Web Animation "Machinima" Series Question

[Kedric]

Hey guys. I am sort of new to these forums but I have been using Spriters and Models Resource for a long time. This is the coolest website on the web. Some of you may have seen some of my sprite animation series on Machinima called Smash Champ. I basically use sprite animation with 3D backgrounds.

I am posting because I have noticed that there are VERY few 3D backgrounds on Model Resource. Why is that? What good is a 3D model without a 3D background?

Anyways, I have learned how to rip N64 models – but I am really bad with 3D programs. The question I have I cannot find the answer for. I have looked. I would not bother you if I could have found the answer. Basically, a ton of the 3D models I find have textures (like a leaf) with white around it. The white is obviously supposed to be transparent but when I import the file into my 2D animation program – it is not transparent. Is there something I can do to fix this? Do I need to do something to the model before I import it or does the program I use just suck?

[Previous]

Chances are your program doesn't understand the alpha channel - many don't. Have you tried opening them in GIMP or Photoshops?
Another possibility is that your ripping method does not preserve the alpha channel (or outputs them in a seperate mask file which would be a grayscale image, black for transparent, white for opaque, grays for eveything in between).

[Garamonde]

Um... models are plenty good without backgrounds... just saying...
And also because stages and the like are difficult business to rip.

[valforwing]

if you manage to get alot of stages could you throw some our way too?
is this the same machinima series thats on youtube? I've had a few of my models in there videos

[Kedric]

Chances are your program doesn't understand the alpha channel - many don't. Have you tried opening them in GIMP or Photoshops?
Another possibility is that your ripping method does not preserve the alpha channel (or outputs them in a seperate mask file which would be a grayscale image, black for transparent, white for opaque, grays for eveything in between).

I have noticed some images are ripped with black, others white, and others transparent. It's weird.

I have also noticed that Anime Studio will sometimes work correctly in this regard. In the preview it shows white around a sign for example. When I render it, it looks good. However, not all of the models do this. Does this help at all?

My most recent rip was the first level from PoKeMoN snap. In it I don't see a grayscale image.

I think my program can do some understand some ways of doing the alpha channel but not other ways. That is my guess. Is there any way to easily change the way an alpha channel is done? I have Blender, Maya, Poser, Hexagon, and Daz.

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if you manage to get alot of stages could you throw some our way too?
is this the same machinima series thats on youtube? I've had a few of my models in there videos

Are you talking about having models in my Smash Champ series or a different series on Machinima.

I have noticed that many models of levels are seperated into different pieces. Since I have no way of knowing how to put them together in a program - are they still worth submitting?

[Garamonde]

What game are they from? Brawl? Because if so I run TMR's official Brawl project and we eventually plan to get to the stages. We would probably know how to work with them when we go to do them.

[Kedric]

What game are they from? Brawl? Because if so I run TMR's official Brawl project and we eventually plan to get to the stages. We would probably know how to work with them when we go to do them.

I don't know how to rip from Wii games yet. I have just recently learned how to rip from N64 games. So far, I have ripped parts of levels from Starfox, Ocarina of Time, and PoKeMoN Snap.

[Garamonde]

Oh okay nevermind then.