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Spec Maps

Started by Toddscott785, February 25, 2021, 10:22:41 PM

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Toddscott785

Just a simple question, how do you save spec maps on this game? I'm trying to make a 2021 CRF450 paint and the paint comes out extremely glossy here is my naming and saving convention:

2021crf.tga - 24bit
2021crf_n.tga - 32bit
2021crf_s.tga - 32bit

What am I doing wrong here? I've also seen reflection maps and I don't know how to save those either. In the past I've saved them as such:

2021crf_r.tga - 32bit

Someone please help me.

𝖙𝖋𝖈

The spec map goes in the alpha channel of the normal map, so if you don't do that it's full white, or fully reflective..

Toddscott785

Can you explain that a little more? How do I get the spec into the alpha channel of the norm?

wattdigger

Quote from: Toddscott785 on February 27, 2021, 10:03:51 PMCan you explain that a little more? How do I get the spec into the alpha channel of the norm?

Couldn't agree more. This needs more clearly explained. I've been looking for videos that explain it but every time I see a video they say "you'll learn with time" or "we're not gonna get into that." Every forum post I see says to put the spec in the channels as an alpha.

After watching another video I figured it out & I think I'll make a video explaining it specifically for mxb & how everything should look in paintEd.

For now, just make sure when you save you norm you have them setup as such:

(using kx as my example)
kxf.tga -24bit
kxf_n.tga -32bit - "Alpha Channels" checkbox checked while saving (should be pink in PS, look normal in paintEd.)
kxf_r.tga -32bit - the reflection map I'm using is all black
kxf_s.tga -32bit - your normal spec map
+ stands & wheels.

That fixed it for me, hopefully it does for you as well.

𝖙𝖋𝖈

February 28, 2021, 08:26:25 AM #4 Last Edit: February 28, 2021, 08:29:49 AM by 𝖙𝖋𝖈
I don't know whether you're doing track textures, bike textures or paints. Either way it's the same process..  I've timestamped the video to start at 15:55 so you can see how it works but the video just seems to be starting at random times for me..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-HggVPBlB4&t=955s


Also not sure if you're using Gimp or Photoshop or something else, but again accessing the alpha channel and modifying it is pretty common practice these days so if you don't know how to do that for your respective program, look up a tutorial on YouTube.

Toddscott785

Okay so I did some research and I think I figured out what TFC is saying but using photoshop.

Step 1



Go to the template you want to use and ensure that the normal layer doesn't already have the spec in the alpha channel. I'm using the CR500 template as an example because it doesn't.

Step 2



You're going to click the channel tab to view the channels. There should by default be an RGB, Red, Blue, and Green channel. in this step, you'll use the option at the bottom right to create a new channel, which will usually be named "alpha"

Step 3



Once you've made a new channel go to your spec map and select the entire layer using CRTL + A. Then copy the layer using CTRL + C.

Step 4



Then go to the normal map layer and go to its channels where we made the alpha channel in step 2. Select only the alpha channel to be visible then press CTRL + V to paste the copied spec map into the normal map's alpha channel. Once complete you should see the spec map image in the alpha map thumbnail if the spec is light enough. Finally, de-select the alpha channel and select the RGB, Red, Blue, and Green channels to be visible again for your normal map. It shouldn't look any different after all these steps but your in-game skin should have the correct specular map applied so the bike isn't glossy.