Hiya!
I am trying to make a new lamp, and thanks to Deluxe Designs tutorial, that is now a possibility, but I have one sticking point. When I try to change where the light comes from, my mesh turns completely black (except for the bulbs, lol). I'm not sure why this is, but I'm thinking it has something to do with that particular img file. I was wondering if someone might be able to help me out?

I've attached a few images, to help illustrate the problem, and can upload a file if need be. The 2 images that are textured correctly are without changing (what I think is) the lighting file? And the other 2 (black everything) images are after changing that black and white img file which appears to determine where the bulb is lit from. I assume this to be the case because when I mouse over the first one (with correct textures and such) the white parts you see "glow" like they are the bulb. Is there something I'm missing? Help!

Thank you

*bump*

Any ideas?

I am guessing that if there are two states, on and off, then there are two materials for the lamp mesh. One appears to have been changed correctly, because your on state lights up.

One appears to be linking to a bad (well, incorrect in some manner) texture, however. I feel it is that because the mesh shape is correct, but all black only when the light is off. So there are probably two textures involved here, and one is still not right.

<* Wes *>

Hi Wes, thank you so much for replying

I have picked through the file with a fine toothed comb, and I definitely can't find another texture file for the lighting. The lights in the pictures I attached to the last post were on for both sets (the one with the correct textures showing, and the fully black ones), and there was no change when the lights turned off.

I've attached a rar of the package file, and included a map of where the lightbulb *should* be, on the off chance you or someone might be able to figure out an answer for this. I'd be so grateful!

Thank you for all the work you put in for us, its so appreciated!

*edit to add, I have not imported all the lod files yet, its just the basic mesh. In case you wondered

I don't mean to be a pest, but I still can't figure this problem out

Ok, this was actually pretty simple.

Your bulb lighting image had no alpha channel, so the image was rendered on the whole mesh, instead of just the bulb part.

That's why it was showing up completely black except on the bulb itself-- you absolutely need the alpha channel in order to to show the game which parts of the image should be visible and which parts should be "see-through".

The lit bulb dds would only used by the game when the light is on, obviously. So when the light was off, it looks fine, because the game is not referencing the dds in question. But when the light was turned on, that image was called up and displayed on the entire lamp mesh-- the white part on the bulb and the black part everywhere else.

The easiest way to see if you need an alpha channel in your image is to look at the original dds that you will be replacing. If that has an alpha channel, your replacement will need one too.

I added the alpha channel to your image and imported it into your package, and it now works fine in my game. I attached the fixed package for you.

BabaYaga, thank you SO much! I really appreciate the help.
It always makes me feel like a bit of a tard when the solution is really a simple thing like that, but, I guess we can't all know everything, right.

Thanks again! Yay!

Yup, no need to feel bad just because it was a simple problem-- I'm glad to be able to help, and if it hadn't been simple, I wouldn't have been able to!

I will give you my "you helped out" award. It has no official status, no benefits and I don't even have a mesh for it. But we need some more helpers around here, and you should be proud that you "chipped in".

<* Wes *>