#Invisible Text!? HELP!
12 messages in this thread
I have created two images (using Corel Draw, and Altamira Composer), that will
be "Logo's" on equipment in an animation. One is black text on a blue
background. The other is black text on a clear alpha channel background that
will be black text on a metal surface.
When I view the black on blue, it looks fine as a texture map. When I view the
black on "clear", I cannot see anything in 3DS. Altamira Composer shows it
fine, but 3DS does not. If, while in the materials editor, I moved the image
to "view image", nothing shows up. This would sound ok, because a black image
on a black screen would be difficult to see. 🙂 But as I render it to a
material in the material editor, nothing shows up. I put the checkerboard
background up, and make the sphere partially transparent. Nothing is there. I
am baffled by this one.
Does anyone have any recommendations on what could be happening? It looks good
in AC.
Thanks,
Dennis
Dennis,
The black is maybe being seen as 0 alpha. What do you get if you broadcast
alpha in AC? Try white text and use the negative button in 3DS.
TedB
-Ted Boardman
!^NavFont01F0007MGHHG7ABA44
Ted;
Thanks for your suggestion. My text has been on the alpha channel as you
thought. When I did a broadcast alpha in AC, the text went away(turned white)
on my white background.
I created an alpha channel in AC to be the background, and my text to be the
foreground. However, when I collaped the image, it all went to alpha again.
I'm not sure what to do next. I will see what I can do, but further
suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Dennis
Dennis
I've had good luck by just making the text in Composer, saving as a tga with
the alpha button on, and using that image as a decal material using alpha. I
think it's the white background that's giving you the trouble. If you need the
text to be surrounded by alpha past it's boundries, you could use Edit/Extend
Image to increase the size of the clear pixels.
TedB
-Ted Boardman
!^NavFont01F0006MGHHHv7958
Ted;
What was happening at first was the text was the alpha(just as you thought),
and nothing else was there. Then on the next attempt, I had no alpha. A few
more tries, and I got text white, and alpha behind it. With the suggestions of
Lee and Jack, I was able to get the image to work very well, but only after I
returned to black text and alpha. I am new to alpha, but it is powerful.
Thanks so much for your help!
Dennis
Ted;
I am on my way. Thanks for your help. I just need to spend a little more time
on AC to figure it out. But I am now able to get some visible text. I just
have to figure out alpha. I have a legal copy of AC. I just don't use it
enough to be competent.
Thanks,
Dennis
Try loading the same image as a mask in the same texture slot.
Go into the mask (s)etup and change it to negative.
This might just do the trick.
Lee;
Thanks, I will try that!
Dennis
Sounds like you haven't turned on the Decal (or Both) button in the Mapping
Parameters dialog for the texture map. If the Tile button is on, no part of the
map is considered transparent, and since both alpha-clear and the color black
have the same zero value, the result is a black texture map.
– Jack
Jack;
I will look into the Decal (or Both) button. And watch out for the Tile
button. I appreciate your help.
Thanks,
Dennis
I want to thank Ted, Lee and Jack for helping me resolve this issue. I
definitely had a problem with the text being the alpha channel at first. Then
it seems that the masking suggestions and tile buttons were also subtle
switches I need to know about.
All is well now. And it LOOKS GOOD! YES! 🙂
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!, 🙂
Dennis
That's OK, good luck, Dennis.
TedB
-Ted Boardman
!^NavFont01F0006MGHHGe4B34