[Solved] Transparency & 3D-Coat

[Ma3rk]

I've been searching but really haven't found much on working with Transparency when painting beyond this posting:

 

http://3dcoat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18649&p=129547

 

The problem with this is being able to perform the erasure across multiple layers at once. It doesn't appear that 3DC has have a means of using a layer as a transp mask in other words, but maybe it does and just not an apparent process. I'm still pretty new to using it.

 

Would doing this be better within the end 3D app (in my case Lightwave) as I could create one mask using an exported UV wireframe then apply where needed (color, spec., etc.)? For example, I'm working on a goldfish model and need to make the fins partially transparent & translucent.

 

Are there any 3DC tutorials out there specific to this task?

 

Also, there's an RMB menu item when in Paint room to “make transparent” a layer, but again can't find much info on it's use.

 

[Ma3rk]

Wow.  60+ views and not a single reply.

 

Well, I found a 4.00 Beta vid on Layer Masks which seems to be what I'm looking for.  It uses the term Link Layers however which makes sense; 4.5+ has changed this name to Clip mask.  This was confusing as in Lightwave, a clip mask is either on or off; no gradient, it just clips.  In 3DC, this isn't the case. You can paint with feathering as well as set the layers opacity value.  So by setting multiple layers to a new layer used as a Mask, you could in fact paint on multiple layers and fade all as I'm wanting.  One problem is that it's a really convoluted process of back & forth setting each desired layer one at a time; 3DC has no way of selecting multiple layers.

 

BTW, 3DC could aslo use a Revert to last saved option in the File menu.

 

I haven't tested yet as to what this means when exporting layers; do they get clipped in the process or does this new Mask layer get exported as well & are the layers “linked”.

 

I also tested creating a simple Transparency layer in LW and this does work as I'm wanting as well.  I just now need to find out (remember) how to export out the wireframe of the UV.  I did it before but it's apparently a bit hidden.  Perhasp someone could at least point me in the right direction for that.

 

Thanks.

[Ma3rk]

Ah, found older Psionicgames vid that showed from the Paint Room, using the Export LAYERS menu (not Textures) but choosing just the Color option. That will export the color laer of course PLUS a wireframe layer.

 

Selecting the All Layers option DOESN'T export a wire frame reference.  Why shouldn't t that export a wireframe as well?

 

Very confusing.

[Carlosan]

You can paint transparency just by erasing on layer 0 or erasing on a layer and hiding layer 0. When you export the transparency map will be in the alpha of the exported Color texture.