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Pyscen
19 May 2010, 16:22
Arno,...

Just a question... When it comes to the ambient, diffuse, emmisive or speculars (material editor) colors , are theses stored in the model or the textures settings? I'm assuming they are stored within the textures? or am I wrong in that?

For instance, if I wanted a roof to be done with specular,... and it turns out that the specular was to strong, would I have to just update the textures or would I have to update the MDL also?
n4gix
19 May 2010, 16:25
They are "stored" in the texture...

For example, for a specular bitmap:

RGB channel's color sets the color of the "highlight spot."

Alpha channel's level of gray sets the size/width of the "highlight spot."
Pyscen
19 May 2010, 16:34
They are "stored" in the texture...

For example, for a specular bitmap:

RGB channel's color sets the color of the "highlight spot."

Alpha channel's level of gray sets the size/width of the "highlight spot."

Thanks Bill,... were you the one using Nvidia's dds reader also? If so, do you create the alpha channel using it.. The Photshop Elements 5.0 (old now) not very clear on how Alpha Channels are created etc.
n4gix
19 May 2010, 16:40
Thanks Bill,... were you the one using Nvidia's dds reader also? If so, do you create the alpha channel using it.. The Photshop Elements 5.0 (old now) not very clear on how Alpha Channels are created etc.

I use Photoshop 5 LE for years even after I had installed Photoshop CS4. It wasn't until I really needed a better (read: lazier) way to handle Alpha channels that I finally abandoned PS 5 LE entirely.

I had been using DXTBMP.exe to add the separate Alpha channel bitmap to my RGB 24bit bitmap, which is at best a clumsy way of handling things... :o
Pyscen
19 May 2010, 19:16
I use Photoshop 5 LE for years even after I had installed Photoshop CS4. It wasn't until I really needed a better (read: lazier) way to handle Alpha channels that I finally abandoned PS 5 LE entirely.

I had been using DXTBMP.exe to add the separate Alpha channel bitmap to my RGB 24bit bitmap, which is at best a clumsy way of handling things... :o

Ahhh,... ok! I understand! lol :) Is there a reader for Specular etc without going into FSX or FS9 that your aware of?
n4gix
20 May 2010, 01:28
No, you will need to start/stop/start FS9 or FSX to check your results...

...very tedious and a wasteful time sink... :(
Pyscen
20 May 2010, 08:52
No, you will need to start/stop/start FS9 or FSX to check your results...

...very tedious and a wasteful time sink... :(

Bummer :( ! Oh well....
tgibson
20 May 2010, 14:43
Note also that bump and specular textures are only for FSX - FS9 uses material settings instead for a generic specular effect (and no bump at all).
arno
20 May 2010, 15:03
Hi,

The specular colour ends up as a colour in the material, while the specular map ends up as a texture.

As already noted before, some options only work in FS2004 or FSX. For example bump map is FSX only, while the emissive colour only works in FS2004. I guess I should put those things in the documentation one day.
Pyscen
20 May 2010, 17:14
Hi,

The specular colour ends up as a colour in the material, while the specular map ends up as a texture.

As already noted before, some options only work in FS2004 or FSX. For example bump map is FSX only, while the emissive colour only works in FS2004. I guess I should put those things in the documentation one day.

Yes I understood that... sorry if I confused anyone on that... it was just a general statement/question if there was a viewer not being FS9/FSX. After writing it, I kinda of thought I could have stated it better. Shame on me:D
Pyscen
20 May 2010, 17:29
Hi,

The specular colour ends up as a colour in the material, while the specular map ends up as a texture.

As already noted before, some options only work in FS2004 or FSX. For example bump map is FSX only, while the emissive colour only works in FS2004. I guess I should put those things in the documentation one day.

Arno,... Are you saying that a seperate texture file should be created? or ends up within the texture file? The Specular files are a mask as far as I can tell.

The "Black" area being ignored and "white" to be used for the specular color, and if the Texture in question is to be used (in full), then a Specular mask is not neccessary. Correct?

Edit: nevermind misread your statement.