How can I apply decals

[steveps3]

You use the alpha as the mix factor on a mix node. This will only apply your texture to the parts of the model that you want it whilst the rest of the model will receive the other material.

Here is the images that I was trying to create when I raised this post (assuming that image upload is working now)

[FooZe]

This got me to thinking. If we load up a .PNG with transparency, wouldn't it be awesome if that image node had two output pins, one for image and one for alpha? That way, you could load up the image, attach image pin to your mix node and the alpha pin to mix amount. That way you only have to load one texture instead of two. Maybe this could help people cut down on amount of textures in their scenes???

Try loading the exact same png (with alpha) as an image as well as alpha image, you will notice that octane is smart and only one texture slot is used

thanks
Chris.

Wont that create a greyscale alpha using the images color values? What I want is for it to use the alpha of the image, not the image as an alpha.

Hi Kavorka,

Perhaps i'm not understanding you well...
Here is what i was meaning:

You are right, that you have to manually load the decal twice, once as an image and once as an alpha image to get the alpha channel, but in terms of texture slot usage this scene is only using up two texture slots. (Note: The "alphaimage" node, loads only the alpha channel of the image, perhaps this is the confusion?)

Thanks
Chris.