RMXP Not Recognizing Alpha Channel When Importing

[Phoenixia]

Hi,

I'm working in GIMP for this. If I make a sprite set in GIMP, with transparency, then export it as a png; when I import it into RMXP, the alpha channel doesn't show up and I have to pick a colour to be transparent. This happens no matter what options I select to export the png with - and I've even tried it with a file that has nothing but the alpha channel, still doesn't work. Indeed, if I export a character set from RMXP, then immediately import it, I still have to pick a transparent colour - but, if I open it up in another program, the alpha channel is there and visible.

Oddly, some files pulled from the web do have their alpha channel recognized and just import, skipping over the select transparent colour stuff; so, whatever else, it does work, some of the time.

So, how should I set up the alpha channel and how can I get this to work consistently? I feel like I am at my wits end and am starting to want to pull my hair out. Thank you for any and all help on this frustrating issue

 

[Xilef]

If you copy the images into the folders directly without "importing" through RPG Maker XP then they retain whatever properties the images have as they are saved; including alpha channel.

 

[Ellie]

The RPG maker import tool is only really so you can let RPG maker define an alpha colour in a file with no alpha, so that you can use MS Paint to make spritesheets. Unfortunately beyond that it has many issues such that it's best to just move images across yourself.

 

[Phoenixia]

Thank you very much; I ended up reaching the same conclusion from a thread on Steam just a little after posting this (Wasn't Sure if anyone was still around on here).

I did notice that, sometimes, everything works as expected and I can get it to be aware of the alpha channel - I've fumbled around with removing and adding it sometimes and, some weird voodoo combination will work. I assume there is some method to the madness, else it should never work at all, does anyone have any idea what it is? Just for curiousity's sake.