Changes

Go to File>Save As...

Go to File>Save As...

Choose a name for your file, select to save it as “Targa” (.TGA) . It’s very important to select “Alpha Channels”. Make sure all the other options are set like this and click “Save” :

Choose a name for your file, select to save it as “Targa” (.TGA) . It’s very important to select “Alpha Channels”. Make sure all the other options are set like this and click “Save” :

   

   

In the next window that will pop up select “32 bits/pixel”. Make sure its look like this and click “OK”.

In the next window that will pop up select “32 bits/pixel”. Make sure its look like this and click “OK”.

   

   

If you run the RA2 you will find the new decal you have just created. But you might see that there are some strange white bounds all around the decal (in this case all over the letters “NO”). This is because RA2 use the nearest pixels to smooth the edges of the decal. In this case, the color around the “NO” in our document is our background color which is white. If you don’t like this you can repair it very easy.

If you run the RA2 you will find the new decal you have just created. But you might see that there are some strange white bounds all around the decal (in this case all over the letters “NO”). This is because RA2 use the nearest pixels to smooth the edges of the decal. In this case, the color around the “NO” in our document is our background color which is white. If you don’t like this you can repair it very easy.

   

   

Just open the decal file again. If your decal is made of only one color (like in this case with “NO” letters decal) you can correct the “white bounds” very easy. First, click Select All.

Just open the decal file again. If your decal is made of only one color (like in this case with “NO” letters decal) you can correct the “white bounds” very easy. First, click Select All.

   

   

Press the “DELETE” key on the keyboard. Now the RGB picture of the letters “NO” is gone. Choose deselect :

Press the “DELETE” key on the keyboard. Now the RGB picture of the letters “NO” is gone. Choose deselect :

   

   

Select the Paint Bucket Tool.

Select the Paint Bucket Tool.

   

   

Options must be set like this :

Options must be set like this :

   

   

Click on the big black color box (this is the primary color you draw with).

Click on the big black color box (this is the primary color you draw with).

   

   

After the color selection window is open, select a color that is the same with your decal color. Exactly pure red in our case with the “NO” letters. Click “OK” now.

After the color selection window is open, select a color that is the same with your decal color. Exactly pure red in our case with the “NO” letters. Click “OK” now.

   

   

Now using the Paint Bucket Tool click somewhere inside of the document and it will look like this :

Now using the Paint Bucket Tool click somewhere inside of the document and it will look like this :

   

   

Now you are ready. Use the regular save :

Now you are ready. Use the regular save :

   

   

Now, if you run the game and apply this decal you will see that there are no more signs of these “white bounds”. It does not matter that your whole picture is made of red color. The alpha channel is the one that will define what to draw and what not to. Yes, this means that you can full the whole document with some colors, but drawing in the alpha channel will define what and how to draw ingame.

Now, if you run the game and apply this decal you will see that there are no more signs of these “white bounds”. It does not matter that your whole picture is made of red color. The alpha channel is the one that will define what to draw and what not to. Yes, this means that you can full the whole document with some colors, but drawing in the alpha channel will define what and how to draw ingame.

   

   

If your decal is a complicated picture made of many colors the situations is way more difficult. I will not explain in detail how to do it in this tutorial, but i will tell only that you need to surround your decal edges with the same color that your edges are made of.

If your decal is a complicated picture made of many colors the situations is way more difficult. I will not explain in detail how to do it in this tutorial, but i will tell only that you need to surround your decal edges with the same color that your edges are made of.

Now let’s learn how to make your decal with some cool transparency. Open you decal file again. Switch to work in the alpha channel.

Now let’s learn how to make your decal with some cool transparency. Open you decal file again. Switch to work in the alpha channel.

   

   

Open the color choose window again. Move the color select circle to the full left in the coloured box and move it only up and down. Doing this will allow you to very precisely select the percentage of your transparency. The more the grey comes to white, the more transparent, and the more the grey comes to black, the more non-transparent. Let’s choose for example the grey level to be like this. Click “OK” now.

Open the color choose window again. Move the color select circle to the full left in the coloured box and move it only up and down. Doing this will allow you to very precisely select the percentage of your transparency. The more the grey comes to white, the more transparent, and the more the grey comes to black, the more non-transparent. Let’s choose for example the grey level to be like this. Click “OK” now.

   

   

Select the Rectangle tool.

Select the Rectangle tool.