I'd like to see a change in the usage of the alpha channel in dds skins. It would be nice to be able to use it to adjust the reflectivity of the skin instead of the transparency. Online skins would simply be as they are now; jpgs, but those who choose to make use of the alpha channel can simply upload the .dds version somewhere to share manually.

I'd really like to be able to play with a matte scheme properly

+1 nice idea After times and times with people asking for cars and tracks, finnally an good idea.

Actually that sound like a pretty good idea since transparency is not used anyway (Except sun roofs, hood holes etc)
I wonder how it would be during online game since skins of the other players would be converted from, jpg to dds (or tga, cant remember) does it mean the whole stake would be either too dull or too shiny.
To work correctly online it would required change of the skins format, allowed image size, etc.

Quote from Chupacabras84 :

Actually that sound like a pretty good idea since transparency is not used anyway (Except sun roofs, hood holes etc)
I wonder how it would be during online game since skins of the other players would be converted from, jpg to dds (or tga, cant remember) does it mean the whole stake would be either too dull or too shiny.
To work correctly online it would required change of the skins format, allowed image size, etc.

I think auto-downloaded skins would be fine left as-is (single pre-defined reflectivity) and those of use wishing to play with reflectivity can distribute our skins as dds files on the forums. People who want to view the skins with their intended alpha channels would probably opt to download the skins in their full high-resolution glory anyways, which isn't offered by LFSW (I'm talking 2048+) so I don't think anything needs to change on LFSW, just the coding within the game to read the DDS' alpha channel differently.

Well in that case I guess it would be easier just an additional folder for skins with reflection and exception to how LFS renders skins from that folder.
But the problem is who will be doing it as for now all i know is that Scaven the only one who can do it but i doubt he would spend time on that.

Quote from MAGGOT :

just the coding within the game to read the DDS' alpha channel differently.

I dont quite remember how LFS handle this but somehow i think its download jpg then convert it to tga or dds so if lfs gonna treat dds differently it still messes the game up because the file you downloading is jpg without alpha channel and its being converted to dds or tga which support alpha channel. in the end it will treat skin which was created without alpha as skin with alpha even if there is no reflection layer.
I think i remember this solution from rFactor, if I am right it often resulted in chrome cars and big skin size but if made properly it looked really nice.

+1 We would need these.

*Cough* *cough* bump? and it somewhat already is implemented, just need to add ALPHA to the name in DDS format.