Flag decal details

[michaelhester07]

What shader type should I assign to the flag decal object to get it to show up right in game? Specifically if a flag uses an alpha channel?

(this is not covered in the link from the mod development sticky)

[sumghai]

If I recall correctly, I used KSP/Alpha/Cutoff to put flags on the Command Pod Aeroshell in my SDHI Service Module System parts pack.

KSP/Alpha/Translucent or KSP/Alpha/Translucent Specular might be useful if the flags have semi-transparent bits (this is unlikely, though)

[michaelhester07]

What settings do you use on the shader? I get the flag looking like this:

It's transparent to the part it's on

[sumghai]

The default settings for KSP/Alpha/Cutoff should be just fine.

I'm not sure what you're trying to do - do you want the Kerbal flag to have a transparent or opaque (white) background? If it's the former, KSP/Alpha/Cutoff will work, but if it's the latter, KSP/Diffuse will suffice.

(A transparent shader for the flag quad is ideal if you expect your part to use the NASA meatball logo, which is intended to be transparent outside the blue circle.)

[nli2work]

pre-contract agency flags work fine with KSP/Alpha/Cutoff shader; contract agency flags work with KSP/Alpha/Translucent(specular) shaders, but not always with Cutoff shader.

in the part in the image, did you extrude a face on the main mesh and split it off to a flagDecal object? if so, it's because you left the hole behind it and you are seeing the back face of the other side of the part through the interior. Just cap the hole.

[michaelhester07]

In my picture the flag decal is a separate object in the model, the model behind it is solid, no holes.

[nli2work]

the back should be white I presume? the split down the middle b/w can appear as if by design.

well, looking at the image and what you said I had two guesses. since it's not the first guess.. are you running real-time reflection mod as well? I doubt that's the issue, but the image looks like either a hole in the mesh, or the flag material is doing reflection.

just to clarify, flag mesh should be a simple quad/plane, not a box or some other closed shape.

[Quiznos323]

While we're on the subject of flags, is it possible to add the flag mesh in Unity, or is there an easy way to just import that part of the mesh from Blender into Unity? I have a cockpit finished and released but I'd like to add the flag detail..

[nli2work]

yeah, any mesh object can be used for flag decal. just give the part module appropriate name of the mesh object. you can test this by changing the "textureQuadName = flagTransform".

just keep in mind the flag image is mapped to the entire UV space, this can lead to unexpected results depending on your UV layout; or you might use this to your advantage.

[michaelhester07]

the back should be white I presume? the split down the middle b/w can appear as if by design.

well, looking at the image and what you said I had two guesses. since it's not the first guess.. are you running real-time reflection mod as well? I doubt that's the issue, but the image looks like either a hole in the mesh, or the flag material is doing reflection.

just to clarify, flag mesh should be a simple quad/plane, not a box or some other closed shape.

I don't have a reflection mod (though a reflective flag would be *sweet*). The flag is a single quad polygon that has it's own mesh object and floats above the fuel tank in the image. It seems the shader doesn't render anything on the same part behind it with transparency. I've tried the translucent ones and those don't render the flag at all. Unlit transparent does the same thing with not rendering the model behind it.

[nli2work]

same thing happens with all the flags? or just the default KSP flag? post images of your unity shader inspector panel expanded, and the part heirarchy.

[michaelhester07]

That was the settings I had when I did the screenshot in game for the part. It shows up fine in unity but in-game it doesn't render the part below it.

It happens with the Nasa "meatball" too. Flags without alpha see fine.

[michaelhester07]

I found a working combo:

FlagTransform a direct child of the center game object that has the KSP part tools, and KSP Alpha Translucent with default settings.