Need help with Transparency

[Kalendraf]

I'm attempting to modify an armor skin in my override directory with transparency. I've found a few helpful modding guides on the web detailing how to apply transparency using GIMP, alpha channels and so forth. However, I can't seem to get the final result to work correctly. I'm using Gimp 2.6 and have the DDS plugin. The basic steps I've tried are as follows:

 

1. Open the diffuse DDS file in my override folder using GIMP.

2. Add a mask layer - default opaque (white in mask layer). (Have also tried default transparent, and select from alpha as a starting point)

3. Show mask and edit the mask layer. Add black to areas I want to turn transparent.

4. Apply the mask. In the view, I can now see the areas marked for transparency being indicated with gray squares

5. Save the DDS file back to the override folder. (have tried "save" and "save as" which has the compression options popup)

 

When I start the game to view my results, the area that I modified for transparency now shows up black (as if colored black - there still appears to be a texture there). I've tried saving the DDS with 3 different DXT formats, but none are working as intended. I'm somewhat new to modding, so I might be missing something simple. Any suggestions?

[nezroy]

You must change the default MAO semantic to "AlphaArmourSkinTint" (at LOD1) and "PunchthroughArmourSkinTintL2" (at LOD2) in order to support transparency on the diffuse map (this from looking at the MAOs for Morrigan's Robe, which is just about the only item I know of that uses diffuse map alpha channel).

[Kalendraf]

Thanks a bunch!

 

To get it working, I found I only needed add a MAO file with that AlphaArmourSkinTint setting.