Alphas doesn't work properly?

[GGiant]

I need some help.
The alpha property on the batman_gren does not work properly!
I suspect it might be the niskininstance but if I ever delete it the cape won't move but the alpha will work! :(
Please Help! :banghead:

[GGiant]

Bump.

[Tomato]

Is there a specific reason you need that particular cape? There have got to be like, 16 batman capes running around, I image one of them might have a working alpha.

[GGiant]

I think the problem lies on the niskininstance of the cape, all, if not, almost all capes have them.
So, never mind that, it can be fixed by converting. :doh:

[Tomato]

I think the problem lies on the niskininstance of the cape, all, if not, almost all capes have them.
So, never mind that, it can be fixed by converting. :doh:

Not really... this might be a specific issue with that one skininstance based upon the way it was exported; or the way Gren set it up, since it wasn't designed to be alpha-enabled initially (especially since during the dark ages before nifskope alot of people had problems with alpha channels, ESPECIALLY in FF1, so it wasn't practical to do anyway). Tommyboy, on the other hand, makes almost all of his pieces alpha-capable because they were designed with such versatility in mind.

When in doubt, get Tommyboy meshes. I've kept to the philosophy for awhile, and it has only steered me wrong on things that no one else has gotten right either.

[GGiant]

I think the problem lies on the niskininstance of the cape, all, if not, almost all capes have them.
So, never mind that, it can be fixed by converting. :doh:

Not really... this might be a specific issue with that one skininstance based upon the way it was exported; or the way Gren set it up, since it wasn't designed to be alpha-enabled initially (especially since during the dark ages before nifskope alot of people had problems with alpha channels, ESPECIALLY in FF1, so it wasn't practical to do anyway). Tommyboy, on the other hand, makes almost all of his pieces alpha-capable because they were designed with such versatility in mind.

When in doubt, get Tommyboy meshes. I've kept to the philosophy for awhile, and it has only steered me wrong on things that no one else has gotten right either.

I kinda noticed that all, if not, almost all gren's pieces that have the niskininstance cannot be alpha-enabled if you don't convert them plus I have this problem with Ren's Composite superman cape too.
I really think it has the problem on the reaction of FF 1.3 to the niskininstance because male_alpha has the problem to because the cape also has the niskininstance because I remember Windows 98 not having this problem, this was before I discovered the forum, plus I took Magneto_v3 by Ink and it has an alpha enabled x_male_basic node and I erased everything in the skin with GIMP, in gimp, if you make an alpha channel on the tga and used the eraser it can make an alpha channel as well, and the skin still showed up in ctool which is weird and x_male_basic has the niskininstance, so maybe it's just sp2 or the patch? I'll seek to your advise on using Tommyboy's meshes but I don't really know how to skin capes from that mesh, yes I know how to generate UV Wiremaps, I just don't know how to skin. :doh:
Edit:

since it wasn't designed to be alpha-enabled initially

Really, doesn't the cape on the Batman_gren already have alpha property?

[Symon]

I'm surprised no one else has chipped in by now. Well, on one of the rare visits I can manage these days:-
This is a well known known problem with FF (but not FF3R) and some, mostly more modern graphics cards. FF1.3 with my Nvidia FX5500 has this problem, my Matrox 450 does not. For some reason, the original Irrational meshes did not have this issue, except that the 'head ornaments' on male_alpha were not alpha enabled. A fully working version was released, but lot's of people don't have it, as the difference with a 'working' graphics card is slight. Fan produced meshes from that early time, based on the Irrational max files, especially male_alpha almost always have the issue. I don't believe the max file for the fixed male_alpha was ever released. Many early meshes have this issue as a problem wasn't apparent.

I spent a LONG time in Nifskope trying to track this down. I can confirm it is something to do with the NiSkinInstance on the alpha's parts. I can semi-fix a mesh by taking such a part, removing the physique and grafting to bone. This can work well, for things like horns, but is useless for a cape that must retain physique to be of any use.

[GGiant]

I'm surprised no one else has chipped in by now. Well, on one of the rare visits I can manage these days:-
This is a well known known problem with FF (but not FF3R) and some, mostly more modern graphics cards. FF1.3 with my Nvidia FX5500 has this problem, my Matrox 450 does not. For some reason, the original Irrational meshes did not have this issue, except that the 'head ornaments' on male_alpha were not alpha enabled. A fully working version was released, but lot's of people don't have it, as the difference with a 'working' graphics card is slight. Fan produced meshes from that early time, based on the Irrational max files, especially male_alpha almost always have the issue. I don't believe the max file for the fixed male_alpha was ever released. Many early meshes have this issue as a problem wasn't apparent.

I spent a LONG time in Nifskope trying to track this down. I can confirm it is something to do with the NiSkinInstance on the alpha's parts. I can semi-fix a mesh by taking such a part, removing the physique and grafting to bone. This can work well, for things like horns, but is useless for a cape that must retain physique to be of any use.

The great Symon has answered and he exactly has the problem...maybe it really is my FF1.3.
Dang SP2!

[Symon]

(Blushes)
Just to clarify, this isn't an artifact of the patch (for once), it's a flaw in the basic game, possibly the 4.0.0.2 Nif  engine.

[GGiant]

No prob, hmmm...Windows 98 didn't have this problem, hmm...maybe we had a weak graphic card?
Oh well...