User panel stuff on forum
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Quakeworld HOWTO/FAQ
2008-03-01, 21:19
Moderator
1329 posts

Registered:
Apr 2006
I'm sure everyone has had some sort of idea of a crosshair at some point but not knowing how to create one. So let's make yet another HOWTO to contain instructions on the topic. You'll need some photo/image editing software as PhotoShop or Paintshop Pro for this. I use Photoshop 7.0 and I'll paste some pics from the menus how to do things.

1) First you need to create a new image that has transparent background and it's dimensions should be 32*32 pixels:

http://pici.se/pictures/UpCjDubQL.jpg



2) Image already contains one transparent layer, so you don't need to add one at this point. Time to start drawing. I'll add frames to my cross shaped crosshair first. I also want this crosshair to be partly see-through so I change opacity of the layer a bit, lets make it 25% transparent. Change the layer opacity AFTER you have finished drawing.

http://pici.se/pictures/dIMGXywpS.jpg



3) Let's finish the crosshair by adding one more layer and drawing a smaller cross that is not transparent (opacity 100% as shown in the picture).

http://pici.se/pictures/HXEJzPaaj.jpg


http://pici.se/pictures/OrzcJHRiw.jpg



4) Notice that now we have two layers (one 25% opaque, one 100% opaque) on a transparent background:

http://pici.se/pictures/KYRNrfour.jpg



5) We want only one layer to be present on the image we just made. Therefore we have to merge visible layers to reduce the layer count:

http://pici.se/pictures/odJeeYCVA.jpg



6) If you did everything right, now you should have 32*32 pixels image that you need to save as 32bit targa image format (.TGA). 32bits = 24bit colors + 8bit alpha/transparency.


7) Ingame screenshot!

http://pici.se/pictures/FftfDVBxD.jpg



That's it. I've shown the way to make crosshairs that have some transparency present in the pictures. You can do things easier without any transparency or you can add multiple levels of transparency (just use more layers to do so). If you use color white (RGB color code 255 255 255) when drawring, it allows your client to change the color information by /crosshaircolor R G B cvar!
Servers: Troopers
2009-07-12, 15:45
Member
12 posts

Registered:
Jul 2009
I followed all the steps, yet when I save THIS as a 32 bit .tga, THIS shows up ingame. What am I doing wrong?
2009-07-12, 16:09
Moderator
1329 posts

Registered:
Apr 2006
It looks ok in your editor, but for some reason it has messed up alpha channel. In the final image there has to be two layers, transparent background (1) and the layer that has the pixel information (2). Maybe give link to that image of yours and I'll check what's going on with it?
Servers: Troopers
2009-07-12, 16:19
Member
12 posts

Registered:
Jul 2009
Sure, thanks.
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=cmcwT0NjNDJtUUVLSkE9PQ

I have a feeling it's because I started the project as an RGB/8bit image...dunno how to reverse than without starting from scratch.
2009-07-12, 16:27
Moderator
1329 posts

Registered:
Apr 2006
EDIT:

Err, you have filled the image area, the background has alpha channel but that's not going to work since the layer 0 has 100% alpha.

Also notice, you can't use colors in the pic or it messes up the crosshair, so use black/white only. The opacity can be changed, like mentioned in the first post.

EDIT2: (using black/white, 20% alpha on disc, 100% on center, crosshaircolor 255 64 255)

http://pici.se/pictures/HmbKKmKLL.jpg
Servers: Troopers
2009-07-12, 21:18
Member
12 posts

Registered:
Jul 2009
OK, I got it to work by editing the alpha-channel AFTER I saved the image. Maybe there is an easier way, but my Photoshop always produces a .TGA with a solid white alpha channel regardless of my opacity settings... :/
2010-09-07, 12:34
Member
1732 posts

Registered:
Jan 2007
Ô.Ô
alientalks....
I would love to have a new crosshair, one that i can actually see and aim with. But I have to find the time and patience first to read this all carefully and ten the courage to go try it out myself.
*** www.signedcmn.nl ***
2010-09-07, 12:41
Member
705 posts

Registered:
Feb 2006
what about just doing the steps in order?
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