Help needed for specular mapping in FSX

[kimdahl]

Hi guys

I'm new at this forum, so please excuse me if I'm posting this in the wrong section

I am trying to convert some of my old FS9 repaints of the default DC-3 to FSX versions. So far I've got the main visible texture working OK:



Since this screenshot was taken, I have solved the problem with the green windows. In FS9 I usually added a pure white alpha channel to avoid too much shine, but in FSX things are a bit more complex

The real problem lies in the specular map of the main texture. I have looked at the spec. maps of the various default DC-3 paints in FSX, and they all seem to be very closely connected to the visible part of the main texture. On the military surplus version the spec. map even reflects the different colours of the paint... Not to mention the alpha channel part of the spec. map!

What is the best way to get to a good result for the spec. map without too much time consuming 'trial and error' testing? Are there any good guidelines or tutorials available somewhere?

BTW I have asked the same question at the Avsim forum, but nobody has reacted yet, so I thought there might be some more competent guys over here

Best regards
Kim Dahl

[Serval]

Welcome here.
General skinning would do fine, but also for others to find it, I've moved it to the special forum about the FS and CFS series.

[adlabs6]

Hi there, I've done this a time or two so maybe I can help.

Firstly, what result are you hoping for? For simple projects I have applied a very light shade of gray over the main exterior parts, just to have a hint.

And I will add that I'm coming from FS9 experience, I still don't have FSX yet as it's not going to perform well on my system.

[kimdahl]

I am aiming at a result with a low reflection and shine, like the military surplus variant of the default DC-3 in FSX. I have made the alpha channel of the main visible texture slightly lighter than the alpha channel of the military version, and i have tried to make the specular map rather close the military one, both the visible part and the alpha channel, but it's still too shiny (more than than military version). So I'm a bit confused right now...

Kim

[e-b-o-]

I don't have a clue about FSX, but maybe I can help with something more general...

in general black areas in the specular map aren't shiny at all, white areas are reflecting the light on the highest value. so the first thing I'd try is darken the windows in the specular map itself. additional try to figure out what the alpha channel is doing: normaly a specular map doesn't need an alpha channel, so it seems that in this case it controls something different, f.e. the opacity in this area or maybe even a additional reflection map. first i would darken it, too.

if your specular map isn't a greyscale image, it's maybe more a specular color map (and the alpha channel controls the value...) but the changes would be the same: add a dark blue for the glas and darken the alpha channel.

I hope this helps at least a little bit

[kimdahl]

Hi e-b-o

Thanks for your reply. The specular maps in FSX are indeed in colour, and on some of the more reflective planes it can even look quite psychedelic So now I have made the specular map as a very dark version of the visible texture, and the alpha part as a rather dark grey scale image. You can see the result below. I'm still not 100 % happy with the reflection, but I really do like the bump mapping in FSX







Best regards
Kim Dahl

[kinglear]

Hej Kim ...
har lige set din dc-3 og synes det er rigtig flot ... har for nylig repaintet en twin otter efter en fransk milit?r udgave (se billede) - hvis du arbejder i photo shop s? kan jeg give dig et par tip s? flyet ikke ser s? "nymalet" ud!

Hilsen Emil

[kimdahl]

Hej Emil

Jeg havde da for l?ngst glemt denne foresp?rgsel... Jeg synes ogs?, at din Twotter ser godt ud Og tak for dit tilbud, men jeg tror desv?rre ikke, jeg kan bruge det til s? meget. Jeg har i mellemtiden droppet FSX bemaling, det er sgu for besv?rligt. Og desuden brugte jeg heller ikke Photo Shop, s? hvis det var et tip omkring en speciel fidus i det program, ville det ikke hj?lpe mig alligevel...

Mvh Kim

[RAF_Loke]

Hi Kim and Emil.

Nice repaints and a good topic.
But I don't think it's very polite to write in Danish. You are keeping a lot of people out of the topic by doing so.

Just a friendly advice .

[kimdahl]

Well, you are right, but I actually considered this thread as more or less dead, so it wouldn't harm anyone to write the answer in Danish...

By the way, your Bornholm Air Force project looks rather interesting Do you need any kind of scenery objects, like old hangars or something like that? I might be able to help you.

Best regards
Kim