Texture Transparency Problems

Hi Everyone
I started using BVE about three weeks ago. I believe I have a problem I never found a solution to after trawling for hours on the web.
My problem is that in BVE my computer does not render the alpha channel causing all the the graphics to be rendered with some find of opaque coloured area around the textures (for example trees, fences, etc.), as seen in the given screenshot. But when I disable Direct3D on my computer, or run BVE in the 24 bit colour mode, the 'Could not render HAL' error comes up, and the graphics are rendered WITH the alpha channel, the only problem here being that as the graphics are rendered from the software buffer, the frame rate falls below an acceptable limit. But when I run the game in the 256 colour mode, WITH Direct3D enabled, the graphics are rendered fine, the problem agai being that the colours appearing so bad there is basically no pont in playing the sim that way.
I believe that the culprit for the problem are the 256 colour bitmaps which do not allow the alpha chanel to be rendered. But then again, other people also run BVE, but they don't face such problems.
I even contacted Anthony Bowden (who was very supportive) about it but I'm afraid even he could'nt find a solution to it.
Anyone who has know knowledge in this field who might be able to help me out, pur...lease do so.
There are a few in-depth details regarding this problems which I could supply you to further help me here.
Also I am providing my computer's configuration overview to help you help me:BVE 2.5.3
Windows XP Professional SP1
Intel Pentium III Processor 1 Ghz
256MB SDRAM
ATi Rage Mobility M1 AGP2X Graphics, and
my computer is a Compaq Armada E500 laptop.Please help me!!
Gaurang

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RE: Texture Transparency Problems, J_Legrand, Feb-15-04, 07:40 PM, (1) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-16-04, 05:43 AM, (2) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-17-04, 06:50 PM, (3) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, ChristopherT, Feb-17-04, 08:13 PM, (4) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-18-04, 03:43 AM, (5) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, Mr Gizmo, Feb-18-04, 04:29 AM, (6) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-18-04, 05:35 AM, (7) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, Mr Gizmo, Feb-18-04, 06:20 AM, (8) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, SteveGreen, Feb-18-04, 09:27 AM, (9) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, smikes, Feb-18-04, 10:18 AM, (10) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-18-04, 10:50 AM, (11) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, Bryan88, Feb-18-04, 11:59 AM, (12) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-18-04, 12:06 PM, (13) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, Bryan88, Feb-18-04, 03:50 PM, (16) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, Mr Gizmo, Feb-18-04, 12:15 PM, (14) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-18-04, 12:20 PM, (15) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-19-04, 03:51 AM, (17) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, Bryan88, Feb-19-04, 01:39 PM, (22) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, ferrovipathe, Feb-19-04, 04:13 AM, (18) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-19-04, 07:25 AM, (19) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, ferrovipathe, Feb-19-04, 09:59 AM, (20) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-19-04, 12:33 PM, (21) RE: Texture Transparency Problems, sinhag, Feb-20-04, 04:29 AM, (23)

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Hi and welcome !If i remember right, this is an graphic card issue, and not an BVE problem. Many of games use Direct3D now, and one of the way to fix that transparency problem was to using Open GL. (Well, thats what a friend with a 3dfx did).
When i read your message; Its looks like you know more things about this issue than me, so i dont think i can help you (Except saying "Buy a new graphic card" ? ), but i'm sure someone will help you..Is that the only game (or 3d program) where you have that problem ?Good luck !See You Later
Julian Legrand

- BVE france: http://bve.mm2france.net
- RSC NetWork: http://www.mm2france.net

..Oh yes, i still workin on my 2nd swiss line, much better than the 1st one . 90% is finished, And i will start creating my own objects, finally.

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Yes. I am having this problem only with BVE. All other games, graphics programs, etc. run properly and render alpha.

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hello
does anyone know any possible fix to the abovementioned problem(in the first forum) or should I just try 2 contact mr. mackoy. if so wats his email.
i cant even change or upgrade my graphics card as i use a laptop and it wud be just too messy to try and do it myself. and it wd be 2 expensive 2 get it done by some shop etc.
HELP!!

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-17-04 AT 08:16 PM (EST)

>hello
>i cant even change or upgrade my graphics card as i use a
>laptop and it wud be just too messy to try and do it myself.
>and it wd be 2 expensive 2 get it done by some shop etc.
>HELP!! The problem with most laptops is they don't have true graphics
cards. Another problem is that most have a non-standard screen
setup and conventional methods of fixing problems (like updating
drivers or changing cards) don't work. Maybe someone can help out,
in the meantime I'll try to find out what I can.Christopher Tarana
Ferroequinologist

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no. but then, my card manufacturer is ATi and the screen is made by HP/Compaq. is there any way i could ge in touch with those biggies. maybe they have the know how.

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Sinhag
Try the latest ATI Catalyst Drivers.. they resolve transparency issues.. I run a Radeon 8500 and that had transparency problems on some older drivers, your video card is suitable for bve as you just arnt seeing the transparency. Normally if you see a blue Haze around everything then its time to upgrade.But try the new drivers at www.ati.com

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nah
i tried 2 contact hp but they said that they couldnt help me out coz its a third party software and they are not supposed to provide support for third party software. i s'pose the only possible options now are to either try to contact ATi, or wait for one of u guys 2 help me out, or by some miracle wait for mr. mackoy for the next release of BVE!
Any ideas!!

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Sinhag
Ive just posted the solution lol download the latest catylist drivers for your graphics card from ATI.com and install them, they will resolve the transparency error!

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I'm not sure whether the Catylist drivers will install to a laptop Simon. I have a Compaq lappy with ATI card, and they wouldn't install. Checking the HP site it said they wern't compatible with laptop flatscreens. If anyone knows any different I'd like to know. However with my laptop/ATI I don't get transparency problems!
Cheers
Steve
www.trainsimcentral.co.uk
www.bvetrains.co.uk

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I think that drivers for laptops are often proprietary.I found I could only use what was offered at Compaq and they didn't bother to update it.

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hi
as suggested by mr. gizmo(have i got it right?), i downloaded the catalyst drivers. but as the drivers are only for radeon chipsets, and i have rage mobility, the drivers woulnt work. but also included in the catalyst package is the control panel for ati cards. i installed that and looked at it. (its accessed by Desktop>Right click>properties>Settings>Advanced). I looked at one of the buttons to 'disable dithering in alpha blending' or something like that which looked like it would do the trick but unfortunately it didnt. mr. gizmo, do you have to alter any settings after installig the catalyst drivers.

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Hi,
Try getting in touch with ATI they have always responded to my problems and even sent driver disks through the post at no charge.Mind you I only live 4 miles from their offices.www.ati.com Cheers
Bryan

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okay
i can try to contact ati, but how?? i cant find their email or anything and i will have to pay about 7 pound just to get through and then i have to pay some more money for an international calls to Germany(thats what they said on the support page).
HELP!
gaurang

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-04 AT 04:15 PM (EST)

>okay
>i can try to contact ati, but how?? i cant find their email
>or anything and i will have to pay about 7 pound just to get
>through and then i have to pay some more money for an
>international calls to Germany(thats what they said on the
>support page).
>HELP!
>gaurang Hi again,01628-533115...cheaper than £7 !Regards
Bryan

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-04 AT 12:16 PM (EST)

Hi SinhagSorry My mistake there i did misread your specs...Hmmm rage mobility... which is based heavily on the rage 128pro... hmm and after searching compaqs site they list all the drivers except the graphics....how useful NOT!The reason for you problem is because what you are seeing there is the built in windows XP graphics driver.. which is very very poor and is the root of your transparency troubles i suspect... unfortunatly it seems compaq havent written a new driver for that laptop for 3 years... the last graphic driver was for windows 98 in may 2001.Sorry*Edit* sinhag ATI have an Ireland Telephone number for tech support ill try and get it for you ASAP

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hi
i actually HAVE updated my card drivers from driverguide.com. also read my posts above which tell u what i did with the catalyst software.
HELP!!!

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hi
can u tell me whether the number provided is an ireland or uk no. coz when i try 2 dial it from birmingham uk, the 'number has not been recognized' prompt is heard. also, do i have to provide any credit/debit card nos. etc.
I AM PANICKING!

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>hi
>can u tell me whether the number provided is an ireland or
>uk no. coz when i try 2 dial it from birmingham uk, the
>'number has not been recognized' prompt is heard. also, do i
>have to provide any credit/debit card nos. etc.
>I AM PANICKING! Hi,
The number is in a place called Bourne End four miles from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire just down the road from where I live.Cheers
Bryan
(Ex Brummie)

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Hi!Transparency problems come from the way of translating 3D instructions in pixels.
And it seems that some cards don't understand the color to cut away.
I think it is because video processor is so complex that it is always trying to smooth everything, with antialiasing, and so on..., and don't 'understand' (if a processor can understand...) why you want to cut off some green grass, even if it is in the middle of the sky.One of the best soluces is to use only solid color for transparency, for example the classic pure blue screen (like in movies and TV...), or black, but not a color like your green.
In fact, as pure colors do not exist in true life, all graphic processors are builded to 'understand' that they are used as 'blue screen'.Some understand that a color like 1,1,254 is nearly a pure blue and accept to cut it off, others not.So, use some color like 0,0,0, or 255,0,0 or 0,255,0 or 0,0,255 (the blue screen) and so on. Your objects will be accepted by all cards.
All the best.

http://ferrovipathe.free.fr

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no, but please try to understand my problem, how can i change those settings. as for the green you mentioned above, that colour changes every time i start bve. also, how do i carry out the instructions. please note that i have been using bve only about 4 weeks now and havent started building my own route as yet.

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Sorry, I didn't read the begining, and I didn't understand you are just playing with BVE.So, if you have no problem with others games, it's a BVE problem.Try to run BVE in W98 compatible mode as you are on XP.

http://ferrovipathe.free.fr

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that was one of the most basic solutions i tried to solve the problem, but unfortunately it didnt work. i upgraded to BVE 2.6.1 as soon as it was released yesterday but then again, it didn't solve the problem. it is also stated in quite a few plaes that the later versions of BVE ARE compatible with XP, so its not much use.where are the rest of you, HELP ME PLEASE!!!

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bryan
when itry to call the number u provided, i get the 'number has not been recognized' voice prompt. do i have to dial any additional international codes with it or something as well. and do i have to provide any credit card nos. or somthing.
please HElP ME!!
gaurang

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