Types of alphas

[Spinell]

I like to do a lot of research into what other mesh sellers are doing so I can learn from them and I bumped into something I'd never heard before:

A dress that selled: the MESH itself, an alpha texture, and a body alpha.

I've never heard of a body alpha before. Can you guys tell me what is it, or what the seller probably ment by this?

The alphas I've used so far are only simple textures that I apply to the ystem alpha program inside SL to hide body parts that poke out of the mesh (for example, like in the corsets I do).

Now I'm curious, what other types of alphas are there? This info could be very useful for my building. ;)

[Suzan Littlething]

There is only one type.

 

Seems this seller also provides the alpha TEXTURE itself. So if the alpha did not hide enough (or too much) the customer and export the alpha texture, change it and then change the alpha layer.

[Imnotgoing Sideways]

"Alpha" is a somewhat generic term in image file formats.  Each pixel in an image contains a number of channels.  In the most basic sense; Red, Blue, and Green.  Any additional chanels get their own designation.  It's common practice to call the transparency data the Alpha Channel. ()

So, in SL, anything that causes transparency anywhere can be referred to as Alpha.  Be it alpha textures or alpha masks.  A body mask may simply be an avatar alpha which makes parts of the avatar body invisible. ()y

 

 

[Spinell]

Oh, so it was refering to the actual texture. I actually thought it was a completely different thing.

Thanks for the info!

[Jennifer Boyle]

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Suzan Littlething wrote:

There is only one type.

 

Seems this seller also provides the alpha TEXTURE itself. So if the alpha did not hide enough (or too much) the customer and export the alpha texture, change it and then change the alpha layer.

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As a consumer, I want to ask sellers of mesh clothing to PLEASE include the alpha texture.  I have been really disappointed with the alpha masks that come with mesh clothing, and, more often than not, I have to make my own because the one that came with the item either doesn't cover enough body or leaves a transparent gap between the clothing and the part that projects from it.  It's much easier to alter one than to start from scratch.

[Spinell]

Thanks for the input, Jennifer. I'm going to start providing my alpha textures as well.