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[remedee]

QUOTE(Loaded_Gun_Complex @ Jul 6 2006, 01:45 AM)

ok this is what i have so far it's not great but i can improve apon it i am sure ... I am having issues getting the custom bg's to apply even afternaming them properly the ones shown in the picture below are applied by selecting them from the xbox's wallpaper folder i have.... i am also having issues getting the curve of the top and bottom of the wallpaper to show the left sides curve ... here is the picture let me know what i need to do to adjust,
also when i add the mc360_logo.png to the xpr it only applies to the kai blade?

LGC, I packed up the files and everything went smoothly. I'm starting to wonder if it might be a combination of your XBMC build, along with whichever build of MC360 you're using. I'm pretty sure I'm using the latest MC360 and the June 18th build of XBMC. So far that seems to be the most stable combination. Also take in to account any mods you may have added. There are two things I did notice though. One, you didn't send your custom logo, but it did work in the original xpr you sent. The other thing is your transparency doesn't seem to be working. I didn't have any luck just setting the -alpha files to a lower opacity, but I AM having some by creating an alpha channel. Since I don't know Photoshop that well, here are the steps I've taken, maybe you can improve on 'em with better results.

Jezz, this might give you an idea of what we were talking about before. I *think* I'm on the right track, just missing one or two key steps.

1. Open image, save copy as .png in RGB mode (so I don't overwrite the original)
2. Select Layer -> Layer From Background -> OK to unlock background layer
3. Select All (ctrl-a), Copy (ctrl-c), Select Add Layer Mask from the Layers window (2nd microicon from bottom left)
4. Change to Channels tab and select alpha layer, then deselect the RGB layer
5. Paste (ctrl-v) image from clipboard, then go to Image -> Adjustments -> Invert
6. Go back to Channels tab and re-select RGB channel
7. File -> Save for web, the select PNG-24 from the preset. Save. Done

Now, I *know* something in these steps is not quite right because I end up with some transparency, but not quite all of it.

Example
(IMG:http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7533/semitransparent0xx.th.png)

Notice the ripple effect behind the flames? So I'm pretty sure I'm on the right track, but I think the tutorial I followed was designed more for grayscale than full color, so that may have something to do with it. Anyways, good luck LGC, keep up the good work. Hope you or Jezz can figure out where my brain is shutting down and not seeing whatever it is I'm missing with this alpha channel deal.

Edit: grammar

This post has been edited by remedee: Jul 6 2006, 04:25 PM

[Loaded_Gun_Complex]

I am  using the same combination of build for xbmc and mc360 as you are ..... i am beginning to think that the alpha.png's i sent you are not mean to be a direct copy of the wallpaper with the opacity set lower (to set the opacity you could have double clicked on the layer and it will give you a popup saying "layer 0" just hit ok and you can change opacity and fill as you please and then resave however you like.)

I havent tested this yet but i believe that the alpha channels should be filled white and then set with a lower opacity, but only in the center of the wallpaper, not the top and bottom border ..... sorry if i am rambling lol


Also if you look closely at the picture you provided with the flames you can see the same issues i am having with my latest xpr on the bottom left and bottom right outside of the blade, there is a slight tint of purple, and it changes color accordingly when you slide from blade to blade ... anyone have an idea how to change that?

This post has been edited by Loaded_Gun_Complex: Jul 6 2006, 05:05 PM

[remedee]

QUOTE(Loaded_Gun_Complex @ Jul 6 2006, 11:34 AM)

I am  using the same combination of build for xbmc and mc360 as you are ..... i am beginning to think that the alpha.png's i sent you are not mean to be a direct copy of the wallpaper with the opacity set lower (to set the opacity you could have double clicked on the layer and it will give you a popup saying "layer 0" just hit ok and you can change opacity and fill as you please and then resave however you like.)

I havent tested this yet but i believe that the alpha channels should be filled white and then set with a lower opacity, but only in the center of the wallpaper, not the top and bottom border ..... sorry if i am rambling lol
Also if you look closely at the picture you provided with the flames you can see the same issues i am having with my latest xpr on the bottom left and bottom right outside of the blade, there is a slight tint of purple, and it changes color accordingly when you slide from blade to blade ... anyone have an idea how to change that?

Yep, I realized early on that they weren't a direct copy w/ opacity set lower, that's why I've been tinkering with the alpha chans. I just happen to be terrible with photoshop, but I've seen it done by a few people not on Team BB. So I know it can be done and I'm pretty sure I'm close...

I did notice the tint or artifacts you're talking about. I caught it while tinkering with something and figured I'd deal with it later lol. I'm not sure how to fix it just yet, but then again, there isn't much I seem to be able to fix right now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Loaded_Gun_Complex]

My knowledge with PS isnt extensive but i can help if you have any questions so go ahead and send me a PM any time. I am working on a new blade style right now that i believe will well liked but we'll see lol

[manturafs]

i believe the tint you are talking about is an effect by MC360 called the haze.  you can remove them from the xml, but there might be an easier method to getting rid of them.

[Loaded_Gun_Complex]

I was wondering if that was the issue, i did look arounda bit but i will see what i can do, allthough i did notice that say when i switch to any of the three original themes the haze goes away, or in my xpr if i chooses a different wallpaper the haze "sometimes" goes away ..... weird

[manturafs]

i think it's still there on the original themes, just less noticeable due to the colors they chose.  if you really want to get rid of it, just create a transparent png and name it: haze-blue.png, haze-green.png, haze-purple.png, and haze-orange.png.  save those in your xpr and it will override the hazes found in the default texture.  that should work.

[Loaded_Gun_Complex]

Just no color to the haze.pngs? What i mean is do i make them transparent?

[manturafs]

yeah, no color.  just an empty transparent png.  that will remove the color i believe

[Loaded_Gun_Complex]

OK thanx i will try that tonight after work.

[Fused0ne]

I am having trouble getting xbmctex to work as well. I jeep getting the following error. Ive followed everything posted and suggested on here and still cant get it to work.

I get the following error.

Cannot Init 3D3 device: 8876086c

Any help is appreciated.

[Loaded_Gun_Complex]

are u using the comand prompt or did you make a text doc with xbmctex.exe -quality high and save it as MakeXPR.bat?

[Fused0ne]

Ive tried both. Cant seem to get it to work anyway that Ive read on here to try. Ive tried everything I could find on here.

[warlion]

i gona give you someting you migth find easy to make you own xpr on windows
ok firs of all you need to download this
xprcv1.rar - 0.15MB

what this do
you need to put this one in the same folder where you have your png and your xbmctex.exe

 

(IMG:http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/9505/xprhd9.jpg)

you need to run de xprcv1.exe

(IMG:http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/3279/sinttulo1pv6.jpg)

(IMG:http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8729/sinttulo2yn6.jpg)

(IMG:http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/3927/sinttulo3yi8.jpg)

and after tht you will have your xbm with the name you choice

(IMG:http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8291/sinttulo4km8.jpg)

and inport to your xbox throw ftp program in media folder of the mc360 and enjoy

i hope you like it

[Fused0ne]

Thanks for the files.

I tried them, though dont seem to work for me. I guess I'm not meant to make XPR's lol.

Says name.xpr created in PATH but then says Cannot find specified path, the same path in which it says the theme was created in. So I made the path manually and tired again, but this time it when I ran the program it said it couldnt do it at all.

Oh well, I'm sure others will like your program. Thanks.