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Alpha textures - png?

DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
edited December 1969 in Daz Studio Discussion

Hello DAZ Studio gurus,
I am brand new to using DS Pro 4.6 as I usually work in Carrara Pro, so I truly apologize if this question has been covered already. I looked around but couldn't find it.

I have an object that I wish to color with a texture map that contains alpha... and png with alpha.

In Carrara, when I add this as the color (diffuse, I think, in DS) the alpha channel in the image automatically makes the object invisible for that part of the mapping. But when I try that in DAZ Studio, it does not. Is there a setting that I'm missing?

The materials editor area in DAZ Studio looks really nice to work with. I look forward to getting to know it better.
Thanks for your help ;)
Dartanbeck

Comments

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    Basically, is there a switch I'm not seeing, or do I need to make a separate opacity mask?

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,493
    edited December 1969

    seperate opacity mask Dartanbeck I am afraid.
    Look in your runtime textures and you will see that is what is done.
    We are spoilt in carrara, apparently most software does it this way

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Wendy. I did that, and now I'm finding that there isn't light-linking (make the light only effect: (Select Object(s))) either... how do people work in this?!!! LOL
    I know... I have a lot to get used to.
    You sure have that right that Carrara has us spoiled!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    Apparently, there's no glow channel either! ???

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,493
    edited December 1969

    for glow use specular
    the objects themselves can also revieve light or not and shadermixer can be used for shadowcatch and stuff, lots of linking of nodes on bricks and crap needed to acheive stuff we take for granted and scripts by people like casual.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,279
    edited April 2014

    If by glow you mean emit light, use the ubeArea shader. The Advanced Ambient, Advanced Spot and so on lights by Age of Armor suport a degree of linking - you need to give the surfaces you want to target a unique value in a property (say 99% Diffuse Sttrength instead of 100%) and then set the light to illuminate only surfaces with the specified property value.

    AdvancedLightsAndLightLinking-Kinda.JPG
    368 x 371 - 32K
    Post edited by Richard Haseltine on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for the replies. Like I said, I'm very new to DS. What all do I have to buy to get the Uber stuff?

    In further reading and learning and testing, etc., I'm getting to know the DS material system pretty well already I think. It's neat to know that there is a way of linking. Even if it requires an extra purchase, and even if it requires that little bit of work-around... as long as it can be done, as it can be invaluable.

    So here's my set so far except that, since it is a full 360 degree wrap around, you don't get to see much yet.

    EKW4DS_Getting_There.png
    1500 x 1500 - 4M
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    wendy♥catz said:
    for glow use specular
    the objects themselves can also revieve light or not and shadermixer can be used for shadowcatch and stuff, lots of linking of nodes on bricks and crap needed to acheive stuff we take for granted and scripts by people like casual.
    I see I have a lot to learn! I was looking for a shadow-catcher, even though I don't often use them.

    I must say, this DAZ Studio has a fine render engine. I really love the whole render/shader system of Carrara so I'm finding myself at a bit of a loss in here right now, but that's to be expected. It isn't taking long to figure out the basics though.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    Here's the distance portion, with the Witch House

    EKW4DS_WitchHouse.png
    1500 x 1500 - 4M
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,279
    edited December 1969

    Dartanbeck said:
    What all do I have to buy to get the Uber stuff?

    uberSurface (surface shader), uberArea (area light shader) and uberEnvironment (AO/IBL/GI light) are included with DS, as is the Age of Armor Subsurface Scattering Shader.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    I did not know that!

  • millighostmillighost Posts: 261
    edited December 1969

    Dartanbeck said:
    Hello DAZ Studio gurus,
    I am brand new to using DS Pro 4.6 as I usually work in Carrara Pro, so I truly apologize if this question has been covered already. I looked around but couldn't find it.

    I have an object that I wish to color with a texture map that contains alpha... and png with alpha.
    ...


    With ShaderMixer it is easy. Simple use the alpha channel output of the image-map node and connect it to the opacity input of the default node. This works for straight alpha (premultiplied alpha is a bit more complicated). If you are new with DAZStudio, and you do not know what the shader mixer is, use a separate mask image as was mentioned above.
    image.png
    714 x 479 - 46K
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,714
    edited December 1969

    Cool. Thanks. That looks like a great system. I had no idea that DS had such things!

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