Transparent Window Texture

[ZeroError2K8]

Can anyone help me on properly making a window texture I have transparent? I've looked at Unreal Wiki but it didn't really help me. I need a step by step tutorial on how to do this especially making it shiny. Anyone have any leads? I use Photoshop to edit textures...

[Herr General]

Well, there are several built in glass textures in the package UCGeneric. You may want to look at those to see how they did it, or possibly just use them.

[Super Dante]

That would be my suggestion as well. AWGlobal also has many glass shaders etc.

[[s§s]Bison_Boy]

just take the image you have and add an alpha channel in a photoeditor like gimp. Then import using alpha the transparancy is what is controlled by the alpha channel. REmember to import the file as a .tga (targa) file and once mported comressee using dxt5.

[ZeroError2K8]

I've tried that method and when I import the texture and check the alpha property nothing happens, the texture does not appear translucent.

[ZeroError2K8]

Hah! found the problem, PS 7.0 cannot save alpha channels for targa files but adding the new targa plug-in fixed it.

[Super Dante]

Make sure to save them as 32-bit!

[bbongo]

You may find that particle systems don't display through them, though. I usually leave them open, with a collision hull instead. Unless someone knows why particle systems can't be seen behind alpha tex'd objects & how to fix?

[Super Dante]

You may find that particle systems don't display through them, though. I usually leave them open, with a collision hull instead. Unless someone knows why particle systems can't be seen behind alpha tex'd objects & how to fix?

It's a Z Write issue.

Long story short, you can try to use a FinalBlend material (look at UCGeneric again) or a shader. Sometimes, the shader will act funky, sometimes the FinalBlend will act funky. All this depending on if a glass "surface" is a mesh or BSP.

For example if you have a glass texture with a emitter using some bubbles, like from, say, DM-Oceanic, many times they will not show up properly. (The bubbles through the galss)

I have'nt nailed it down to one particular thing, I just fool with the shader and the Final Blends, and try a mesh if I can, and see what works best. Glass and transparent materials in UT2004 are not without their limitations. If you really think about it, all the glass you see in UT2004 maps face out, and away from the play area. There are few instances where the glass is seen through both sides, or that you can see players through.

[bbongo]

Thanks Super Dante, I was completely hung on that one. I even contemplated making 2 window glasses cuz of the one-sided mat preference.

[Super Dante]

Np. I guess my blood swaet and tears did a little good:)