Vertex Painting + Grunge Variation

[ErichWK]

So I've been following Chris Albeluhn's tutorials http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/3D_Tutorials.html , more specifically the Vertex Painting (http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/UDK_Advanced_Vertex_Painting.html) and Grunge Variation (http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/UT3_Add_variation_to_repeating_textures_Tutorial.h tml) tutorials.

I've recently hit a snag!
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q267/tailsoffoulaim/walls.jpg
The grunge works pretty well, and so does the vertex painting...by themselves. The problem being when I combine them my Instanced Material I created (to create different color walls) also colors in the underlying Concrete. Here is the setup I started up with.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q267/tailsoffoulaim/far_waway.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q267/tailsoffoulaim/closeup.jpg
I've tried plugging the end Grunge LERP into the top drywall texture, which "sort of" worked, but made the grunge hardly come out at all. It would also be nice to get that grunge to cover up the underlying concrete layer. Does anyone have any tips on how to fix this problem, so my concrete layer stays the same color through out Material Instances? I hope all of this makes sense! And sorry for all the words.

[crazyfingers]

Looks like the first node plugged into your diffuse, the alpha is using a constant of 1, so you wont get any alpha blending at all, I THINK... if you want send me a message on steam and i can look at it for you.

[SimonT]

really cool!

[Ryan Smith]

Are you aware of the advanced vertex blending material DVD i released? IT goes into this in much more depth, and also shows you how to make more efficient materials. The one u have now is over 100 instructions, but if you did it a different way you can get the same effect with 70 instructions.

you can find it at www.3dmotive.com (Sorry for plug, but i promise it will help you)

if 40 bucks is too steep they give student discounts if you are a student.

[ErichWK]

Hello, Ryan. I am aware, since I am a huge fan of your work and tutorials on you tube! I am short on cash, and am not a student anymore but really want to get it because the preview videos look amazing. Gah. Might as well bite the bullet! Gotta spend money to make money.