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View Full Version : Avatar Alpha-ness

n3rdXcore
10-08-2008, 03:54 PM
Hey mods, is there a way to alpha out part of your avatar? Say, by filling the parts you want alpha'd out with a specific hex color? Since there are so many avatars surrounded by unnecessary white boxes, I think it would be pretty neat.
Spectre-7
10-08-2008, 03:59 PM
Not to speak for the mods or anything, but I believe trying to do that from the server side would be difficult (though not impossible), and would generally require reprocessing all of the images. The traditional way to accomplish what you're after is to convert your image to either a GIF, which uses a reserved color for alpha as you describe, or to PNG, which supports a full 8-bit alpha channel. My avatar is an example of the latter.
pheriannath
10-08-2008, 05:09 PM
.png or .gif files should retain their alpha channels. If they don't, then that's a bug. ;-)
n3rdXcore
10-08-2008, 05:14 PM
.png or .gif files should retain their alpha channels. If they don't, then that's a bug. ;-)

I think I should be using something that is not MSPaint then!
Spectre-7
10-08-2008, 05:35 PM
I think I should be using something that is not MSPaint then!

If you're looking for a free replacement, there are actually a few decent options out there.

http://www.gimp.org/
http://www.getpaint.net/

:D
Darkmatter
10-28-2010, 01:46 PM
Hmm I picked 8bit png with transparency and I still get white... :(
Spectre-7
10-28-2010, 01:51 PM
Hmm I picked 8bit png with transparency and I still get white... :(

Send me the original image and I'll gladly process it for ya.
Darkmatter
10-28-2010, 03:08 PM
Thanks but I want to know wtf is wrong. It shows up as transparent in PS... I guess I could use gif....
Spectre-7
10-28-2010, 03:34 PM
Thanks but I want to know wtf is wrong. It shows up as transparent in PS... I guess I could use gif....

PNG should totally work, and it's not as if Photoshop offers you many options. Unfortunately, I just don't have much information to diagnose with. I might be able to figure it out if I had the psd, but otherwise... *shrug*
Darkmatter
10-28-2010, 03:51 PM
Well gif didn't work either (as you can see) so I'll send you the original file I got off the internet. It was originally a png.

Thanks.
Spectre-7
10-28-2010, 04:18 PM
Original:
https://sites.google.com/site/spectre7/Home/180px-Cactuar.png

Edited:
https://sites.google.com/site/spectre7/Home/180px-Cactuar2.png

Fixed. Wish I could tell you what was causing it, but I frankly have no clue. All I did was duplicate the layer (Ctrl-J), delete the original, and save a new file. Photoshop isn't always terribly straightforward about things. *shrug x 2*

Figured I might as well shrink it for you while I was at it.
https://sites.google.com/site/spectre7/Home/100px-Cactuar2.png
MachEnergy
10-28-2010, 05:06 PM
I can't believe I haven't looked at my avatar since Valentines Day, when I put that silly hat on Old Snake. Wow. What people must think of me! :D
Darkmatter
10-28-2010, 08:32 PM
Thanks for your help!
Darkmatter
10-29-2010, 06:42 PM
Thought I'd make a small change for the holiday. :)

Boo
Spectre-7
10-30-2010, 11:16 AM
You're very welcome, and nice hat, sir. ;)