Trouble with GIMP

[thanatos1590]

I just downloaded the assorted modding tools today and started trying to edit some textures. But I can't figure out how to make parts of it transparent. Or better yet remove pieces entirely. The only help I've been able to find said to use the alpha channel to make certain parts transparent but as this is my first day using GIMP I can't find how to edit anything on the alpha channel or how to use that to make transparent sections.

 

Basic help with how to use this accursed program would be greatly appreciated.

 

(The armor I was editing was the Arena Light Blue Rainment. I want to try and get rid of the fabric sections and leave just the leather parts. Also if there is any way to seperate a mesh into it's component parts that would be great. I would love to be able to edit just the strap boot things.)

[LHammonds]

UK47 found these GIMP tutorials for me which are related to the Alpha Channel:

 

- Changing Background Color

- Create a Shield Symbol

 

Here are some Oblivion-specific tutorials using GIMP:

 

- Better Icons the Easy Way

- Quality Normal Maps

- Wanted Poster

 

EDIT #1:

 

Basic info about creating items with transparency:

1. First, edit your NIF file with NifSkope and right-click on the NiTriStrip that needs transparency, select Node --> Attach Property --> NiAlphaProperty
   
2. Once it is added, be sure to change the "Flags" attribute from 237 to 4845 (Reference Article)
   
3. Save the NIF file.
   
4. Edit the Alpha Channel of the diffuse texture. Everywhere that is white is 100% opaque. Everywhere that is black is 100% transparent and the shades of gray in between those values directly relate to the amount of transparency so solid gray (RGB: 128, 128, 128) will be 50% transparent.
   

Take a look at "Meshes\Plants\cpfern01.nif" and it's related texture file as an example of how Bethesda did it.

 

EDIT #2:

 

Whoops, just read what you are really wanting to do. If you make the clothing transparent, you are going to see through the entire character. There is no "body" underneath the clothing because the cuirass replaces the chest area. You would need to paint skin over the fabric but it would not work perfectly. The skin would need to be a separate NiTriStrip so it could use the special "Skin" material that allows the skin to change color / texture based on the race that is currently being used (peach, green, brown, scales, blue, etc.)

 

For this to work, you would really need to modify this in a 3D modeling program such as Blender (not NifSkope)

 

LHammonds

[thanatos1590]

???

 

I still don't really understand, except of course for the part that says what i'm trying to do is impossible. *sigh*

 

Well then, where can I get a 3d modeling program that will be able to delete sections of the nif?

 

 

 

 

I'm guessing then that the only thing I can actually do is recolor existing armor without changing it's shape? That's not as useful as I would have liked.

 

 

EDIT: Oh and by the way, the main problem was that I couldn't figure out how to edit the alpha channel. I found a window that shows me it exists, but if I click on it nothing I do actually changes anything about it. It just shows up as a featureless white rectangle, or black sometimes.

[LHammonds]

I still don't really understand, except of course for the part that says what i'm trying to do is impossible. *sigh*

I didn't say it was impossible but if you are limiting it to just doing a re-texture using only GIMP and NifSkope, then yes it is impossible to make it look right without editing the mesh.

 

Well then, where can I get a 3d modeling program that will be able to delete sections of the nif?

Take a closer look at my post. There is a link in there to Blender which is uploaded to this site specifically to make it easier for you to get started modeling.

 

I'm guessing then that the only thing I can actually do is recolor existing armor without changing it's shape? That's not as useful as I would have liked.

Again, if you are limiting yourself to just GIMP, you are correct. Blender however changes everything and makes just about anything possible.

 

EDIT: Oh and by the way, the main problem was that I couldn't figure out how to edit the alpha channel. I found a window that shows me it exists, but if I click on it nothing I do actually changes anything about it. It just shows up as a featureless white rectangle, or black sometimes.

That's what the 1st two GIMP tutorials are about - Alpha Channels.

 

LHammonds