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Reflective Textures

Discussion, tutorials,hints and tips relating to designing military ai aircraft.
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nickblack423
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Reflective Textures

Post by nickblack423 »

Can I ask a question?

For reflective textures, do I??? Make my texture as normal, but add an alpha channel over the fuselage on the _T.bmp texture and save it with alpha. Then make that texture have relect map in FSDS3 and tick HasReflectMap when I compile?

Tell you why. I want my earlier tomcat textures to be glossy, so I want each model to be able to have a glossy texture if needed. The paintkit is in 3 files 70s 80s and 90s. I need the 90s one to be matt, 70s and 80s to be reflective. But the model needs to be able to use each with the right effect. So will this work in that if I tell the model to use reflective textures, but the texture doesnt have an alpha channel (90s pantkit)???

Im gonna experiment tonight but if someone can help today it'd be great.
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Weescotty
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Post by Weescotty »

You need two models.

If you think back to AI-Aardvark and the 727's etc they came with a reflective and non-reflective model.

One model uses the texture with the alpha channel the other doesnt.

And yup just check the reflective texture option when you compile it.

A just off white color works well to get a glossy finish without over doing it.
I used 239,239,239 on the T-38's.

AI-Aardvark generally just added _refl to the end of the model name to distinguish between them -

So for eg
NBAI_F14
NBAI_F14_refl
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Post by nickblack423 »

Oh god, more models.

I already have:

F-14A_Wet_clean
F-14A_Wet_medium intercept
F-14A_Wet_max intercept
F-14A_Wet_fleet defence
F-14A_Dry_clean
F-14A_Dry_medium intercept
F-14A_Dry_max intercept
F-14A_Dry_fleet defence

F-14D_Wet_clean
F-14D_Wet_medium intercept
F-14D_Wet_max intercept
F-14D_Wet_fleet defence
F-14D_Wet_ground attack
F-14D_Dry_clean
F-14D_Dry_medium intercept
F-14D_Dry_max intercept
F-14D_Dry_fleet defence
F-14D_Dry_ground attack

Now Ive got to add a relfective one too. God you're killing me.

Thanks for the info though mate much appreciated.

Nick
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Post by igorski »

No you dont need two models!

I think you were on the right lines yourself Nick,

textures file with alpha, and tell the models you already have to use alpha channel for relection (not transparency!)... however you do that :idea:
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Post by nickblack423 »

Thanks mate, I tested it last night and my theory was correct. If I make all the textures for each model have a reflect map, in FSDS. And compile them as such, then it depends on the texture file itself as to whether it has alpha channels or not for the reflective qualities. This way each model can have either a reflective or a matt finish applied to it. It doesnt even result in a much higher model size or texture size.

A whole new can of worms has been opened.....

Nick
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Post by igorski »

Sounds right from a texturing point of view, good stuff! :D
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Post by Weescotty »

Isn't this a problem though -

If the model is compiled as a reflective one, even if you don't supply a texture with an alpha doesn't MSFS still treat the model as if it is reflective (i.e. the calculations) but renders it flat.

I think this is why Aardvark did both a reflective and non-reflective model.

Reflective models eat up framerates, although nowadays PC are typically much more powerful.

Always thought MSFS is designed for the next generation of PC's, when they arrive Microsoft releases the next version lol.

So by the time we can run FSX with no problems, FSXI will be out :) .

Oh- Andy, mind if I grab your tail from your Empire Test Pilot School Gripen to use on the AI one?
Or would you rather I sent you the paintkit?
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Post by igorski »

Scotty, Im not sure about the FPS issues with reflective vs non-reflective, if so then it may be better to have multiple models, but with the Tomcats large number of models.... is it worth having two models per loadout?

http://www.georgednott.f2s.com/temp/ETPS.png

Transparent PNG with a clean pair of Logos for you, plus colour sample of the blue.
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Post by Weescotty »

Thanks.
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Post by nickblack423 »

I'll look into the design and see what results I come up with. I didnt see any change to the model when it was compiled as reflective but didnt have alpha on the texture. I'll try it again and see what happens to the frames also. We'll get to the bottom of this.

Nick
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Post by nickblack423 »

Been testing the Tomcat with reflective textures this week and Ive found that frames on my laptop are not effected at all having reflective models. And that having a reflective model, but with the textures not having a reflective alpha channel, does not affect the look of the model. So:

The NBAI F-14 will come as a model which will be set to be reflective depending on the texture, not on the model. The painkits will be supplied to allow for either matt, or reflective textures.

Hope this helps everyone, but as Ill be doing the repaints for the TopGun package it will only affect me initially. Unless anyone wants to help.

Nick
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