Question on "fading."

I'm curious to know how to make a fading layer for text.
- I use Paint.NET

The kind of shadow I want is to add text. It looks like the below Habbo retro banner (this isn't an advertisment, btw).

http://www.rushzone.net/Public/Style...hzonelarge.png

I'm looking at the Release 63, Dedicated Hotel, 24/7, etc. box. I would like to know how to do that.

Thanks in advance.

Turn down the opacity of the black rectangle?

I'm not sure if that's what I need. What I want to be able to do is make a box like in that picture. I just took that from one of the voting websites as an example. Basically, what I'm trying to say, is I want to know how to make a translucent box like that.

Thanks.

Sorry I wasn't clear.

Make a black rounded rectangle on a new layer, and lower the opacity of that layer.

It's so simple! Can't believe I didn't get that. Thanks a ton.

It's pretty much the same thing that Error said...

Oh, right .. I didn't really understand that until now. Oops. Anyway, I made another banner and I need to know how to make the text more visible while keeping the rectangle the same, if possible. Below is the banner I made.

http://i.imgur.com/2JtZ2.png

Put the text on a layer above the black rectangle.

Oh okay, thank you.