Problems With Shields and Gimp

[catoblepas]

Two problems I have been having with skinning so far, both pertaining to shields after editing a unit and they show up in game:
1) First off, after they show up with a dark seam down the middle of the shield, vertically.
2) Secondly, a box often shows up around the shield.

All of these seem to happen regardless of if I modify the shield or not.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://img34.imageshack.us/i/rtwproblem1.jpg/

Any insight into this problem would be greatly appreciated.

[Aradan]

If you paint all the shield's entire texture with one colour and remove the alpha channel (as a test) does that line appear as well? If yes, it's a model issue. If not, check your texture's alpha channels.

If a black square appears around the shield, maybe you're saving in the wrong .dds format, it needs to be DXT5.

[catoblepas]

I have been saving it in DXT5

The alpha channels look fine to me, as far as I can tell:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://img232.imageshack.us/i/shieldproblemi.jpg/
http://img36.imageshack.us/i/shieldproblemii.jpg/

[ferres]

Don't get too close to the edge of the texture map when you're mapping objects.

[catoblepas]

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying, I did not get any closer to the edge than the default texture already was. Could you clarify please?

[ferres]

This is with 3dmax. Move the uvw mapping a little away from the textures edge. Also check your alpha channel more closely. Make sure there is no faint shadows. View it in white not black so you can see it.

[Kylan271]

I have same prob,but I do not know how to use alpha channels. I use copy/paste existing textures and save as DXT3/DXT5(as shown in GIMP list),with mipmaps on. Even if you do not go near a shield,ie just torso,if you edit anything,the shield goes funny,happens everytime I try.. And another thing I notice is my units are 'leggless' if not too careful,even WARSPITE has them on some models-legs do not join with body..lol...

I do not have 3dsMax to help.

[Kylan271]

Anyone with ideas when I edit-just copy/paste texture on existing models there are shield lines????

[Kylan271]

Updating this as possible solution,via Hannibal Smith's idea. Use DDS 2 converter to TGA from DDS(it mucks up alpha channels though),but compression is better. Then convert back to DDS from TGA and seems in my experiment clearer and retains Alpha. For a non proficient skinner,it is best solution I can find.

[Hannibal Smith]

Not quite what I suggested, you can save as TGA in gimp then use the converter.

Ultimately the problem is how the UV Map (part of the model which sets out which areas of the skin apply to which areas of the model) interacts with the skin file. In this case it looks as though the the shield model is a square and is made to look circular with the alpha channel (transparent parts of the skin). The reason that you are sometimes getting a square around your shield is that the model is picking up other parts of the skin that are close. Try to make sure that when you edit the original skin that you're not encroaching on parts that where originally transparent (not even by one pixel).

The other problem is when the file is saved to dds there is some colour bleed, that's why I suggested using the dds converter instead of the one built into gimp as it seems to do a better job. Remember each time you compress you lose quality so only convert to dds once and work from TGA files in GIMP.

[Kylan271]

Ok got your message,thanks for this. Rep for yah. I have been stressed having botched models so went off RTW to play AD&D pc games for a bit. This will boost my morale,so appreciated.


Oh I just looked at GIMP,hmm so how to save in tga? And I have an option I see also in saving normaly-dithering,what is that?

So.

1. GIMP(I have 2.6)-save image as tga
2. Edit tga and save as ?tga again
3. Convert via DDS2 converter to dds.