P-51B Environment Map Error (?)

[Vraciu]

I hate to bring this up since I managed to work around it with my Bs...

I think the Environment Map is being interpreted funny on the B Mustang, particularly in the skin viewer.   

1) A blank gray map looks fine in the game but in the viewer it looks like a dull gel coat.   The P-51D does not do this.   

2) When you use an E map that is not blank it flares up in the game on the B (not the D) but looks fine in the skin viewer.

Basically what I'm saying is that identical settings produce different results both in the game and the viewer.

 

[Vraciu]

Environment map is mislabeled in the bottom picture.   It is p51d_e.bmp.   I accidentally copied the wrong one into the screenshot.   It is still that color gray for the D as well.

[Chalenge]

I don't know how AH uses these mappings, because environment mapping means something completely different to me. In rendering the environment map is the image that is reflected on the surface of reflective objects, like the plane you are working on. However, it appears that you are working on something more akin to reflectivity mapping, which would be a percentage of reflectivity of the surface. The UV maps you posted indicate different reflectivity for the two models with the white insignia of the D model being nearly perfectly reflective (as it would work in my world anyway).

As to the amount of "dullness" it may be that you have one of the images in the wrong mode? Grayscale versus RGB for instance might cause an issue. Still, even the first B pony has a duller, more matte finish, by way of comparison. It should if we are taking into account a less intense reflectivity. I see no logical reason for that to happen as it is though.

It's interesting to me, because I have used many modelers (3DS Max, Maya, Lumberyard, Modo, Blender, etc.) and this is the first environment map that is done this way. Even the Lumberyard Environment map allows for an animated map in a way I presumed AH3 was using environment, but your post doesn't indicate that to be true.

[Vraciu]

No, this is a change akin to another error I reported in Skin Viewer before where a channel was being interpreted incorrectly.   Hitech fixed that one.   This issue is only caused by the Environment Map (which is basically what you said it is).   It has an effect, but our control of it as skinners is limited by the engine.

The Custom E Map differences aren’t the issue (they’re only different where the insignia is here because of expedience—this issue doesn’t care what the map looks like...if it isn’t solid gray it creates a hue only on the P-51B).  The effect on the metal is still there.   I’ve even copied the exact maps over from one skin to the other and renamed them.   No change.  The B remains affected.

This is a new problem that started around the time of this one:

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,392887.0.html

I’ve tried every combination, shade, and tone and it never goes away unless I use solid gray.   In the game anything but solid gray causes reflectivity to spike in indirect lighting, again something only seen on the P-51B and not the D. 

So when I use the solid gray to make things look right in the game the viewer casts the gel hue on everything on only the P-51B.   

[Vraciu]

Compare the skins of each type to themselves and the error is more obvious.   The glare panel, for example.   Notice the color shift only on the B.

[Vraciu]

Here it is on an OD airplane...

The all-gray E map looks fine in the game.  Only looks screwy in the viewer.

 

[Vraciu]

Thought these might be of use.   It acts goofy in the skin viewer on the B Mustang not the D.   Note the game shots look normal, however, except that the darker E map looks lighter in the game.   On the NMF Bs the "standard" causes the metal to flare up so perhaps that is a clue as to what setting is acting up.   It's as if something is inverted...

Hope it helps!