Specular color/ specular level map in 3ds max 2010 question

disanski

Hello guys.
I am working on a game character model and I would like to use the standard 3ds max 2010 shader for it. I am just not sure what goes under the specular level map slot?
I know that my specular map should be under the specular map slot and the same one but gray scaled should be nested in to the glossiness slot, but it is not clear for me what should i do with the specular level map?
For the next one I will be definitely trying the marmoset toolbag but I would like to stick to this one for now.
Thank you very much in advance everybody.

MoP

Yes, your specular level and specular colour map are (usually) the same one. Put the same image in both.

However you shouldn't really put a greyscale version in the glossiness slot, that doesn't make much sense. Glossiness is the width of the highlight, and that doesn't actually correspond to the specular level in most cases. You should consider making your own glossiness map, or just using a solid colour for a consistent highlight width.

disanski

Thanks MoP.
This is the first time am doing this and I was using one of Ben Cloward's shaders in which the glossiness map was done in this way. That is why I thought it would be the same here. Just because I have an ATI video card in order to get the specular to where I wanted it with this shader I have to really darken it.
So basically what I know about the glossiness map is that it should be gray scaled image. The areas I would like to have tighter highlight should be lighter and the areas I would like to have more spread out highlight should be darker. This I learned from Jon Rush's class that I have finished couple of months ago (which was an amazing learning experience).
In this case using the grayed scaled specular map for the glossiness does make sense to me, because you have darker and lighter values in the exact spots you need them and of course it might have to be edited and tweaked a bit. Having a solid color for the glossiness would make the whole character shinning with the same glossiness all over.
How else would you approach the making of this gloss map?
Thanks again.

eld

disanski, the easiest and best way is to select the different materials on your object and floodfill with the glossvalue you want for it,

a high value for plastics, a low value for metallic for example.


usually just using the specmap as gloss will end up in quite a nasty material definition, or plastic next gen speculars.

disanski

Thanks Eld. I will start playing with it and I will see how far I get.