Help: Ground Texture w/out PSP

[Guest]

OK I'll be the first to admit that I'm new to mapping. My problem is that while I'm trying to learn how to get the whole export and compilation steps down I get hung up on the PSP(which I'm not going to buy) thing where you have to make the layer\mask thing. I do have PhotoShop 7 and would like some help in figuring out how to make my ground textures with this proggie instead of PSP.


This is like my attempt just to get a map from Max to Sapien, there's nothing special about it just there is no ground texture.

Here's the texture(.tif)file I'm using but I'm not really clear on how to do the layer\mask for the primary detail, secondary detail thing where the ground and grass will show through.

I do have plans to make the bases and terrain, but I need to get past this first. We all started somewhere and this is where I launch my ideas(hope it's not to late, RIP CE?).