Where can one find Alpha Channel Definitions?

When defining alpha channels you go into Part Properties and then click on Material. This then gives you a drop down box containing a long list of terms including those associated with alpha channels, and I have selected these based on the recommendations of others. However can anyone tell me where I can find out what each one does?

Hi Alec,

Sorry I was busy yesterday (surprise job interview) and didn't get to post this.

Basically anything marked Alhp give you the ability to do a graded transparency (i.e. glass), Alpha channels use different shades of grey to show how see through an item is (white = solid, mid grey = half see through, black = invisible)
Solid is very much as it suggests.
Trans is transparent meaning the "alpha channel" either turns the texture on or off to be completely invisible (also achieved by using complete black on the alpha channel).

The only unknown for me is the Crcfrm extension as I have never used it.

An overview of all the different combinations is as below:

• AlphBright = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/may affect most items placed behind it(ie: coach interiors)/shows up as daytime texture at night.
  
• AlphBright- = Interior of object (goes behind + rated alpha's)/See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/shows up as daytime texture at night.
  
• AlphBright+ = Exterior of object (goes in front of - rated alpha's)/See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/shows up as daytime texture at night.
  
  
• AlphCrcFrm = Unknown
  
• AlphCrcFrm- = Unknown
  
• AlphCrcFrm+ = Unknown
  
  
• AlphDrkShd = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/may affect most items placed behind it(i.e.: coach interiors)/Shows up texture as very dark/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphDrkShd- = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Interior of object (goes behind + rated alpha's)/Shows up texture as very dark/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphDrkShd+ = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Exterior of object (goes in front of - rated alpha's)/Shows up texture as very dark/At night texture is dark.
  
  
• AlphHiShine = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/may affect most items placed behind it(ie: coach interiors)/Hi Gloss appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphHiShine- = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Interior of object (goes behind + rated alpha's)/Hi Gloss appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphHiShine+ = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Exterior of object (goes in front of - rated alpha's)/Hi Gloss appearance of object/At night texture is dark
  
  
• AlphhlfBrt = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/may affect most items placed behind it(i.e.: coach interiors)/shows up as semi bright texture texture at night (normally used for coach interior lighting).
  
• AlphhlfBrt- = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Interior of object (goes behind + rated alpha's)/shows up as semi bright texture texture at night (normally used for coach interior lighting).
  
• AlphhlfBrt+ = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Exterior of object (goes in front of - rated alpha's)shows up as semi bright texture texture at night (normally used for coach interior lighting).
  
  
• AlphLoShine = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/may affect most items placed behind it(i.e.: coach interiors)/"satin gloss" effect on object/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphLoShine- = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Interior of object (goes behind + rated alpha's)/"satin gloss" effect on object/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphLoShine+ = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Exterior of object (goes in front of - rated alpha's)/"satin gloss" effect on object/At night texture is dark.
  
  
• AlphNorm = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/may affect most items placed behind it(ie: coach interiors)/No change to appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphNorm- = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Interior of object (goes behind + rated alpha's)/No change to appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
• AlphNorm+ = See through or graded (i.e.: "glass effect")/Exterior of object (goes in front of - rated alpha's)/No change to appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
  
• SolidBright = Non See through (item is solid)/shows up as daytime texture at night.
  
• SoildCrcfrm = Unknown
  
• SolidDrkShd = Non See through (item is solid)/Shows up texture as very dark/At night texture is dark.
  
• SolidHiShine = Non See through (item is solid)/Hi Gloss appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
• SolidHlfBrt = Non See through (item is solid)/shows up as semi bright texture texture at night (normally used for coach interior lighting).
  
• SoildLoShine = Non See through (item is solid)/"satin gloss" effect on object/At night texture is dark.
  
• SolidNorm = Non See through (item is solid)/No change to appearance of object/At night texture is dark. (default setting)
  
  
• TransBright = See through (item is either all there or not)/shows up as daytime texture at night.
  
• TransCrcfrm = Unknown
  
• TransDrkShd = See through (item is either all there or not)/Shows up texture as very dark/At night texture is dark.
  
• TransHiShine = See through (item is either all there or not)/Hi Gloss appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  
• TransHlfBrt = See through (item is either all there or not)/shows up as semi bright texture texture at night (normally used for coach interior lighting).
  
• TransLoshine = See through (item is either all there or not)/"satin gloss" effect on object/At night texture is dark.
  
• TransNorm = See through (item is either all there or not)/No change to appearance of object/At night texture is dark.
  

We may want to slightly expand on this post and put it into the HLF section...

Justin

Many thanks for that Justin. Yes it would a useful addition to the HFL area. Hopefully someone will confirm the "unknowns"? We could then set it up for posting in HFL.

Hi guys,

I think Clive Heard might be the man in the know!
Cheers
Andy

35005CP wrote:Hi guys,

I think Clive Heard might be the man in the know!
Cheers
Andy

Not really .
I only use AlphaNorm and the +/- variants for rolling stock and outsides of signal boxes. and  transhalfbt/solidhlfbrt for internal surfaces on coaches and signal boxes as they automatically light up as darkness falls. I did experiment with a few others a long time ago but either couldn't see any appreciable effect or they caused MSTS to crash when the model was used.

When looking at a s file for some trees a while ago (not sure if default or new models), I did notice  alphas ending Crcfrm (can't remember which type of alpha) was used. Not sure why.

Cheers
Clive