Texture/Diffuse Map, DDS conversion and Metal brightness

[-EposOne-]

Hi all

After exporting the various maps, I understand that we need four maps: .diif, .normal, .metal, and.smooth maps. I am having some issues with the final results...

1. For the metal and smoothness map to reflect the shiny/metal-ness properly in-game, what settings/methods/ steps do you use in Photoshop or Blender?
Right now in PS I use the brightness/contrast adjustment, to reduce any grey colors, which seems to work but not perfect. For the .smooth map I use the original roughness map export and invert it.
However, Is there any better method to generate the appropriate .metal and .smooth maps?

2. Also, the .diff map seems to be quite dark after DDS conversion on my end. I´m exporting all maps from Adobe Substance Painter and edit them in PS.

Any help is appreciated, thank you very much
Stephan

[Realspace]

I don't texture ships but, in general, using Nvidia DDS plugin for PS is the best way to import/export dds files. I never see any darkness when exporting nor qualità loss if using 32bit argb. Google "Nvidia DDS plugin", It should be easy to find.

[-EposOne-]

Thanks.
Yes I know it, was using it already but maybe I try a better compression then the dxt1 no alpha, with mip maps.
Thanks

[linolafett]

A bit from our internal documentation about the file conversion:


Make sure that any color texture is saved in sRGB space!
Maximum allowed texture size is 4096 and they need to be power of 2, exceptions are loading screens and gui related textures.
At least any texture need to be dividable by 16, exceptions are 1D lookup textures.
All textures are converted to the DXT1/5 format based on the source format RGBA->DXT5 and RGB->DXT1.

[alt3rn1ty]

Just another useful tool note you may not be aware of :

I know you have PS, but a quick to load up Paint.net now incorporates a DirectXTex based plugin which correctly handles all .dds formats (All legacy obscure formats and new formats like BC7). This plugin comes pre-installed as part of PDN setup, no need to go find it.
So even if not used for the quality editing PS is capable of, Paint.NET can now be used as a quick load/save conversion tool for dds.

To save a .dds file in PDN, choose File / Save As, and use the drop down menu to select the DDS filetype.
The save options in the dialogue should be familiar .

When choosing the compression mode in PDN, Slow = Fine (More accurate).
If you are using Intel Texture Works dds plugin for PS, "Fine" is the equivalent definition as that plugin uses of the compression mode.

[-EposOne-]

A bit from our internal documentation about the file conversion:


Make sure that any color texture is saved in sRGB space!
Maximum allowed texture size is 4096 and they need to be power of 2, exceptions are loading screens and gui related textures.
At least any texture need to be dividable by 16, exceptions are 1D lookup textures.
All textures are converted to the DXT1/5 format based on the source format RGBA->DXT5 and RGB->DXT1.

Thanks, ok I will convert them again. Which maps need an alpha layer? the RGBA is for alpha right? so the diffuse map maybe? DXT1 for all others?
How about mip maps, optional? thanks much for your help sir

How about the steps to generate the appropriate .metal maps, any recommendations? thanks

[-EposOne-]

Just another useful tool note you may not be aware of :

I know you have PS, but a quick to load up Paint.net now incorporates a DirectXTex based plugin which correctly handles all .dds formats (All legacy obscure formats and new formats like BC7). This plugin comes pre-installed as part of PDN setup, no need to go find it.
So even if not used for the quality editing PS is capable of, Paint.NET can now be used as a quick load/save conversion tool for dds.

To save a .dds file in PDN, choose File / Save As, and use the drop down menu to select the DDS filetype.
The save options in the dialogue should be familiar .

When choosing the compression mode in PDN, Slow = Fine (More accurate).
If you are using Intel Texture Works dds plugin for PS, "Fine" is the equivalent definition as that plugin uses of the compression mode.

ok thanks, will give this a try. cheers

[linolafett]

Thanks, ok I will convert them again. Which maps need an alpha layer? the RGBA is for alpha right? so the diffuse map maybe? DXT1 for all others?
How about mip maps, optional? thanks much for your help sir

How about the steps to generate the appropriate .metal maps, any recommendations? thanks

RGBA only for materials, which need a transparent layer, e.g. alpha scaffolding.
The Alpha channel is saved in the diffuse for them. Use the blendmode "ALPHA1" then in the material library.
The other textures for this material should not use the alpha channel, so simple RGB textures.

Mip maps are used to combat moiree patterns.
If you dont generate them, your surfaces will look flickery and weird on flat viewing angles, but technicially the mip maps are optional.

metal maps are just RGB textures as well, nothing special there. They behave the same way as smoothness maps.

[-EposOne-]

Thanks, ok I will convert them again. Which maps need an alpha layer? the RGBA is for alpha right? so the diffuse map maybe? DXT1 for all others?
How about mip maps, optional? thanks much for your help sir

How about the steps to generate the appropriate .metal maps, any recommendations? thanks

RGBA only for materials, which need a transparent layer, e.g. alpha scaffolding.
The Alpha channel is saved in the diffuse for them. Use the blendmode "ALPHA1" then in the material library.
The other textures for this material should not use the alpha channel, so simple RGB textures.

Mip maps are used to combat moiree patterns.
If you dont generate them, your surfaces will look flickery and weird on flat viewing angles, but technically the mip maps are optional.

metal maps are just RGB textures as well, nothing special there. They behave the same way as smoothness maps.

got it thanks, will use DXT1 with mip maps then.
Thanks for the explanation.

[-EposOne-]

Fixed the darkening issues as I was editing the PSD based on the tiff maps, now via direct PSD export all good.

I am still not clear how bright or dark the metal and smooth map needs to be as if I blow out the whites it reflects in a dark metal effect. If I leave the metal and smooth map as exported from the paint program it seems best but the colours on the diff map could be less desaturated, does the grey color on a smooth and metal map work overall? Thanks