Opaque Image Props

[dcont]

Is there a way to get image props to have both a transparent mask transparency and have plain transparency at the same time? I would like to place the image props in a model yet have the main focus be the objects beyond the image props.

I have tried putting them in a transparent design layer but that seems to not work in final quality RW.

I have also tried creating a VP with that layer grayed but the does not work either.

any ideas other than doing this in photoshop?

thanks in advance

[islandmon]

It appears that you're asking for multiple adjustable transparent masks whereas an ImageProp provides a single alpha mask with adjustable transparency. The only way may be to use multiple Props while recognizing the limits required for the stacking recursions. It's a tricky problem ... reality is really complicated...

[D Wood]

As a complete outsider, can I suggest you have too many image props, and they are too near the centre of the picture? I would either delete the smart car or shift it further along the road to the right. Same with the people on the corner. Because all the props are in front of your building, they look over sized as well.

[Dave Donley]

Hi DWood:

You could do this by extracting the image prop's mask image (right click on the texture resource in the Resource Browser) and changing the mask in Photoshop or other imaging app to have reduced contrast. Rather than going from white to black the mask image should from gray to black. White is completely opaque and black is completely transparent.

HTH!

[dcont]

As a complete outsider, can I suggest you have too many image props, and they are too near the centre of the picture? I would either delete the smart car or shift it further along the road to the right. Same with the people on the corner. Because all the props are in front of your building, they look over sized as well.

Didn't mean to suggest ownership the first attachment. I found that image on the net somewhere to illustrate what I would like to achieve as a concept. Agreed it's a bit image prop heavy. ;-)

I'll give the contrast sliders a try and see if that works.

Thanks

DanC

[dcont]

Got it. Here's what I did.

Opened the original image file in photoshop and turned up the brightness and reduced the contrast. Then created the image prop with a transparency mask.

I tried to just play with the sliders without editing the original image file but that wasn't what I was looking for. But the one one the right is spot on. Thanks for your help Dave.

Edited May 8, 2008 by dcont