How Do you get to the ACES Image Tool?

[CWP]

I'm thinking I don't have a full install of SDK because I can't find any of the utilities mentioned in the SDK overview. Is there a control panel? I show SDK installed in my add/remove programs but I can't find any tools to open and I would like to get to the ACES Image Tool to create an alpha channel image.

Regards: CWP

[scruffyduck]

I have that tool in ..\SDK\Environment Kit\Terrain SDK

[CWP]

Thanks Jon
Lots to learn here! Now all I have to do is figure out how to create an alpha channel for transparent objects. Do you know where a Image Tool tutorial is??

Regards: CWP

[meshman]

withdrawn.

[CWP]

Thanks Lance
Good Lesson! Simple and to the point and the DXTBmp instructions seem simple and clear also.

Regards: CWP

[arno]

Neither ImageTool nor DXTBmp are tools to make the alpha channel. They are tools to convert the textures to a compressed format FS can read. You should create the alpha channel in your normal painting program (GIMP, Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro).

I prefer to use ImageTool as it can read PSD files. In that case I can have my texture and the alpha channel in one file. Much easier to work with.

[ziporama]

To add to the above, Nvidia provides a Photoshop compatible plugin that works with many formats needed by FS, and is one of the few ways to create bump map textures.

The plugin can be found here: http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html

It should work with any imaging tool that supports the more recent Photoshop plugin format.

Etienne