Random wip 2012+

[WombatTheUnstoppable]

SMALL CARS ARE BACK! <3

[scifi]

looks nice on seths ravine, it has a texture 2 aplyed, i havent aplyed the normal map yet

[Pressure Line]

Imo the roof tiles need to be larger, so that they stay visible as a 'tile' pattern as you zoom out. Also the specular/reflection map making *everything* polished/shiny looks a bit odd. Otherwise lookin good!

*edit* regarding the reflectivity:

Only gripe is reflectivity. More specifically the overuse of, imo reflectivity should be used to highlight any bare metal parts.



If you will notice the strut housings and the springs are caked in dirt and dust, and although they are shiny (but not really reflective) if you clean them there is MAJOR contrast to the cylinder itself which is shiny and smooth by virtue of being self oiling/cleaning. Moving along with the car analogies, think about classic American cars and the acres of chrome on them. If the whole car was that reflective there wouldn't really be any point in having the chrome trim, because it wouldn't stand out against the car.

Just my thoughts on the issue, take them or leave them :)

[smoth]

Pl, while I do agree his intensity is too high, many things in life have various gradations of specular. Even human skin.

[Pressure Line]

ofc everything has some specularity, but that building has spec/reflect like it's just been polished to a high shine. Whereas the main texture looks like weathered stone.

various gradations of specular.

also important, the spec/ref doesnt appear to have any gradation, it's just blanketed across the entire surface, which ruins the effect imo.

[Beherith]

also important, the spec/ref doesnt appear to have any gradation, it's just blanketed across the entire surface, which ruins the effect imo.

This!

S3o rendering does not separate specular and reflectivity, and you have no control over the specular exponent. This can still be made to work, the easiest way is to modulate (multiply blend in photoshop) the reflectivity channel with the b&w color of the diffuse texture.

[Pressure Line]

S3o rendering does not separate specular and reflectivity

While that is technically true, you can modify the standard s3o shader to use the blue tex channel for specular instead of having it share the green channel with reflectivity. Its a 1 or 2 line change.

Agree with the rest.

[FLOZi]

That should be made the default, there's no need to 'save' a channel anymore, rendering extras (e.g. normalmapping etc) will be done via lua

[smoth]

I don't agree flozi we can override the default if we need to, I feel it should stay that way

[FLOZi]

I don't agree flozi we can override the default if we need to, I feel it should stay that way

Why? Backwards compat with existing content? (in which case, change the default and those requiring BC can edit the shader)

[smoth]

Because it would require all old models have their texture2 updated. For maps with features already included they would have to be updated as well.

If it was a per model basis that would be one thing but 100s of textures would have to be updated beyond just the project's assets

[FLOZi]

Pretty sure I already answered that, with the exception of maps. How many features are properly texture-2'd?

[smoth]

Don't see where you answered that.

Dunno, you want me to go count? Because I don't wanna do that. Considering all features would lose specular or reflective we are talking global downgrade in appearances.

[FLOZi]

0. It will ideally change some time.

1. Change default to separated specular and reflection - all new content is created to this standard, the problem doesn't grow any larger.

2. Games that want / require backwards compatibility can edit the shaders *back* to how they were. This is just the reverse of what we have now.

3. 'all features' is ridiculous, nowhere near all models even have a texture2, nevermind a well constructed one. And this is negated by #2 anyway, games that are bothered about it can use the old way if they think it will give them better map visuals.

[smoth]

0. It will ideally change some time.

or we will move to a different better shader system which allows us to specify material shader on a per model level..

1. Change default to separated specular and reflection - all new content is created to this standard, the problem doesn't grow any larger.

We have TONS of people generating content now.

2. Games that want / require backwards compatibility can edit the shaders *back* to how they were. This is just the reverse of what we have now.

the inverse is also true flozi.

3. 'all features' is ridiculous, nowhere near all models even have a texture2, nevermind a well constructed one. And this is negated by #2 anyway, games that are bothered about it can use the old way if they think it will give them better map visuals.

many of them do use a texture 2 if only one that applies a blanket specular/glow.

[FLOZi]

0. It will ideally change some time.

or we will move to a different better shader system which allows us to specify material shader on a per model level..

Years away. At best.

1. Change default to separated specular and reflection - all new content is created to this standard, the problem doesn't grow any larger.

We have TONS of people generating content now.

Which is why it should be changed asap.

2. Games that want / require backwards compatibility can edit the shaders *back* to how they were. This is just the reverse of what we have now.

the inverse is also true flozi.

But it's not, because of spreading the contagion!

3. 'all features' is ridiculous, nowhere near all models even have a texture2, nevermind a well constructed one. And this is negated by #2 anyway, games that are bothered about it can use the old way if they think it will give them better map visuals.

many of them do use a texture 2 if only one that applies a blanket specular/glow.

And doing away with blanket specular/reflection (as criticised in the above model!) will probably only make things look better...

[smoth]

Years away. At best.

maybe, what about jk's shader stuff?

We have TONS of people generating content now.

Which is why it should be changed asap.

that was sarcasm

But it's not, because of spreading the contagion!

what contagen? no one is making anything.

And doing away with blanket specular/reflection (as criticised in the above model!) will probably only make things look better...

You would only do away with half of it.

keep in mind, I have no dog in this fight, I am just discussing the merits/negatives.

[FLOZi]

I thought TONS of people sounded a little.. overenthusiastic

[Pressure Line]

Less talking, MOAR ARTZ!!!

[PicassoCT]

I like the middle one.. very thoughtfull to store the toilettpaper there where it is needed- meaning were enemys might having troublz.