Where does this thing go? AO

Loren Broach

So usually when I make an ambient occlusion map I just apply it to my diffuse map and multiply it. I'm doing an art test right now and they're asking me to place it separately. But where does it go?

rollin

show it separately or use it in an unique mapchanel?

funshark

Maybe inside a shader? o.O

JordanW

If they're asking you to place it separately then they're probably used to having a shader that utilizes that (although that's a bit redundant since you can just multiply it over all of your maps). If they're having you make the shader in an engine like UE3 just use a multiply node and multiply your diffuse and specular textures by it before hooking them in.

Eric Chadwick

What software? And did they specify a particular material/shader to use?

It's usually just a multiplier for the diffuse, like you say, so you need a shader that allows this. If using Max's Standard material, you can put a RGB Multiply map in the Diffuse slot, with your diffuse and ao in its two slots. If using an FX shader, you could go with something like Ben Cloward's Global Illumination Shader.

Loren Broach

This is being done in Max. Here's what they said about it:

"The diffuse texture for a raceday object should be contained on a single 1024x1024 sheet. Create an Ambient Occlusion map sized 512x512 for the LOD00 model and apply it to all three LODs of the model using a shell material"

Is a shell material a shader?

MoP

One of Max's standard material types is called a Shell material, so chances are they mean that. Just click on the top right area of the material where it says "Standard" in the material editor, and a window will pop up allowing you to change the material type, Shell should be in the list.

Loren Broach

Thank Mop, so once I'm in there there's an original material and a baked material. But each button leads you to a standard looking section again. So I still don't have any idea where I'm supposed to put the AO. Any ideas?

Eric Chadwick

It doesn't make much sense. Shell material is built so you can see a different material in the viewport than you see in the renderer. But maybe they've built their export path around it. If you don't want to ask them for clarification (I would if I were you), you could just assume they want you to stick the AO in the diffuse channel of the material in the renderer slot.

Joshua Stubbles

Sounds like someone else is doing the Turn10 art test

From what I gather, their exporter is built to support that, as Eric has said.

Keen, the map is specific (as in their doc) to go into the "Ambient Color" slot of the baked (shell) material. So in the secondary material of the shell, put that AO bake into the Ambient Color slot. Done.

Loren Broach

Whoa I missed your post until just now. Thanks Vassago! And everyone else for that matter. That is a load off my mind.