Spec/Power/Environment Adventures

[Vraciu]

Should panel lines and aileron/flap/rudder gaps be removed from the Power Map?

[oboe]

Thanks, Greebo.  I think your Ki.43 looks fantastic, and I thought in my post above I may have come up with a reasonable explanation for why some rivet heads could have higher specularity than others.

Regarding the rudder shading, its this statement Skuzzy made in this thread that has me concerned:

Arbitrarily changing the specular, on materials and coatings, which are identical, will get a skin rejected.  Just FYI.

I've added shading on my diffuse maps for a long time too, and probably would've carried it over to the specular map also.  But I can imagine Skuzzy using this rule to reject my P-51D skin (if had I submitted it), and it also concerns me that I happened to learn about it in such an incidental manner, in a discussion of someone else's skin submission.  It makes me wonder how many other FYI-type rules I don't know about that would also be cause for rejection, and further to have the current default P-51 specular map unable to pass HTC's own standards, well, it makes it pretty difficult to know what's acceptable and what's not.

When I look at all the specularity differences within a single panel due to weathering, oxidation, etc in the aluminum in the picture below, I wonder how Skuzzy would apply that rule. 

[Greebo]

I think the key word in Skuzzy's post was arbitarily. Changing the specularity is OK if you have a good reason, i.e. a dirt stain. Changing two identical metal panels to different levels when they'd reflect identically in RL isn't.

[oboe]

I hope that's the case.  I wouldn't know any other way to show surface stains, oxidation, weathering effects, etc - other than by painting them in the diffuse map and then having the same area also represented in the spec map with reduced/variable spec values.

[Vraciu]

I think the key word in Skuzzy's post was arbitarily. Changing the specularity is OK if you have a good reason, i.e. a dirt stain. Changing two identical metal panels to different levels when they'd reflect identically in RL isn't.

This still isn't exactly answering my question though.   Or maybe I'm just too dense to get it.

You guys are the experts at this so spell it out for me like I'm a two-year old.

If the panels vary in color they will not necessarily vary in specularity, right?   So I need to go into my Spec Map and DELETE the gradients and mottling layers so the aluminum panels all have the same specular values(?).

[Greebo]

Yes, delete any variation in tone from your aluminium panels on anything but the diffuse map. Making the silver painted wings a different shade ought to be acceptable assuming that surface reflected differently in RL.

[Skuzzy]

I think the key word in Skuzzy's post was arbitarily. Changing the specularity is OK if you have a good reason, i.e. a dirt stain. Changing two identical metal panels to different levels when they'd reflect identically in RL isn't.

And again, spot on.

[Devil 505]

If the mottling represents weathering on the diffuse map then leave it in the spec maps.

[Vraciu]

And again, spot on.

I love how he won't answer me today.   

I guess arbitrarily is the key word.  Thus the gradients in Cactus' skin would qualify because they are not arbitrary.

[Vraciu]

If the mottling represents weathering on the diffuse map then leave it in the spec maps.

Got it.

I think I took it out in the skin I just posted in another thread.  I turned the opacity down and kept the layer in case I need it but it is not shown in the skin.

[Vraciu]

To add to what Devil said about the underside grime here is a belly shot of a NMF P-51D. Look at all the dirt stains around the gun ports, behind the gear legs and tailwheel bay and around the oil and rad exit flaps. Also there are oil streaks being bent around the lower scoop on the lower wings. ou can also see a tone mismatch between gear doors and the wing.

(Image removed from quote.)

So here is my first attempt to try and get some streaks.   I tried several different methods.  Not sure any of them are right.

[Devil 505]

The streaks look pretty good.

I think you need to work on the placement of the stains on the belly though. What I like to do with oil coolers is to make a stain on the door itself at the front edge and another stain that begins inside the outlet and flows along the fuselage - for you that means having your outlet stain start at the point where the outlet door ends.

[Vraciu]

The streaks look pretty good.

I think you need to work on the placement of the stains on the belly though. What I like to do with oil coolers is to make a stain on the door itself at the front edge and another stain that begins inside the outlet and flows along the fuselage - for you that means having your outlet stain start at the point where the outlet door ends.

Okay.  Will try that.  I also need to update the outlets.  This is the old version.  I shoulda' fixed it before I posted.