My Colt 1911 model and textures [Help needed]
Hi! I've been texturing my colt model for a little while now, trying to understand how to make the different materials look good. I understand the specular and the diffuse quite well, but I'm also trying to understand how a gloss map can efficiently improve the looks of my model.
I'm asking for advice on what to do with a gloss map, as I don't fully understand how it works.
I'm guessing this is the right forum to post a question like this.
I've played around with a glossmap to see what it does to my model, and from what I've fiddled around with, it doesn't make my colt look any better, but it makes it look worse, which is why I think I'm using it wrong.
Here are two images of the model, one with and one without the glossmap.
Without Gloss
With Gloss
Is it just me or does it look quite terrible with the gloss?
Sorry for the poor texturing, my first time doing this.
Any advice / suggestions?
Thank you
I realized I may've posted the thread in the wrong section. I'm sorry.
I'm asking for advice on what to do with a gloss map, as I don't fully understand how it works.
I'm guessing this is the right forum to post a question like this.
I've played around with a glossmap to see what it does to my model, and from what I've fiddled around with, it doesn't make my colt look any better, but it makes it look worse, which is why I think I'm using it wrong.
Here are two images of the model, one with and one without the glossmap.
Without Gloss
With Gloss
Is it just me or does it look quite terrible with the gloss?
Sorry for the poor texturing, my first time doing this.
Any advice / suggestions?
Thank you
I realized I may've posted the thread in the wrong section. I'm sorry.
Replies
What the gloss map/value does is control the size of you specular highlight.
Oh, yeah. I understand the basics of what a glossmap does, but I don't know how.. I can unleash a glossmap's.. beauty? Not sure what I can do to make it look good.
Oh, umm. Right now, the glossmap is more or less the inverted texture of the specular. I've been told it's a good start to do that. But I know a few that add extra detail and create a gloss map from scratch.
I'm using 3Point Shader Lite.
This is the glossmap atm.
And it's set to its default value in 3point. Which is 30.
And thank you for your reply!
Remove the ao from the gloss map, since contact shadows does not change the specular highlight size.
Then research the materials to figure out how the highlight works, in this case black means less gloss(lager highlight) white means more glossy(smaller highlight).
Hope that helps
It certainly does help.
Have a read of that.
With all your maps, you're trying to define a material. How does that material behave in real life? Does it have a sharp specular highlight or soft? Is it reflective?
Starting off, your gloss should be fairly basic and consistent. All of the same material on your model should have the same, solid gloss values. Then once that's set up you can refine it with details that would affect specular highlight, like certain types of wear, fingerprints, stains...
Mirrors have a maximum gloss value, and thus specular reflection highlights become narrow and take the shape of an actual lightbulb. Something like used leather, has a very low gloss value because it is rough not very reflective and it is has a very wide gloss value.
With that said, in current gen engines, you should balance your gloss maps in a more 'hacky' way. If you want to convey that your worn metal is a different material then the metal layer on top of it, then make the worn metal's gloss drastically different from the material that is lying on top of it.
Aah, thank you for the link and the very helpful tips to the both of you. What I'm trying to achieve, is a worn chromatic texture, which I seem to have failed badly. Heh...
And I'd like to create something simliar to Metro 2033 and Last Lights' style, quite damaged and worn and such aswell. That's atleast what I'd like it to look like. But I'd also like it to reflect the environment quite well too.
So.. In the start of the glossmap process, should I make a 50% gray overlay with a cavity mask? Possibly brighter?..
Should that work for starters?
I personally duplicate my specular map folder in photoshop, set everything up in layers and groups.
Then I go about making layers with solid colors with the main gloss value I want, then I add the dirt, dust or scratches that is in the texture and so on.
Also all the maps have to work together, using a gloss map might not have a huge difference on the model, you need to tweak all the textures together until you get the result you want.
Is might not be the best examples but I should give you a idea, since I have released two sdks.
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1901178&postcount=74
Very interesting, thank you so much!
You've all helped me quite a lot and you've given me nothing but useful and great stuff! If I need any more help, I know where to go to ask for help!
One question though. This is.. more or less my first attempt at texturing, I've spent many hours on this, I did changes and stuff as I learned..
But in your opinion, what do you think of my textures + model? Are they bad for a first try? Okay?
Considering it's far from done and it's lacking lots of detail texture-wise.
Thanks!
Didn't expect an answer like that! Heh.
I must say, this is quite fun even though it can be quite challenging if I don't know what I should do. But I simply see it as a challenge, and it's not something I'll give up on.
I'd like to do this professionally some day if that day ever comes. ^^
Only been at this for about a year, actually.
Thanks!
I'm using 3Point Shader Lite in Max.
I've already upped the gloss values in 3point, and it looks better now.
It's alright as far as I can tell. I'll definitely play a bit more with it to see if I can a better effect. I highly doubt I can, though. I only have the lite version so it's very limited.