Please Help, My car is too shiny

[Diego Balzarini]

I am going absolutely crazy, It is as simple as the title say... I made my own skin and in game the car is soo shiny I got a face tan.
I read a lot of stuff and between Youtube videos and forum I still have the problem.
I saw the video in the mods forum but it's about window shield.
I know is about the alpha channel I just dont know how to fix it.
I tried so many different things I probably did them more than once.
First of all I use Gimp, I'm new to these type of programs/work.
I do understand the layers concept and transparency.
Here it's what I do :
I used the template from RD forum.
- After I finished my skin and ready to export I flatten the image and export in dxt5.
(There's already an alpha channel in the template)
- I read somewhere that car skins should be exported in dxt3, tried that and didn't work
- Another one said that flatten the image get rid of transparency thus alpha channel so I merged the layers... didnt work
- I change the alpha channel colour to black 100% opacity ( I read that should be matted) and still get the bloody thing shining.
I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I clearly don't know what

Please help, I'm completely lost

If there's anyone out there that could explain to me step by step what to do It'd be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Lars Hansen]

You're right, flattening does remove transparency.
So you need to merge them downwards.
Sounds like you either have the transparency layer below the main paint (in which case, it won't work), or you have toggled the transparency layer to invisible while working on the model.
Merging layers only applies to VISIBLE layers.

As for the file-format, use DXT5 if you need transparency (that is, windows, headlights, and/or helmet visors), and use DXT1 if you don't.

 

[Yves Larose]

@Diego Balzarini

if you send me your gimp file of your livery i'll have a look and see what i can do.

 

[ouvert]

don`t flatten, DX5

 

[xnorb]

The Alpha channel is here to define the shinyness.
If that doesn't help, you got way bigger issues

 

[Diego Balzarini]

The Alpha channel is here to define the shinyness.
If that doesn't help, you got way bigger issues

I think my biggest issue is the fact that I'm new to Gimp and skins.
I'm the type of person that doens't want stuff pre-made.. I need to know and love learning, I hate when I get stuck and can't find the solution.

 

[Troy Barman]

I use photoshop but you should try not flattening it and save it as DXT5. Otherwise you can send your psd to me and ill fix it for you and send it back.

 

[Diego Balzarini]

I've found a temporary solution that put the shiny back to normal
Flatten the image
add layer-> create alpha channel
save in dxt5
Everything is normal now

Thanks everyone, that wasn't easy with my little knowledge

 

[Dennis Phelan]

Thanks for that solution but I need more details as it isn't working as well for me.
I can put the new layer either above or below the flattened layer, black car.
I can "Alpha to Selection" to that new layer either above or below, black car.

A bit more help please?

 

[Diego Balzarini]

That system stopped working not long after that. I didn't update it because I started to use photoshop and AMS.
I downloaded Photoshop CS2 and it's free... no trouble at all with alpha channel

 

[Dennis Phelan]

Problem solved for me and I used Gimp!

I had been working most all of today trying to get the "chrome" look off my skin. I found a thread at Realish Racing that sounded just to simple. I reloaded Gimp, downloaded the Gimp DDS converter after tossing Paint.net away and then, following the instructions, OMG a viewable car!