Keef's IMVU!

The Hidden World of the XRF,
How to add Opacity and Customize XRFs for use in Your Products

Alright, time to put and end this long standing IMVU rumor...

“You cannot add opacity to an existing non opacity maped product.” FALSE

You can make ANY texture on ANY product in IMVU have opacity. However, not all meshes were made with opacity in mind and just making a mesh have opacity may not get the results you’re hoping for.

In this tutorial I will walk you through how to edit an existing XRF to make your own. And no, you DO NOT need a 3D program, all you need is Notepad!!!!

For you meshers, once you learn this you will never have to export a texture again!

This tutorial assumes you already have an basic understanding of how the previewer works and how to retexture a product. Please do my make a shirt tutorial first if you do not have these skills yet.

What is an XRF?

An XRF is a simple text file that tells the previewer what texture slots to provide and what to label them as. This is all an XRF does in the Previewer. An XRF has nothing to do with the final texture assignments, texture maps, texture repeats, or anything else.

Anatomy of an XRF:

Here are the entire contents of two XRF files. Highlighted is the only data we need to worry about.

The first number highlighted tells us how may textures the XRF has. If it is a solid the number is 1, if it has an opacity map the number is 2.

The next things highlighted are the texture’s file names.

<MAP TYPE="Diffuse Color">Solid.jpg</MAP>

<MAP TYPE="Diffuse Color">Opacity.jpg</MAP>
<MAP TYPE="Opacity">OpacityA.jpg</MAP>

Whatever is typed here (here highlighted in bold) will appear in the text slot under the texture and it will be the name the texture uses in the CFL.

If you name it the name of an existing texture in your Previewer's examples directory it will automatically load that texture for you. If not, it will load blank and you can browse for the texture you wish to use just as you would when replacing a texture when retexturing.

**Important note**: If two or more XRF texture files have the same name for their textures, replacing the texture on one will effect them all. If you wish to use different textures make sure to give them unique names.

Exercise Part 1: Editing a Solid Texture XRF

First download this zip clicky!!

Then extract the files and the texture files into your Previewer’s Examples file. (same place you put your textures for use in the Previewer.)

Zip Contents

185Op1.jpg
185Op2.jpg
185Op3.jpg
185Tex.jpg
Opacity.xrf
Solid.xrf

Now go to where you extracted the files to and find the files. Right click on the one called Solid.xrf and choose ‘Open With’, then Notepad. You may have to browse for the Notepad option the first time you do this. If you wish you can set Notepad as the default program for opening all .XRF files.

Now you should see this.

Change the text ‘Solid’ to anything you wish. In my case, I will change mine to Keef Shirt.

So it now reads like this:

Now go to File, Save As and change the name. I’ll change mine to KeefShirt.xrf

IMPORTANT!!! You MUST manually type in .xrf at the end of the file name in order for it to save as a XRF.

Hit save and you have just made a new XRF! woot woot.

Now open the Previewer and Derive from product number 185 IMVU's Baggy T Green
(Huh? How do I do that? If you do not know previewer basics please start with the how to make a shirt tutorial for how to load and edit products.)

Go to the Materials tab and look for the textures XRF. Browse for the one you just saved.

Hit ‘Apply Changes’

Now the texture name below the texture box will have changed to your new name. The file name will change in the XRF input field to the new one once you save and reload.

Just at the Texture of your choice into the texture box as you normaly would. The name in the Material File box will show the new xrf name when you save and reload your cfl.

Now on to opacity!

Exercise Part 2: Editing an Opacity Enabled Texture XRF

Now go back to the files you unzipped and open the one named Opacity.xrf with Notepad.

It should look like this.

Now change both texture names, again, make sure they are unique.

Now ‘Save As’, pick a name, type in .xrf at the end, and save.

You just made a new Opacity XRF!!!!

Open the Previewer again and derive from the same product 185 IMVU's Baggy T Green

Browse for your new opacity XRF. Hit Apply Changs.

Now the texture names should have changed and like magic the Opacity option is enabled!!!

Now.. Why adding an Opacity Map won't do what you may have wanted.

I included one texture and three opacity maps with the ziped files.

Click on the 'Diffuse Color' Line and then change the texture to the supplied ‘185Tex’ texture.

Click on the 'Opacity' line and change the texture to the ‘185Op1’ map.

Hit Apply Changes.

Now look at your model.

Was it what you expected?

As you can see, not all meshes are created to support opacity and just adding an opacity map to them may not get you’re the results you were hoping for as there is no skin mesh beneath the shirt. However, you can still do some fun stuff.

Try it with Op2 and Op3 for some fun options.

For Op3, which uses gray, make sure to activate Composite Blending Mode.

Bullet holes and Ghostly Avatars are just two fun options that can be created by adding opacity. Just have fun with it!

Remember: Any time you are using a Texture and an Opacity Map they must be the EXACT SAME SIZE or they will not work.

NOW get cracking! Can’t wait to see what crazy stuff you all come up with! Oh and *psst*, it works on rooms too ;)

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