Alpha Channels

[Aran]

Hey, long time-no see, everybody.

Question: how do you create Alpha Channels? They make icons and other pixelated things look really smooth...

 

[djzalzer]

what software are you using? Paint can't do it :P

 

[trum853]

Use Photoshop, or if you can't afford it / like to stay legal, use something called The Gimp.

http://www.gimp.org/

Like Photoshop, but free.

Anyways, just make a new layer for stuff you want to be transparent and cut out some gaps in the top layer.

 

[Aran]

Well, I'm using GraphicsGale or just Gale, whatever.

 

[Shadow_Strike]

I thought alpha channels promoted transparency?
Maybe youre talking about anti-aliasing.

 

[Aran]

no, no--I'm definitely thinkin' about alpha channels!

 

[arctrooper48]

Smooth? Aliasing does the smoothing, alpha channels does the tranparency. To set up a transpancy in GG, create a layer and hit the [...] icon. From there you can set up transparencies and you could use alpha layers to make the layer less opaque.

Aliasing is when the line looks like it's been drawn with a pencil, and it appears smooth.

And what's up Aran, long time no see.

 

[Aran]

lol, well yeah, i mean, i know anti-aliasing makes lines look smoother (yeah, i did kinda walk right into that ^^).

Hey! How does RMXP handle alpha channels? I noticed that when I import something with an alpha channel its directly deposited into the game (without needing to specify the transparencies and semi-transparencies) and the image looks incredibly smooth... wait....?

And what's up Aran, long time no see.

I've been a little busy because I'm writing a novel so I had to put time into that, y'kno!

 

[Despain]

Hey! How does RMXP handle alpha channels?

It just does. You don't need to do anything special.

If you save your image with a transarent background and anti-alised edges, it will all work on its own and there's nothing to worry about. It's easier than you'd imagine.