Alpha Channel - Photoshop tutorial

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 23-12-2003 23:55

Alpha Channel.

Paint your radar as normal. Make sure you color/paint the out side area of your radar all one color.

When done painting:

1.) Select the magic wand tool [left side tool bar - 2nd down on the right] and click the outside area of your map. (dashed lines should be at the edges of the picture and around the usable part of your radar.) Use the select menu > inverse [top menu - just under the adobe photoshop name]. Now your usable radar area should be surrounded by moving dashed lines and that's it.

2.) At the bottom of the layers/channels/path/ box [lower right side] is a selection for create new channel. Hit it. In that same box click the alpha channel (this switches from the RGB to the alpha channel). The dashed lines should be on solid black background of the alpha channel.

3.) Now select your paint bucket tool [left side tool bar- 6 down on the right]. Pick a gray color from the swatches box [upper right]. I suggest 25%. Click in the middle of the dashed lines. You now have an alpha channel. The black part won't be visible and the gray will be translucent to the degree of the gray color.

4.) One more thing to clean up the edges. (this is for what you'll see ingame.) You want your alpha channel gray one unit short of the edge of your border [see bottom picture]. Use the magic wand tool to select the outside black portion of your radar. (dashed line should be at the edges of the picture and around the gray/black change).

5.) Select the paint bucket tool. Select the color black off the swatches. Click on the black portions of your radar. Keep clicking until the black has spread one unit in from the dashed lines and is solid black. (each click should darken the black/gray edge just inside the dashed line.

6.) When you can use the magic wand tool to select the only the gray part your done.

7.) Import into unrealed (deselect midmaps and select alpha channel) and use that texture for the radar as is.

Post by **DavidM** » 24-12-2003 00:02

http://thesprayshop.net/tutorials/tut_p ... lpha.shtml

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 24-12-2003 00:49

The picture is of photoshop with the Right Corner Radar (right), the alpha channel (left), and a picture of left corners radars alpha showing the one unit off (bottom left).

Note: you can't get the alpha and RGB to show at the same time. I used three different pictures to display the needed info.

-plær- · Post by **-plær-** » 24-12-2003 00:53

any chance of a similar one for Paint Shop Pro?

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 24-12-2003 00:57

I don't use paint shop pro, so someone who does please help -plær- out.

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 24-12-2003 01:17

DavidM, not everyone was getting enough info out of that tutorial. I'm sure you could do a better job than me. It might be helpful to make one and add it to the map section.

The linked tutorial does contain some useful and better worded information.

Post by **DavidM** » 24-12-2003 07:31

btw, your colors are awful

you tend not to see players sometimes on these, and i find low-saturated colors just have a more professional feel to it

here check left (low saturated) and red (high saturdated)
judge for yourself

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 24-12-2003 07:52

I only used the bright for the lines/goal and dark colors for the PBox zone. I use a very dark brown for the field - sorta a tinted glass look. I think it show the dots well ingame with the alpha channel and dark colors and the lines and goal are highlighted. These don't work well ingame? I asking your opinion. I agree with the picture and I agree your radars look good. I think mine look ugly in photoshop but good ingame. I have not gotten any feedback on them. They don't work in game and I should use lighter colors?

Post by **DavidM** » 24-12-2003 07:54

ya, your colors are darker, but still high saturated
just try lowering the saturation

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 24-12-2003 08:01

ok, I'm kinda a noob in this area. I'll try to figure out how to lower the saturation. Thanks.

Post by **DavidM** » 24-12-2003 08:04

Twigstir · Post by **Twigstir** » 24-12-2003 08:15

Thanks for the pointer. Much appreciated.

Inphidel · Post by **Inphidel** » 24-12-2003 10:47

pretty pastels ::decorates a cake::

Messy · Post by **Messy** » 26-12-2003 01:05

$\o/$ gg davidm for constructive commenting :>