translucency

You need to use .png images or .tga images. It all depends on what you are trying to do. Different programs allow the use of different kinds of image formats. Explain a little further what you are trying to do.

i want to create a taskbar and start menu that are like a projection screen window, sorta like the ones you see in the military, those big glass things that they mark stuff on

Interesting... I would love to see this!!

yea...i would too...but im still a n00b and need to know how to

Taskbar images dont support transparency. They must be .bmps

what about start menus

.tgas will work but not the way you want. There is still a background color for any part of the image that is used.

[Message Edited]

well then, i suppose the better question would be, what can i do that with

Try importing a .png image into skin studio. Skinstudio will auto convert the .png to a .tga. The save and apply. You will see what happens. Maybe someone else can get into more detail but it will take only a minute for you to do it and then you will know exactly what the limitations are. Just open any skin in SKS, and cut a piece of the image. Replace it with a transparent image then save a .png. then you can import it to SKS. Check off translucenct and transparency in the little boxes at the bottom right.

what im basically asking is a photoshop question, i know what you are saying, but, what i mean is how is translucency represented? do you use a second layer at %50 opacity or something?

Sorry for not being clear. Transparency is supported but translucency is not. Only on some images also. You can have an image with some blank pixels in it but not translucent pixels.