Mach3DS
October 2nd, 2016, 00:09
Decided to take the power washer to my XP56...started to take the paint off, so I just kept spraying...added some wax later in the day...been flying it that way ever since...
Just messing around...
Ok so here's the lessons part. Having been at this for the better part of 2 years now of noticed a few things.
1. Developers vary in skillets
2. Most are talented modelers
3. Most have talented texture artists
4. Creating airplanes for P3D/FSX is HARD!
BUT....
5. Materials application...there is a fog of confusion (in my observation) cloaking this in a veil of secrecy wrapped in an enigmatic gift wrap!
Materials is where it's at. In my experience it's where the rubber meets the road so to speak for.the visuals. Let me illustrate, using specific examples of products. There is no "Right way"...but there is definitely a finite execution vs. A more open ended application.
Example: one of my most favorite aircraft and addons for FS, M2M M2KC. Just fabulous all the way around. When I do paints I use MCX to view them instead of opening flight sim and closing again...so naturally I take a peek at the materials applied. It's actually a great way to know what you're painting and how it's going to react to what you are trying to do. But thats for another article.
Back to materials...so once I'm in MCX I check out what's been done. M2M M2KC is a great example because they know what they are doing. Clearly. The only thing I would have liked to see; which they actually said they may include in a patch (my fingers are crossed, here's hoping), is the ability to use environment blending in the diffuse alpha. So, that can't be that hard to do right? Well yes and no. Adding it to the model is a cinch, yes. But applying it to each texture is not. Take another model...one I worked on. The Milviz F100D: it has IIRC in the neighborhood of about 7 main diffuse textures, for the exterior aircraft which means 7 customers alpha channels. If you're un aware the fsx alpha channel brought with it a per pixel lighting system...yes that's right. So if your alpha isn't exactly the same on the seams of each texture sheet you'll get well, a seam on the model in game. So you can see that it may be preferable to not bother with it at all. Those are just the alpha channels. For example, To get an aluminum look is actually an interaction between the bump, diffuse and specular. Since the bump is complete it provides one layer of lighting. The bump should be completed first before you start work i ng the alphasame and specs.
So back to the MV F100D. In order to get the factory fresh look we needed a bump, diffuse with correct grey color tones, diffuse alpha, environment map with good contrast and specular maps. Speculars consist of a diffuse set of RGB Channels and an alpha channel. So all in all 7 custom diffuse textures, 7 custom diffuse alpha channels, custom bumps for painted vs un painted and 7 sets of speculars and specular alphas all custom had to be created for one livery! With almost no "paint"!
So it's no wonder I find more often than not, that the materials are used to keep all that texturing at bay. Certain model material blending modes are used as a "poor man's" way to create an effect without having to really texture anything. Which is fine. Like I said there's no "right way". However what works for the developer who's mind is wrapped around giving a specific product usually doesn't translate into the repainting world in all forms. For example. If i wanted to make the Captainsim B-52 an all aluminum beast I would have to settle for the old school method of painting in the highlights and colors of reflection which remain static day or night...it doesn't have alpha enabled. You're stuck with flying a modern G or H model. Why do this? Why not enable those features? I can't answer those questions. As far as Maximum repaint architecture goes: you want a model to achieve the highest realism possible in a repaint, the following items should be enabled:
1. Fresnel. You can have multiple fresnels controlling multiple materials. Just remember that if you blend all three modes you will get a transparency. As rule of thumb when I edit aircraft I add seperate exterior fresnel and glass fresnel.
If you're looking to create a a primarily metal exterior texture than you should use fresnel controls specuar for.the exterior. While if you have an aircraft that will be painted both equally fresnel affecting reflection will do better so as to compliment the painted areas that appear more dull in most angles but have a reflection in very shallow.angles.
2. Enable blending of the environment by the INVERSE of the diffuse alpha. This gives reflection control to the alpha channel.
3. Set the reflection to 100%. This allows the alpha channel greyscale to control each part equally. Otherwise if each part is set to a different percentage it will be impossible for a repainter to know what to do. If what was giving them 100% reflection in one are is now reduced by half...they will have no way of knowing. Best to set it 100% for all parts and simply white out parts that don't reflect.
3. Create a specular texture for each main texture including exterior glass. Even if they are placeholders and just solid white. This will alow users to create realistic material surfaces.
Ok i think that covers it for now! As you can see im a noobe. But there's always room to improve.
As far as below goes...sometimes it's fun to mess around on Saturday afternoons!
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5757/29761587170_75e6451f2c_o.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8406/29761586600_71563595fc_o.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8498/29761586390_2a5fe8eede_o.jpg
Just messing around...
Ok so here's the lessons part. Having been at this for the better part of 2 years now of noticed a few things.
1. Developers vary in skillets
2. Most are talented modelers
3. Most have talented texture artists
4. Creating airplanes for P3D/FSX is HARD!
BUT....
5. Materials application...there is a fog of confusion (in my observation) cloaking this in a veil of secrecy wrapped in an enigmatic gift wrap!
Materials is where it's at. In my experience it's where the rubber meets the road so to speak for.the visuals. Let me illustrate, using specific examples of products. There is no "Right way"...but there is definitely a finite execution vs. A more open ended application.
Example: one of my most favorite aircraft and addons for FS, M2M M2KC. Just fabulous all the way around. When I do paints I use MCX to view them instead of opening flight sim and closing again...so naturally I take a peek at the materials applied. It's actually a great way to know what you're painting and how it's going to react to what you are trying to do. But thats for another article.
Back to materials...so once I'm in MCX I check out what's been done. M2M M2KC is a great example because they know what they are doing. Clearly. The only thing I would have liked to see; which they actually said they may include in a patch (my fingers are crossed, here's hoping), is the ability to use environment blending in the diffuse alpha. So, that can't be that hard to do right? Well yes and no. Adding it to the model is a cinch, yes. But applying it to each texture is not. Take another model...one I worked on. The Milviz F100D: it has IIRC in the neighborhood of about 7 main diffuse textures, for the exterior aircraft which means 7 customers alpha channels. If you're un aware the fsx alpha channel brought with it a per pixel lighting system...yes that's right. So if your alpha isn't exactly the same on the seams of each texture sheet you'll get well, a seam on the model in game. So you can see that it may be preferable to not bother with it at all. Those are just the alpha channels. For example, To get an aluminum look is actually an interaction between the bump, diffuse and specular. Since the bump is complete it provides one layer of lighting. The bump should be completed first before you start work i ng the alphasame and specs.
So back to the MV F100D. In order to get the factory fresh look we needed a bump, diffuse with correct grey color tones, diffuse alpha, environment map with good contrast and specular maps. Speculars consist of a diffuse set of RGB Channels and an alpha channel. So all in all 7 custom diffuse textures, 7 custom diffuse alpha channels, custom bumps for painted vs un painted and 7 sets of speculars and specular alphas all custom had to be created for one livery! With almost no "paint"!
So it's no wonder I find more often than not, that the materials are used to keep all that texturing at bay. Certain model material blending modes are used as a "poor man's" way to create an effect without having to really texture anything. Which is fine. Like I said there's no "right way". However what works for the developer who's mind is wrapped around giving a specific product usually doesn't translate into the repainting world in all forms. For example. If i wanted to make the Captainsim B-52 an all aluminum beast I would have to settle for the old school method of painting in the highlights and colors of reflection which remain static day or night...it doesn't have alpha enabled. You're stuck with flying a modern G or H model. Why do this? Why not enable those features? I can't answer those questions. As far as Maximum repaint architecture goes: you want a model to achieve the highest realism possible in a repaint, the following items should be enabled:
1. Fresnel. You can have multiple fresnels controlling multiple materials. Just remember that if you blend all three modes you will get a transparency. As rule of thumb when I edit aircraft I add seperate exterior fresnel and glass fresnel.
If you're looking to create a a primarily metal exterior texture than you should use fresnel controls specuar for.the exterior. While if you have an aircraft that will be painted both equally fresnel affecting reflection will do better so as to compliment the painted areas that appear more dull in most angles but have a reflection in very shallow.angles.
2. Enable blending of the environment by the INVERSE of the diffuse alpha. This gives reflection control to the alpha channel.
3. Set the reflection to 100%. This allows the alpha channel greyscale to control each part equally. Otherwise if each part is set to a different percentage it will be impossible for a repainter to know what to do. If what was giving them 100% reflection in one are is now reduced by half...they will have no way of knowing. Best to set it 100% for all parts and simply white out parts that don't reflect.
3. Create a specular texture for each main texture including exterior glass. Even if they are placeholders and just solid white. This will alow users to create realistic material surfaces.
Ok i think that covers it for now! As you can see im a noobe. But there's always room to improve.
As far as below goes...sometimes it's fun to mess around on Saturday afternoons!
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5757/29761587170_75e6451f2c_o.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8406/29761586600_71563595fc_o.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8498/29761586390_2a5fe8eede_o.jpg