How to add transparent alpha?

[flamerboy67664]

So I am a repainter for planes in Microsoft Flight Simulator X. I am creating a bare metal texture for an airplane and I need to do something like a "transparent alpha mask"

 

For example this

[IRON67]

Every new layer is transparent and you can change the opacity of every layer by using "Layer Properties" (F4). Where exact is your problem by doing this?

 

Notice: Save your image as PNG to preserve the Alpha-Channel.

Edited April 6, 2016 by IRON67

[flamerboy67664]

I need to use DDS or FSX won't recognize the files

[IRON67]

You should explain it better. I don't know, what DDS means. A short Google trip brings it together with TGA files. This filetype uses Alpha Channel too.

[NinthDesertDude]

I'm not sure if the image is displaying what you have, what you want, or both. Here are some plugins that might (or might not) help.

 

The Alpha Mask plugin uses a file as an alpha map for the current drawing.

 

The Channel Ops plugin lets you perform basic operations with channels, including the alpha channel. It can set alpha or map channels to alpha, namely.

 

The Alpha Threshold plugin lets you change gradients of alpha, in case you go with the previous two methods but want the image to be proportionately more opaque/transparent.

Edited April 6, 2016 by AnthonyScoffler

[null54]

The easiest way to edit FSX textures with Paint.NET would be to load the texture with DXTBmp and export the color image to Paint.NET.

This would allow you to edit the texture separately from the DDS alpha channel, which Paint.NET merges with the main image when it loads DDS files.

[IRON67]

After clicking around I noticed that PDN can save Images as DDS files with a huge amount of saving-options (see screenshot).  Maybe it's wise, to check out, which of these options are used in original and working files you already have.