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Glad to help, but I wouldn't fancy the job of fixing a bunch of tracks! God knows how bad some of the tree textures are, the worse the problem the harder it is to fix. The tree textures I use were bigger than 2k before being scaled down so the quality is perfect.

Once I've finished the track I'm working on I'll be releasing a tree pack to the MXB Asset thread, since nobody has so far taken up the role of running one over here they will remain over there for now. I guess I could just copy and paste the post content into a thread over here but.. well.. I didn't want to

If an admin wants to sticky this, I'll gladly write out a proper tutorial with pictures. Someone just let me know

I only use Gimp but I can explain that process.

Take your tree with alpha channel, assuming you've already cut it out or downloaded a pre cut one.

Right click on the trees layer and 'Add Layer Mask', then choose 'Layers Alpha Channel'. What this does is converts your alpha into a visible image. You'll notice some of the edges are antialiased and if this is done badly, it will bleed nothingness (normally white) around the edges giving a halo.

Click the black and white layer to enable mask editing and you should see it becomes highlighted, then adjust brightness and contrast, wacking the contrast up to maximum, this will convert the antialiased mask into a clear cut 2 colour black and white mask. You can right click the alpha mask and choose 'show layer mask' to see what you're doing, but the results will be transferred into your main image anyway.

The importance of the 'Flaming Pear' type plugin is to make sure all edges of the tree overlap into the transparent areas before being masked. When texture quality is lowered in game and the edges of the texture are blurred, without making sure there is enough coverage under the mask can result in the halo effect.

Z-sorting or z-buffer issues are unrelated though. It's just the graphics cards inability to distinguish which tree needs drawing first. I don't know much more than that but I know programs like Blender, SketchUp and other 3d platforms suffer so I don't think it's a simple fix. If using CK works then definitely do it, but I found using my method doesn't require it.

I have no idea about chroma-key, but I can quickly explain how I've managed to get 2d trees to work with little to no alpha bleeding and no need for the CK prefix.

First off, make sure the alpha mask is perfectly cut out, and turn up the contrast so the only values that exist are 0 black and 255 white.

Then use something along the lines of 'Flaming Pear' plugin, for Gimp I use this one http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3153&start=0

Then I export as a DDS image, compression set to 'BC3 DTX5' and 'Generate MipMaps' set to ON.

Next I 'Import Image as Plane' in Blender, making sure to tick the 'Use Alpha' box.

First thing I do is copy the plain and flip it 180* so it's double sided, then join those together. Then I do the same with the 2nd image (if I'm using 2 for my 2d trees, you can do it with one just duplicate the joined faces and rotate 90*). Once you have the layout or setup you want for the tree, select everything and join it together so it's one object.

I now have my 2d tree.. But the most important step is to duplicate it, leave it occupying the same space as the master and join the 2 together (so it's 2 trees in the same spot).

One tree comes out at 16 tri's which is more than acceptable, and it works really nicely. Sorry if this isn't the answer you wanted, but I've spent over a year battling with this problem and only through trial and error was I able to get the process down to a point I was happy with the results

This image below uses this method. There is no 'CK' prefix used and no bleeding issues, no sorting issues etc.. Perfect.

Great idea.. This would also massively help identifying problems..

3 years ago I asked to create asset library, nobody care 

Helpful...    lol

I wasn't around here 3 years ago, only on the MXB board .. Still, seems like a good idea, if we want to make track creation more accessible to people, and make life easier for each other.

I don't mind doing it this way. Gives people the option to browse, see preview pictures, pick and choose what they want, and gives uploaders the option to remove things easily if they want to.

However, if it grows to the point that it's worth it at least on the MXB forum, it will be included in the FTP / Sync pack.

Does anyone fancy creating and maintaining a thread for people to upload track assets for others to use?

I know there was a mention of this briefly in another thread and I said I'd maintain one over on MXB so I did just that:

http://forum.mx-bikes.com/index.php?topic=1712.0

It's only been up a day but hopefully it will soon fill up. Anything posted on MXB can be copied and posted here and vice versa.

What do you guys think?

Yes, it's awful, see it on every skydome. It's like the colours are reduced or the texture is heavily compressed.

Could the LAA tool doing the rounds be used on the fbx2edf exe?

Sorry if I'm off the mark, haven't tried it yet myself..

Yeah, I only really use background for a flat horizon wrap..

I even ditched that and started putting my scenery in the skybox as background.edf was being shaded. Think that's been fixed now though.

You can add objects in tracked.. Might that be useful?

At least something good came of it

I had a quick browse of the wiki last night and couldn't see a way of using scenery..

http://docs.piboso.com/wiki/index.php/MXB_Track_Creation_Guide

On phone right now so can't really check, don't know how gpb tracks are constructed.. But might be worth trying to see if you have a control file like mxb uses the hmf and tht files if the scenery argument can be used..

I know in mxb you can add multiple scenery (edf) files to your track hmf and tht.. These are for on track objects like buildings, trees etc..

I know things work differently in gpb so don't know how useful that is..

I tend not to use background.edf as the lack of perspective isn't nice.

Awesome, thanks

Pib, could you give us a quick rundown on this dedicated mod folder? What's it all about?