First, this entire post has to do with paint kits and why some of them include alpha channels and some don

Firstly, I convert the filename.BMP in DXTbmp to 24-or-32-or-Targa and if the alpha channel resembles something I may have future use for, I Export it using the "Export Alpha Channel as Bmp" command (4th-from-lefthand alpha icon in DXTbmp) and save it using a unique name. If I want to apply this alpha channnel after my repainting in PSD (PhotoShop) is complete, this channel is simply imported using the DXTbmp Import Alpha Channel command in DXTbmp.If I decide no alpha is the best option, I simply click the Create New Alpha Channel icon in DXTbmp.Lastly, I save the new file as Extended DXT3 (no mips) for FS9 or DDS DXT5 (with mips) for FSX aircraft, exterior textures.

Frankly I never could quite understand why folks beat there heads against the wall importing and exporting alpha channels in DXTBmp. Yep, the "Alpha 1" channel you see on the PhotoShop channels pallette is the alpha. Edit it in PhotoShop just as if it were another layer, flatten it and save it as a 32 bit .bmp. Drag it into DXTBmp and save (32 bit or DXT3) it to make it DX compatable. Done.Suppose you want to lay down some alpha beneath the polished aluminum underbelly of an airliner. Just select the area on the RGB, switch to the alpha channel and fill the selected area with gray. Done. How would you ever figure out exactly where to place the alpha if you were fiddling around with an exported alpha channel without the RGB to use as a guide?Any 32 bit .bmp has an alpha channel. That's what the the other "8 bits" are for. 8 bits for the Red, 8 for Green, 8 for Blue, and 8 for the alpha. PhotoShop files (.psd) may or may not have an alpha channel. You should always have an alpha channel. Even if it's all white, it should still be there or you'll see blurry textures in the sim. If the paintkit doesn't have one, you can either add it in PhotoShop if you're planning to actually edit the reflective areas, or DXTBmp at the last minute if not.Have fun,Jim

Jim,I must say, I have looked all over for a simple answer as to why there is an Alpha Channel layer in Photoshop and what purpose it serves. I have never had anyone give me such a straight forward answer. I truly appreciate your answer. I tried your method and it made it much easier than having to make a new layer and save it as something different. This is why I like forums; someone always knows what is going on. Thanks again,

A quik question to either of you. Is it possible to have extremely shinny metal like it was in FS9? I have attempted using both types of files, .bmp and DDS, but neither one seems to do it for me. Also, I was noticing that none of my aircraft, default or otherwise, seem to have the shinyness that I remember from FS9.Thanks,

To be honest with you I've only spent a few minutes experimenting with textures in FSX, and that was with the demo (bought the full deluxe version, package still sitting on the shelf due to inadequate computer and lack of hard drive space). I remember FSX alpha channels being much darker than those in FS9. What I don't know is whether that was necessary because of differences in the way the FSX graphics engine interprets the alpha, or was it something specific to the new FSX models? What happens if you manipulate the alpha on an FS9 model that's been imported into FSX? Using a Posky model for example, can you get the FS9 chrome look by using pure black on the alpha? If not, then it must be the graphics engine and I suppose there isn't much you could do to change it. Sorry, I wish I could be more helpful.Jim

Jim,I think I am slowly coming to the reality that FSX is on an entirely new planet when it comes to textures and alphas and such. I have been experimenting with alpha textures and new textures which seem to be called "specular" and "bump" maps. Although, I have not had any success in modifying alpha channels on aircraft, unless the aircraft came from the developer with the new texture format. For example, the default aircraft from Microsoft, and the Aerosoft Beaver for FSX, seem to be the only aircraft in my collection that have the capability to have extremely shiny reflections, like chrome and such. As a matter of fact, I noticed that my Cessna Citation from Feel There is using layers in Photoshop to simulate chrome. I believe they are doing this because it may be such a new form of painting that many developers are not yet using that technique, but this is just my opinion, I cant back that up.As a matter of fact, I was reading some things on the Simmers Paintshop forum and shortly after I posted the reply to you, I found that unless the aircraft designer does specific things in development, no textures would be able to be reflected in FSX. All I know is that it has something to do with specular and bump maps. That information seems to be just now surfacing on the internet and such. Not too many people dealing with those yet. As far as imported aircraft from FS9, those alpha channels seem to not show up in the FSX simulator. So I am starting to feel that the only way shiny textures will appear is to be placed in the new format; however, I have yet to find any forum or website that says the old textures can be converted to the new ones.Any how, I appreciate your help and I am sure that one day the community will discover the secret and again produce some pretty cool texture sets.

Two screenshots.Made in FS9 and one in FSX.Same plane.Same gloss.Due to the limitations of my videocard the one in FS9 shows better.Nevertheless the GLOSS is present on both planes in both sims.Mind the spinner and the reflective type-plate near the cockpit.This repaint was made by myself and I did NOT chage a thing on the one I placed in FSX.The same alphas in BOTH planes.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/175560.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/175561.jpg

Hi there,First, can I ask what aircraft that is? I like that. Is it from Avsim or a developer?As far as I am able to tell, doing a repaint specifically for FSX, there is no way to make something shiny. Like the prop spinners in your screenshots. However, if the aircraft was designed with reflective properties, it will show up in FSX and you can do repaints and maintain the same properties. Over at the Simmers Paintshop Forums, there are several posts that discuss this. They basically say that if reflective properties were not given to the aircraft in development, like in GMAX or 3DMax or something, that the aircraft will not reflect shiny properties in FSX. I do know that there were many aircraft that were given "shiny" properties in FS9, and thus they show up in FSX.Basically, it is my understanding that in FSX, alpha channels, spec and bump maps are used to simply extenuate the reflection that was applied during conception. This is my interpretation of what I have read. I could be wrong though. You just never know. Also, since the internal working of FSX are still fairly undescovered, there is very little information present to make a solid conclusion.With all this being said, I must say that the aircraft I am repainting did not come with reflections. Thus, that may be half the problem. I do have several default aircraft and one payware aircraft that have gloss or shiny characteristics.Hopefully someone will come up with some way of giving gloss or reflective properties to aircraft that do not have them in FSX.

This is the freeware Maule by Mikko Maliniemi.Its made for FS9 but is working in FSX without any problems.Have been doing some experimentig myself.The default planes in FSX wich have no shine , are missing the instruction to shine from the model-file.We can try everything we want there will not be any gloss on their bodys.RegardsLeen:(