TextureReflection Tutorial

[Vimp offline]

First you need a program that supports alpha channels such as Photoshop or Paint Shop. I use Photoshop 7 myself so the tutorial will follow with the assumtion that your using it too.

Important note: If you are using PS7 as well then you'll want to go to acquire a SuperPNG plug-in which allows your png files to save with alpha channels as well as layers. You'll need to first delete the png.8BI in your plug-ins "File Format" folder in PS7 before putting the SuperPNG folder in the plug-ins folder because having both can conflict and cause problems. Some say they can save png files with alpha channels as it is but its not supported and I have no idea how.

1. First you find a custom texture you want that you would like to add reflection to, (Make sure to hold on to the non-alphalayered version for use with Wally). Next you open it with PS7 and in the window on the bottom right theres 3 tabs; Layers, Channels and Paths. Select the Channel tab. Now at the bottom of the new window theres 4 little buttons and the second from last one, which is "Create a New Channel", is the one you press and a Alphaexample will appear. The default shade is black which equals no reflection in Tribes2 so the lighter you make it the more it will reflect, (See the attatched picture showing 3 boxes, 1 with black alpha layer, 2 with grey and 3 with white).

2. Because Wally dosn't recognise pngs with alpha channels you have to take your non-alpha channeled version of your texture and combine it with whatever other textures you want in your WAD file and make your WAD file. The alpha channeled version, which must be the same name, you put in the Tribes2 Textures folder where you put your WAD file and all your other textures that are in the WAD file. Note: Make sure your WAD file is in a folder named the same as the wad.

3. Now you want to get it to implement a reflection. You can make your own reflection textures but the one Tribes2 comes with is called "chutetexture". To get the chutetexture to reflect off your textures with alpha channels you need to make a script in your scripts folder called "nameofwadPropMap.cs". For "nameofwad" you put the name of the folder you put your wad file and textures in. In this script you add the line addMaterialMapping("test1/****", "environment: special/chuteTexture 0.25");. Make sure not to add the period and replace the **** with the name of the texture that has the alpha layer without the extension. If you want to have several textures then add another line below each one but change the name of the texture. Now save it and open up the mission file you want to have use this script such as the interiorTest.mis file and at the bottom add the line exec("scripts/****PropMap.cs"); and save.

Now when you look at your objects in WC through T2 using the interiorTest.mis file and the textures with alpha channels it will show reflections. You can also execute the script in any and every other .mis file you want.

[]Bio]-[azard[ offline]

[CleverClothe offline]

Tribes 2 doesn't support transparent for ".dif" format. You can make transparent items in the ".dts" format though.

[]Bio]-[azard[ offline]

Can any interior be a .dts OR .dif file? Do .dts files go into the base\interiors folder like .dif files? what's the difference between a .dif and .dts? How is a .dts created? How do you create the transparent textures that you use with a .dts file?

So many questions so few brain cells left...

Thanks Clothe

[Vimp offline]

well for one you need to have a program that makes .dts files such as 3DStudio Max. .dts files are only practicle when making things like trees and plants and player models and anything that has animation in it and moving parts. In their default dts files arn't solid I believe which means a script has to be made to give them collision so that they are solid. You can make interiors as a dts from what I know but it isn't easy nor practicle.

[Roy Fokker offline]

DTS objects also have a Poly limit
1500 is the max i think

not sure if thats 1500 visible, or 1500 max


I assume you want transparent wall/windows like feel
one simple and cheesy idea would be to use a forcefield, and chance its color

[]Bio]-[azard[ offline]

No Roy... I have a HUGE black widow spider I made in hammer. I want to put it in a map near a really big spider web. So I was looking for how to do it using dts files and transparent textures. But sadly I don't have the tools required.

But using a forcefield isn't a bad idea. I might be able to come up with something cool looking if I place the web threads on top of the force field. Then only the team who's friends with the big spider could go through the web between the threads. Lemme work on this some more and try to come up with a picture.

[CleverClothe offline]

You can put any texture you want on a force field.

[]Bio]-[azard[ offline]

[Roy Fokker offline]

[]Bio]-[azard[ offline]

[Vimp offline]

[CleverClothe offline]