Some questions regarding Alpha transparency

[Avarax]

Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for weapon-gfx files?
Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for the weather effects files?
Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for Textures & Edges?
Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for the gosteks?

[Lord Frunkamunch]

I'm pretty sure ALL graphics in soldat must be .bmp to show up. I don't know how to get transparency, but I've heard something about getting in on a PNG and saving it as .bmp, though I'm not sure...

[truup]

...but I've heard something about getting in on a PNG and saving it as .bmp, though I'm not sure...

Changing the name of the file wont help, it looks like it's a bmp image, but the data inside is still PNG, which Soldat can't read. You can always use green as background color, as it is for the default files. Are you trying to make like 50% opacity pictures or what?

[ghg]

Sort of,  I myself am using an explosion with alpha transparency. Its a Bitmap file but I think the underlying data is .png or something.

[numgun]

Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for weapon-gfx files?
Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for the weather effects files?
Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for Textures & Edges?
Does Soldat support PNG alpha transparency for the gosteks?

Those have never been tested before. So I cant say if they do work.
Sceneries and explosions may have alpha.

[xtishereb]

They can work. I have a screenshot to prove it, from a stupid mod I made just to test this:
Shrink Wrap v. 01
Create a .png and rename it to a .bmp.
Soldat is able to read .pngs, that's why you can have .pngs as scenery files. But, it tells itself it must load .bmps for all other files. So, it looks at the .bmps, sees it needs to use its .png reader, and uses that to load the .pngs.
I used some partial transparency in my USP mod, for the trigger in the weapons-gfx image.

[PeteBone]

what you mean with rename dude, open png with notepad, save as, "renaming.png" ?

[xtishereb]

What I mean by "rename" is, turn on the option to see filename extensions (Tools > Folder Options, View Tab, uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types"), then rename file.png to file.bmp. To do this, click once on the file, then click again and keep your mouse still. The file's name should then be highlighted. Change the extension, Windows should give you a warning, hit okay, and treat it like any other file Soldat would use.

[mxyzptlk]

Ok, I tried this, but I may be fuzzy in a few areas.
What exactly do you mean by "alpha transparancy in pngs"?
I use the gimp for all my art, and it can use layers and "opacity", but when I save it, even as png, it merges it with the color behind it. Or am I not supposed to put the green behind it?

[xtishereb]

Don't put the green behind it, or the colors will merge (as you found out).
Save it as a .png with a transparent / no background, as if you were going to post it on the internet.

[Keron Cyst]

What exactly do you mean by "alpha transparancy in pngs"?...

Anything which supports varying levels of transparency (e.g. not Soldat, which is either opaque or completely invisible) is called "alpha transparency"