Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Kaz]

Hi all,

Lots of forum searches later, still no closer to the definitive answer - does transparent video exist, or do all videos have to be square or fullscreen?

Imagine an irregular changing shape on a static background. I get the impression (correct me if I'm wrong) that I put the background into the AlphaImage parameter of the PlayTheora command, but that then implies that the foreground file must be transparent. If that is so, can anybody please point me at an instruction for creating clean transparent, no-pink-round-the-edges video? (Sprites are not an option - in practice, they take too long to load, as does the built-in emitter).

Part of the problem here is that I've no idea what I'm talking about . Please take that into account when you reply.

Thanks
 

[metamorphium]

ok, I'm currently using tons of videos so I might answer you:

First of all, the question is - how you define transparent. If you want some sort of dynamical transparency (i.e. bluescreen simulation) it's a no-go in WME.

If on the other hand you want to shape your video using a static transparent mask, it's quite easy.

Code: WME Script

1. this.PlayTheora("spaceport_3\monitor_1_final.ogg",true,"spaceport_3\monitor_1_videooverlay.png");
2.  

The png in question actually contains only alpha information and it shapes the video nicely (all transparent pixels would prevent video pixels from appearing while the opaque make them visible). Also note, that you can make semitransparent videos (using different alpha value than 0 or 100) or their combination. The important thing though is that it's a static mask and it will be the same for all video file.

Hope this helps.

[Kaz]

So, videos are NOT transparent then. Can't be done. No such thing. That's definitive, thanks.

BUT - I see in 'The Lost Crown' never-ending smoke coming from the train's smokestack with no loop reset. In theory you could do that by running two semi-transparent smoke plumes out of phase on top of one another. Any idea how they do it in TLC?

Have you solved the permanent no-loop movement thing by any chance? We tried to use the Wintermute emitter, but it took half a minute to load the scene, whereas in TLC the load is instantaneous. It must be possible. But how?

[metamorphium]

afaik they indeed used particle emitters. There's something wrong with a way you use them if your scene load takes 30 seconds.