Help with own maps

[Thurbo]

I'm using Paint Shop Pro for my own maps however I'm apparently doing something wrong. I know the proper map sizes as well as how to create proper alpha channels and still, when I try to load the map in the in-game editor, it says the datas are corrupted.

Anybody can help me out with a step-by-step explanation for Paint Shop Pro 7?

[Skeeter]

I duno about psp but here is general sequence.

Make ur map and keep black as transparency.

Make a alpha map named Alpha1 and have black as transparency and white as solid (select with magic wand if u have it or similar and invert to grab all the land to paste into ur alpha later then while still selected use fill and white so its pure white for the solid bits.

Then you save as TGA 32bit with alpha layer ticked in save options (if u have that option).

No layers so make sure its flat.

Then load it in wr through editor and then save it to get the Lds file for it.

[bonz]

get the LSD
Then pass out and wake up in Wonderland and meet the Mad Hatter.

[hundreds]

I love it when people miswrite that file extension.

[Thurbo]

Nobody who knows how to do it in PSP?
I'm doing the alpha channels and stuff correctly but WR keeps telling me it can't load the file.

[Col_Shaggy]

Nobody who knows how to do it in PSP?
I'm doing the alpha channels and stuff correctly but WR keeps telling me it can't load the file.

I use PSP and I don't bother with alpha channels. I put together my map in layers and make lowest straight black - 0,0,0 in the color picker. Then I make sure nothing in the image is triple 0 black, at least in the areas I want to keep, then I merge all the layers and save it as a 24 bit TGA file.

You don't get soil effects, when you blow up landscape, without alpha channels but it's a hell of a lot easier this way.

On the other hand, I've tried saving maps in BMP format and I've gotten the same error message when I've tried to import them into the game.

[Thurbo]

Maybe the save file is wrong?
When I save images as TGA files it doesn't let me choose between 24 and 32 bits. They get possibly always saved as 32 bit TGA... do you know how to solve this?

[hundreds]

Not sure how to solve it in PSP. Maybe you should just download GIMP (it's free) and use its exporter. Although I am not sure if GIMP exports 32-bit (alpha channel data). If you simply use 24-bit, all you need to worry about is the colors and that's it. 100% Black is transparent and everything else is solid.

[Skeeter]

Grab infanview or gimp and after you have made ur map just save it and load it into one of them free tools and save as tga 32bit with the alpha layer. Btw u do get errors if its not 32bit.

Also i duno why i bother i never got a thanks for trying to help last time and i got a cheeky message of a poster.

Also if ur having that much trouble upload the file to mediafire or somit so we can check it over.

[Col_Shaggy]

Maybe the save file is wrong?
When I save images as TGA files it doesn't let me choose between 24 and 32 bits. They get possibly always saved as 32 bit TGA... do you know how to solve this?

I'm running PSP 8 and 24 bit is the highest available TGA save option for me. I don't know what version you're using, but when you go into the save as dialog and select the TGA format hit the options button before you save and see what you've got available. Other than that I'm not aware of anything else that you need to do to save as a 32 bit TGA.

[hundreds]

I'm running PSP 8 and 24 bit is the highest available TGA save option for me. I don't know what version you're using, but when you go into the save as dialog and select the TGA format hit the options button before you save and see what you've got available. Other than that I'm not aware of anything else that you need to do to save as a 32 bit TGA.

Gimp is the same.

[Skeeter]

PSP 8 i have just read saves tga as 32bit ONLY when you have an alpha channel. If you dont have one it will save 24bit which wont work in wr. Now even tho it may say its saving in 24bit it really is a 32bit WHEN you use a alpha layer.

If you dont know about alpha layers go read a tutorial perhaps on them.

http://redtech.rededitor.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=82&Itemid=3

Maybe that will help.

[Col_Shaggy]

I don't use alpha layers at all and all of my TGAs work just fine. That is, of course, unless PSP creates alpha channels without my input and without me knowing, which I kind of doubt.

[Skeeter]

If it loads in WR then its got a alpha layer and is 32bit. It wouldnt load if it was 24bit without a alpha layer.

So im guessing your psp is somehow making a alpha layer.