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Author Topic: Creating Mxm Skins  (Read 30 times)

geniusalz

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Creating Mxm Skins
« on: July 26, 2003, 03:12:00 PM »
I'm creating a skin for MXM.  The problem is that all text elements turn out to have black backgrounds (instead of transparent).  Transparency in png's is also black.  

However, as soon as I display the system menu (by pressing "BACK"), the transparencies become normal.  If the title screen is displayed again, the problem returns.  Below are a couple of screenshots:

When MXM starts:
user posted image

After the system menu is displayed once:
user posted image

BJ/skinners? ... any ideas?

On a related note, is there complete alpha support for png-24? (coz while complete transparency works (after using the menu fix above), half-transparent colours stay opaque)
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jlm5151

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2003, 03:14:00 PM »
That is the same exact problem that I have been having in my ski, check my thread about my new skin. That is an awesome looking skin by the way.
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BenJeremy

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2003, 03:22:00 PM »
Yeah, I need to add a tag to turn off the fades.

I haven't had enough time to really play with it, but the alpha gets screwed up during fades, and I don't understand exactly why.

The only real solution is to disable the elements causing trouble for a few seconds with a delay timer.
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geniusalz

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2003, 03:25:00 PM »
Thanks for the quick reply BJ ... I'm gonna try the fix now.

jlm5151, securityx looks sweet!

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geniusalz

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2003, 03:51:00 PM »
sad.gif
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koldfuzion

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2003, 04:11:00 PM »
QUOTE (geniusalz @ Jul 27 2003, 12:51 AM)
BJ... tried the fix, put delays for everything except the background (jpg) but no luck.  sad.gif

I just updated the Security X skin that had the same problem.

what graphics program are you using?  Skin Font (xpr)


Also,  I originally did the overlay for security x with a slight glaussian blur where the thumbnail shows... but mxm wouldnt take it until it had a nothing there.  and of course..and alpha channel which i orginially forgot to put in.
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geniusalz

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2003, 05:04:00 PM »
QUOTE
overlay for security x with a slight glaussian blur where the thumbnail shows


how did u put in the gaussian blur, and why did it affect MXM?

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BenJeremy

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2003, 05:06:00 PM »
QUOTE (geniusalz @ Jul 26 2003, 09:04 PM)
im using photoshop to make the transparent 24-bit png's.

im using custom fonts, (dl'ed a few ttf's) and using the "fontbundle" to pack them.

so what exactly causes the problem? if the presence of png's causes it, i can replace all png's with jpg's.  will this fix the text?

anyway

QUOTE
overlay for security x with a slight glaussian blur where the thumbnail shows


how did u put in the gaussian blur, and why did it affect MXM?

I'm not sure what's going on EXACTLY, as I said, it seems to be caused by the fact that I'm overlaying a texture of the previous screen using an alpha value. Perhaps I need to change the way that's done. Maybe I'll be able to take some time and play with it.
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geniusalz

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2003, 05:39:00 PM »
using the default font for everything (and removing the font resources) solves the problem
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BenJeremy

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« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2003, 05:52:00 PM »
QUOTE (geniusalz @ Jul 26 2003, 09:39 PM)
using the default font for everything (and removing the font resources) solves the problem

Interesting.... because the default font is a "version 4" font, while the newer fonts would be "version 5" fonts.

So something different about the way these are rendered makes the difference. Hmmm.......
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nObedienz

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2003, 06:27:00 PM »
Seriously, I consider this a major "bug", "party-pooper", "glitch" whatever.
I was testin my skin out the other day, and found out that
the similar effect used in my avatar (the highlight)
turned out to be just white when used as an overlay.

But I'm sure BJ will fix this sooner or later..
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koldfuzion

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Creating Mxm Skins
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2003, 06:45:00 PM »
QUOTE (geniusalz @ Jul 27 2003, 02:39 AM)
using the default font for everything (and removing the font resources) solves the problem

thats what i was telling JLM.. its the font.
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jlm5151

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« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2003, 07:53:00 PM »
Well then that could fix my problem I will just re-render my font to the compatible version.
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BenJeremy

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« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2003, 03:39:00 AM »
QUOTE (jlm5151 @ Jul 26 2003, 11:53 PM)
Well then that could fix my problem I will just re-render my font to the compatible version.

Yeah, the FontMaker from the 4627 XDK would work nicely, but I am looking at why this happens and developing a solution.

It may not be the fade at all.... it may be something else entirely. I'm thinking something in the rendering pipeline was left in a bad state or something, because the fade did not remove the problem from my own recreated example. Still, I will be working it out.
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