Can I Render Rough Metal And Glossy Glass At Same Time In Tennogen?

[inkwhiz]

I DO realize that this may not be seen by some, as the most intelligent question for me to ask but here goes.

 

I already know that the Alpha channel can be used to have see through sections in a diffuse map in some games.

 

can i use an alpha channel in a metal map to have sections where "spec map is metal map" and sections where it is not?

 

in other words the Alpha channel would act as a Spec Map is Metal Map switch in the texture itself, having opaque or white areas for metal map sections and transparent or black to render as specular to render as normal.

 

I want to make a skin that has felt cloth, rough greasy metal, plastic for tubes and wire coating, ceramic plates and really glossy sections for chromed metal and glass in a single skin.

 

I am really hoping that having an alpha channel in metal map can work in this manner.

[Kthal]

iirc the alpha channel in the metal map does nothing.

 

If you are wanting different degrees of PBR (shinyness), you need to use different shades of grey, with full white being too shiny and looking awful, and black being completely matt. (The metal map must have one black pixel and one white pixel somewhere, just place a couple of dots in an unused region)

 

You should consult the guide for full details.It specifically mentions that grey value 187 is about right for metals, and grey value 60 is decent for glossy leather.

 

 

Also consider not just the PBR material, but roughness on the normal map for additional texturing.

 

 

 

 

-edit-

I strongly recommend against trying to make any part of any skin transparent. It will look terrible.

 

Games typically render based on surfaces, not volume, and as such, no matter how thick the object is, it will always have the same opacity. On top of this, depending how the Evolution Engine works (if it even accepts alpha textures), either the opaque textures behind will fill the hole, or you will just see a garish hole straight through the entire frame, neither of which will look right.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Kthal

[LuckyCharm]

^ pretty much what the above is saying, If you really want control over what you paint, i recommend checking out Substance painter. They have a free 30day trial you can check out. Its worth looking at even if you don't buy it, just to see what the different textures look like when exported to the separate maps. 

[inkwhiz]

As things currently stand it may take me a while to save up for their indie package, in the meantime i do what I can with photoshop cs6

 

here's a work in progress Mags.

 

http://imgur.com/oBxVCmT

Edited November 8, 2015 by inkwhiz