Dealing with alpha channels in GIMP [Tutorial w/pics] (FAQ)

[biohazard]

The video tutorial for the same is a bit outdated and not completely compatible with newer versions of GIMP, and, well, who really wants to download a video?


First, open the targa that has the alpha channel that you want to modify. If it has an alpha channel, it will predominantly appear as a gray checkerboard pattern, like so:

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Next, you need go on the image's menu to Colors > Components > Decompose.

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Uncheck both checkboxes and choose "RGBA" from the drop-down menu.

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The result will be four grayscale images that will show up like this:

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Now you need to go to Colors > Components > Compose.

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Choose RGB in the top drop-down menu and select the red, green, and blue images for the lower three. (The bottom option in each dropdown will be for red, second to last will be green, and the second option for blue. The last one is alpha, don't worry about that one for now)

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You'll now have a nice image like this, that is easy to work with:

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You can go ahead and close the grayscale images for red, green, and blue, but be sure to keep the alpha one open. Now reskin to your heart's content.

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Again, go to Colors > Components > Decompose, but choose RGB in the drop down menu this time, still with both checkboxes left unchecked.

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Next, go to Colors > Components > Compose and choose RGBA in the top drop-down menu, and select the correct grayscale images for each of the following four drop-downs. Use the alpha image from the original decomposition, and the red, green, and blue that were just created from decomposing the modified skin.

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Now you'll get something that looks very similar to the original. Save it for your new skin, and remember to turn RLE compression off.

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Congratulations! You've just come one step closer to SWBF2 modding mastery.

[Fiodis]

Well, this will stop a lot of people asking for a alpha channel walkthrough.

[eliminator]

many thanks man I never understand how i can design the alliance but now i know many thanks

[biohazard]

I'm glad to have helped

[Fluffy_the_ic]

Oh, huh. I've always known how to get rid of the alpha in one, less-complicated step, but this gets it back, didn't know how to do that. No more annoyingly shiny skins for Fluffeh.

[Maveritchell]

I'm glad that there's another resource available, but:

Oh, huh. I've always known how to get rid of the alpha in one, less-complicated step, but this gets it back, didn't know how to do that. No more annoyingly shiny skins for Fluffeh.

many thanks man I never understand how i can design the alliance but now i know many thanks

Did you people even try? There's a video tutorial, for crying out loud. It couldn't be any clearer unless someone literally sat down next to you and did it for you. It sure feels like a waste of time to have bothered making a video if that's the reaction.

[biohazard]

The video is, as stated in my post, not necessarily compatible with newer versions of GIMP. Several of the options are different, one to the point of utter confusion to someone who's not particularly GIMP-savvy (which I'm not; I just happened to find the option elsewhere from where it said in the video)

[Maveritchell]

Several of the options are different

A single direction is different: "Colors->Compnents" rather than "Image->Mode", which is pointed out in many different threads. The process is still the same and the concept is very well laid out regardless of direction. I'm not saying there isn't a place for another tutorial, but it is pretty far removed from "utter confusion" to anyone. And something like:

Oh, huh. I've always known how to get rid of the alpha in one, less-complicated step, but this gets it back, didn't know how to do that.

Shows me that the person knows how to use GIMP but just ignored or never tried the tutorial (or at the very least never bothered asking about it).

[Fluffy_the_ic]

Did you people even try?

Yes, actually. I did, at least. Media center used to always slow down my computer a ton, so I couldn't watch it. I had to learn how to get rid of the alpha from a written tutorial. Said tutorial never said how to get it back.