Am I understanding this correctly?

[8thJinx]

I am skinning some custom objects for the AvA maps.  The objects were created in AC3D.  I am creating my diffuse, alpha, and specular maps in Photoshop (latest version), from scratch.  (Normal maps are essentially flat.)  It is my understanding that the files need to ultimately be saved as 32 bit BMP's.  To make future files easier to start, I set up template artboards for each version of the _N, _A, _S, etc.  Each artboard template is 1024x1024 (or larger depending on the the type of object), 96 ppi, RGB Color 32-Bit, with the Working RGB color profile (sRGB IEC61966-2.1).

In order to get the artboards into 32 bit BMPs, I first saved the artboard to PSP format, then Export/Artboards_to_Files.  I set the destination and filename, select "Include Overlapping Areas", "Include Background in Export", File Type BMP, 32-Bit, Include ICC Profile.

This seems to work.  The end product is a 32 bit BMP, at 4 mb.  Is this the way folks create the 32-bit BMPs?  I am a total noob with this image stuff, and I don't want to spin my wheels in the dirt guessing.

[8thJinx]

That didn't work.  It wouldn't compile in the Object Editor.

[8thJinx]

Looking closer, it seems the AH3 standard shapes and objects have 32-bit diffuse and normal maps, but only 8-bit normal and specular maps.  Trying that next.

Also, the standard _CL and _E maps are 8-bit as well.

[8thJinx]

Ok I got it to work.  Building the diffuse, alpha, specular, and normal maps in Photoshop worked, and it all compiled correctly.  One caveat, my normal map is completely flat (128,128,256), so I didn't need to generate a true normal with the NVIDIA application.  But for all intents and purposes, the process worked and compiled into the object editor correctly.  I merely had to open the 32-bit specular and alpha map files in paint.net, and save them as 8 bit.

[hitech]

Diffuse 32 bit.
Normal _N 32 bit.

All other textures "_P _A _E _S" are a single channel so they are 8 bits.

There are only 8 total channels available 4 in each texture we give them then names R0 G0 B0 A0  , R1 G1 B1 A1.  The diffuse takes the first 3 channels R0G0B0.
R1G1 are always used for the normal.

A0 is by default spec, if Alpha is present it is used for Alpha and Spec is moved to the A1 channel. B1 is Enviorment. A1 Is power or spec depending if alpha is used.

HiTech

HiTech