Spec maps

[DaveB]

Hi Chaps

Anyone who has painted an FSX model from a paintkit will be aware that the vast majority of PK's do not include a layered or basic spec map(s). For some repaints, this isn't too important but for others, much of the detail you don't want to see from an aliased texture.cfg shows on the finished paint.. eg, the reg from the aliased spec map is visible at certain angles. Is there any way around this? Re-painting the aliased spec map(s) isn't always possible

ATB
DaveB

[Tako_Kichi]

If you don't have a spec map included in the PK then you can make your own. It's not difficult and can be made from the finished diffuse map (with everything flattened to one layer and then saved with the 'Save As' option so you don't accidentally flatten and save your PK layers). Once saved re-open it in your paint program and tweak both the RGB layers and Alpha channel to your requirements and re-save as a DDS with the correct file name for the spec map.

OR

Save your layered PK with a different name and tweak just the RGB layers you need to change to make your spec map (plus the Alpha channel of course) and then save as a DDS with the spec map name.

The colours in the spec map RGB layer(s) represent the colours of the highlights as the light bounces off the model while the spec map Alpha controls the size of the highlight, the brighter the area in the Alpha channel the smaller the highlight. White in the Alpha would give a pin-point highlight while black would give a very wide and soft 'glow' to the highlight, greys give you everything in between the two.

Of course the materials for the model must have the spec map activated otherwise it will not work. The easiest way of telling is if the original paints have a spec map included (usually in the common 'texture' folder), if they do then the material has the spec map activated, if they don't have a spec map then the chances are that the spec map was never activated and adding one will make no difference in the sim as it will never be read. The same applies to the bump map, it has to be activated in the model material in order for it to show up in the sim.

[DaveB]

Thanks for that Larry

I used to think Alpha's in FS9 could be a pain in the proverbial but at least that is all you had.. a map and an alpha! I've really little idea where to begin on the spec map for the model I'm painting (Nemeth EC130 - Float) but there are a couple of more basic paints included so I'll look at the spec maps for one of those. These are for the 'skid' models so I hope they don't differ too much
I recently repainted the 'G' paint for the Aerosoft Bronco (basically, painted out the German markings and added an Army roundel to the boom) and was pleased to find the PK included spec maps. However, detail included on the various layers differed between maps. Registrations (for example) were on the same layer as the rivet detail so removing the reg left holes in the rivet detail. I got around this by finding a model with no detail in that area then dragged the detail from the new map into the old one.. a Royal pain in the butt I could well have done without Thank goodness the bump maps can generally stay 'as is' otherwise I'd not bother!

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Hmm...

The 'easy' way has turned out to be not so though I was, it seems, making things over complicated for myself. I'd pulled the spec maps from one of the float variants (the G reg) and both of the FLT's have quite complex paints.. the detail of which was carried over to the spec maps.. obviously. Simply looking at the RGB's for these (or similar 'plain' paints to the one I'm doing) was not as simple as looking at the RGB for the entire map which isn't possible as the values change depending on which part of the map you're looking at. What I've done instead is remove the spec maps I was using (from one of the FLT models) altogether and the underlying detail from that paint has gone with it.. as it would What this actually means as far as the model is concerned, I've yet to establish. All the other paints have their own unique spec maps so spec maps must be enabled in the model or they wouldn't be there.. I'd have thought. However, mine is happy to display without them (though probably not to it's full glory if that makes sense). I knicked the texture.cfg from one of the FLT paints and I can't see where it's referencing spec maps that equate to the 4 I need..
[fltsim]

fallback.1=..\..\ND_EC130\texture.x
fallback.2=..\..\ND_EC130\texture.a
fallback.3=..\..\..\..\Scenery\Global\texture
fallback.4=..\..\..\..\..\..\Scenery\Global\texture

Texture.x and Texture.a are generic folders in the main model and there are no basic 'texture' folders in either model. No ref to the model in the FSX main Texture directory either I think I'll give in while ahead (though confused)

ATB
DaveB

[basys]

Hi Folks

Dave -
re: texture.cfg fallback paths
Please see FSDeveloper - Wiki - Texture.cfg (FSX)

HTH
ATB
Paul

[DaveG]

As a (very) rough get-by, you could take a copy of the diffuse map, flatten it & copy it to the alpha channel then save it as a new spec map.

[DaveB]

I'll get my coat!

The FSD ref is pretty much what I understand about fallbacks and paths anyway but was useful to read again. As for diffuse maps.. there are none obvious in any of the EC130 folders (or paths for that matter). Fortunately, I'm not looking to paint the ceiling at Westminster Abbey.. just have something not default

ATB
DaveB

[DaveG]

By diffuse map, I mean your bog-standard texture, the one you're painting.

[DaveB]

Then why didn't you say that then!



Yup.. the more I think about it.. the more I'll leave it be. The psd's are saving as 32bit by default so the alpha's are in there (rather than 24bit when they're not) and while it's not impossible to add my own, it took my pretty much all day yesterday to do a 'one colour' paint from the PK (4 maps). I actually gave up with the ND UH-1 PK having almost lost the will to live

ATB
DaveB

[DaveG]

Must be a ND thing. I had a go at painting the SA-2 Samson in camo and it was a nightmare. Bits all over the place, shared and mirrored parts Makes you wonder how they ever produce the paints that come with the models in the first place.