Digital Art Zone

I am trying to add a transmap to an object.  Where/how do I add this in the surface tab in DS4 Pro?

Thanks in advance…

PS if anyone knows of any good tutorials on transmaps, please let me know…

Transmaps are added in the Surfaces Tab in the Opacity section. The Little Down arrow will give you a Browse for File option.

Short tutorial: A Transmap is a image file in all grey/gray scale, it runs from Balck 100% transparent to White 100% Opaque. The more shades of Grey you have in between the smoother the tansistions.

Thanks for the response! The transmap now works, but it is now affecting the texture surrounding it.  the white part of the map is distorting the area around it.Even with the opacity turned up to 100%, Area around the “hole” is semi transparent.  When I render, the area affected by the white part of transmap is all washed out as if the white is showing through the texture.  Any suggestions?

Okay what I would do is find the texture Map for the Item you have added the Hole to. To do that Open Surfaces, In the Diffuse section you eather have a Small image of the Map used or a Down arrow. Click on that then select Browse. You should get a Folder that lists all the textures used for that Item. Pick the COLOR map for that item and Copy it. If it also has a Transmap just pick it instead. A Transmap will be a grey image and named something ending in OP or TR or just T or O. Do not pick a grey one named Bum or Dis or B or D. The best would be the existing Transmap if it has one if it does not the Color Map is the best.

Go to your normal Folder you do 2D art in and Paste the Copy. Now remane it to Something(item name)_Tr.Jpg. Load it into your 2D paint program an add your Hole just were you want it. Then fill the Area around your hole with PURE White (255,255,255). Save your new Transmap. Load it in DS and let me know if this worked for you.

Keep in mind If the item has a Transmap (if it has one it will be in use just like the Diffuse map) Use it and only add your Hole to it without changing the rest of the map. Just name it a different name. We do not wish to alter your original maps. Then load it into Opacity.

I took the original transmap, copied it, and used an editor to covvert it from color to pure b&w.  I then loaded it in and it seems to have solved the problem.  I am still having problems with transparency in the preview window but the renders are fine.  I think maybe the original transmap may not have had pure white as the background.

Thanks for all the help.  You gave me some great ideas and I will keep playing around with it.

Welcome, and have fun with your transmaps.

EDIT: We all have problems with Transmaps in Preview, it is a known issue.