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Post by koolaid1986 on Sept 22, 2024 5:53:49 GMT -5
I’m feeling really close to giving up on my custom content, even though I don’t want to. I just can’t seem to figure out the issues I’m having. All the CC I make has this strange shine and odd shadows in-game. I’ve followed SYB’s tutorials on youtube for creating spectral and normal maps, but I’ve remade them a hundred different ways with no success. I even rebuilt one of my meshes, hoping that would fix the problem, but it didn’t help. This time around, I think I’ve achieved the best results so far, but I'm still not satisfied. For my normal map, I used an online tool and edited the channels by copying the red into the alpha channel and the green into the red and blue. My specular map was created by adjusting the levels of each channel and adding the alpha channel for specific effects. For my diffuse map, I baked the texture and ambient occlusion in Blender, then combined them in Photoshop to enhance the shadows. I’ve marked seams on my mesh and applied an edge split modifier. I really need some help to get this right! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I attached one of the files. its the plater its the 1st one ive been trying to fix. drive.google.com/file/d/1Be9gPUnLkp_iQRCWna-vtl363Da3viZS/view?usp=sharing   |
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Post by mauvemorn on Sept 22, 2024 6:04:58 GMT -5
Hi. When making any component of a gaming asset, the first thing you do is study the original. 1. Incorrectly made normal map. The original normal map has no transparent background but is see-through. 2. Incorrectly made specular. The opacity of the image controls the intensity of the sun's reflection. Your image is opaque everywhere where uvs are, so the sun's reflection is at the max.
Clone a planter again, export and study these maps, then recreate them.
If you're working with dds, make sure you're saving images as dxt5 or bc3.
Another issue that may be happening on some items on the first screenshot are non-split edges. |
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Post by koolaid1986 on Sept 22, 2024 8:04:52 GMT -5
Hi. When making any component of a gaming asset, the first thing you do is study the original. 1. Incorrectly made normal map. The original normal map has no transparent background but is see-through. 2. Incorrectly made specular. The opacity of the image controls the intensity of the sun's reflection. Your image is opaque everywhere where uvs are, so the sun's reflection is at the max. Clone a planter again, export and study these maps, then recreate them.
If you're working with dds, make sure you're saving images as dxt5 or bc3. Another issue that may be happening on some items on the first screenshot are non-split edges. After remaking the normal and spec maps, I found part of the issue: the alpha map kept saving as white, even though it wasn’t when I initially saved it. To fix this, I had to load the file into S4S, save the package, and export the DDS spec file. Then I opened it in Photoshop and made the alpha channel darker again. (Not sure why I have to do this — any advice would be appreciated). I encountered the same issue with my normal map, where the alpha channel wasn’t saving correctly. Additionally, I was creating my diffuse by mixing my AO and diffuse bakes in Photoshop to add shading, but this caused shadows to appear where they weren’t needed. Now, my texture is just a diffuse bake with some slight edits to the color and sharpness of the dirt. Although the result is much better, its still not right. some view angles its really bright while other aglnes it changes the ruffness and look of the texture. I have been following advise given to me from tutorials and a discord group but im still at a loss. Here is the updated file drive.google.com/file/d/1hxieb789M_usVFOUfpjABlVOw9MUP-yA/view?usp=sharing |
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Post by mauvemorn on Sept 22, 2024 12:29:52 GMT -5
When a dds image is saved with incorrect settings, the alpha is lost. Re-saving it with correct settings does not bring the alpha back, so you need to re-do it The alpha channel of the normal map is too dark, but it is non-split edges that are most likely causing the white specs.
I would need to see the blend that you imported in s4s to confirm. Or you could just check it yourself. Select everything in Edit mode, then Select - Select loops - Select boundary loops. If it does not select edges on the sides, than yes, it is non-split edges, split them like this: You can select most of them with Select - Sharp edges, Angle to 70, then add or deselect more by Shift-clicking on them. Then Mesh - Split - Faces by edges
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Post by koolaid1986 on Sept 22, 2024 18:13:01 GMT -5
When a dds image is saved with incorrect settings, the alpha is lost. Re-saving it with correct settings does not bring the alpha back, so you need to re-do it The alpha channel of the normal map is too dark, but it is non-split edges that are most likely causing the white specs.
I would need to see the blend that you imported in s4s to confirm. Or you could just check it yourself. Select everything in Edit mode, then Select - Select loops - Select boundary loops. If it does not select edges on the sides, than yes, it is non-split edges, split them like this: You can select most of them with Select - Sharp edges, Angle to 70, then add or deselect more by Shift-clicking on them. Then Mesh - Split - Faces by edges
All my edges are split. Ill upload my blender file. drive.google.com/file/d/1nVFHGy5bT48Vox46g5WiUXhQi7tqpQtt/view?usp=sharingMaybe i should find a plan normal map and spec map and test?  |
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Post by mauvemorn on Sept 23, 2024 6:42:53 GMT -5
The uvs of the shared blend file differ from the ones in the package, but that is not important. On the right is the item with (properly) empty normal and specular, but original diffuse. On the left is the same thing, but the diffuse has AO laid on top of it. Is this what you want or does the issue still persists?  If yes, make a normal map that is 848484 in both rgb and alpha channels, and a specular that is empty for the exception of one dot in the corner. Put ao on top of your diffuse and change blending mode to Multiply. If its still too bright, dim the colors. btw, the black squares you see on the corners of the bed are shadows on ao from overlapping surfaces, so you should model objects with that in mind |
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Post by koolaid1986 on Sept 23, 2024 7:56:52 GMT -5
The uvs of the shared blend file differ from the ones in the package, but that is not important. On the right is the item with (properly) empty normal and specular, but original diffuse. On the left is the same thing, but the diffuse has AO laid on top of it. Is this what you want or does the issue still persists? If yes, make a normal map that is 848484 in both rgb and alpha channels, and a specular that is empty for the exception of one dot in the corner. Put ao on top of your diffuse and change blending mode to Multiply. If its still too bright, dim the colors. btw, the black squares you see on the corners of the bed are shadows on ao from overlapping surfaces, so you should model objects with that in mind So i tested my object with a blank normal map and spec map and it looked a lot better something is wrong with how im makeing my maps or something is wrong with the dds program cause I make my maps like all the tutorials and people helping me said but nothing is right when it loads |
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Post by mauvemorn on Sept 23, 2024 8:17:49 GMT -5
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