
  
  
  
• NVDXT stand alone batch compressor (NVIDIA):
  
  - command line batch converter.
  
  - converts to any DDS format, including DXT3 with alpha transparency support.
  
  
  
• devIL (available from SourceForge), info provided by Om:
  
  - apparently also supports DDS, but I have no further info.

Very useful tutorial! And one I need to study carefully myself.

As the threads here now have a 30 day lifespan, I made this page:

http://www.zyworld.com/redwoodtreesprite/E...rial-Nigedo.htm

I haven't linked to it from anywhere but this thread. If it's OK with you, I'd like to link to it from my various appropriate MMRD and Modding on a $0 Budget pages.

I'd be updating it as any additions to this thread are added.

DXT Bmp can export to DDS and TGA with full alpha support

also, Gimp can do alphas and save in TGA by starting with a transparent backround ;)

Wow! Well done Sprite. That's really helpful. I posted this before I learned about the 30 day thing. Sure, do what you want with it.

It's worrying actually. In the future people may decide not to post tutorials or links lists because of the thread expiry issue. If they don't have web dev skills, their knowledge might not see the light of day.

Thanks again. :goodjob: B)

nigedo, i'm thinking of doing a comprehensive alpha channel tutorial, and would like to use your photoshop tutorial in it, as i do not have, and never have had, photoshop

it will include tutorials for the following programs:
-Photoshop
-Paint Shop Pro
-Gimp 2.0
-DXT Bmp

Sure, go ahead. B)

But you will find that the tutorial above is for Paint Shop Pro, not Photoshop. :wink:

Eek. Sorry to jump in but this is the first I've heard of the 30 day issue!

Did I hear right ... threads are <gasp> unavailable to us ANYWHERE after that time. Not even archived somewhere ?!? That would be dreadful, one of the greatest virtues of these boards was the huge fund of knowledge contained in many old(er) threads.

yeah, i knew that nigedo :P

did the 30 day expiry issue happen with the old forums too?

my icon tut thread seemed to last much longer than that