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Author Topic: Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?  (Read 315 times)

Legacy_TheOneBlackRider

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« on: November 04, 2011, 05:10:44 pm »


               Hello all,
Is it possible to get a shiny/mental like look on textures of NPC-parts? It seems to be, but I just can't figure out, how to do it.

Before I describe, here is a notice: Below I show a NPC with helm-model 020. This one I just "build" for test reasons. I know, that it's possible to equip dynamic models with items like the helm. What I have in mind is to improve the look of the helm on the dragonrider-models I've been working with:

http://nwvault.ign.c...s.Detail&id=468

The test-NPC is c_ynpc_h_m03.mdl with it's head replaced by helm020. So, this way, the helm is still handled as a bodypart (unlike item-models like armors or helms). I applied the according texture as a tga an all works well.

'Image

'Image
(Left: Plain texture on NPC-helm, right: PC-item - The way I want it)

But it doesn't look very metallic, because it's missing the shininess.

So, is there a way to apply the "environment mapping" on NPC-model parts?

Alternatively I tried to use the plt file (plt-name = model-name). It didn't work out.
Is there a way to use plt on NPC-bodyparts? If yes, is there a way to influence the color settings - in my case that body part helm?

I found a few models like the one I use, which have a kind of shiny armor. Eg. the Drow Fighter with it's chainmail. As far as I could see, the armor-tga uses an alpha channel.

'Image
(Left: tga, right: Alpha)

I tried to add an alpha channel to "my" texture (with success!), but it doesn't look very good (it's spraycan with a wide range and made the spraycan color transparent/alpha). -> Right model

'Image

'Image

So, does anybody know a way and can help?
Thanks.
               
               

               


                     Modifié par TheOneBlackRider, 06 novembre 2011 - 11:17 .
                     
                  


            
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Legacy_Pstemarie

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2011, 08:09:12 pm »


               In the appearance 2da you need to set the ENV MAP field to "default"
               
               

               
            
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Legacy_TheOneBlackRider

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2011, 09:48:06 pm »


               Hello Pstemarie!
And thanks for the quick reply!

I just checked my appearance.2da and ENVMAP is set to default...
Just to be on the clear side (well, I guess, it's clear to you, since you model for Q, but just to be on the safe side): The texture of the "helm" is called from within the mdl (=head_g). No "environment shininess" on the helm, when using "my" top posted tga. Some kind of shininess when using alpha. Perhaps my alpha is too crapy... (big difference compared to the drow-armor-alpha). Maybe I need a tutorial on how to create an alphal like the one of the drow chain...
               
               

               
            
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Legacy__six

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2011, 09:51:41 pm »


               Shinyness uses a sort of gradient system on the alpha channel. Where the alpha channel is black, its 100% reflection, and where it's white it uses no reflection at all. The shades in between are all varying extents of shiny, as you'd imagine. However, reflections in NWN, in most games actually, are just a screenshot with the same one used per tileset, so its not a good idea to have anything totally shiny. Totally shiny also means the actual texture becomes invisible, also not good.

My general technique if you're using photoshop is to paint the entire alpha channel a mid grey colour, then use Colour Select on the main image with a range of 100 or so to grab black pixels, and make those close to white on the alpha channel. Then use Colour Select to grab white pixels on the main image, and make those close to white on the alpha channel. That way you get to keep some definition and sharpness in the image when it's reflected, but you still get a pretty decent coverage of shiny.
               
               

               


                     Modifié par _six, 04 novembre 2011 - 09:52 .
                     
                  


            
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Legacy_TheOneBlackRider

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2011, 10:02:17 pm »


               Hi _six!
I am amazed of the quickness! Thank you, too. This explains the different greys on the drow fighter tga.
Well, I'm "working" with Paint Shop Pro and I just started fiddeling with alpha! So, I do have to work myself through your tutorial. Don't really know, if I get that done, since I'm an alpha-beginner! '<img'>
I'll let you know.
               
               

               
            
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Legacy_Pstemarie

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2011, 11:28:54 am »


               _Six is the texture guru (I bend his ear quite a bit about textures and alphas). If you are a student - and have the extra money - you might want to look into getting an academic price on Photoshop. Is light years beyond PSP...
               
               

               
            
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Legacy_TheOneBlackRider

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2011, 08:46:49 pm »


               I've been doing quiet a bit of searching and reading and yes, Photoshop is THE TOOL. But I'm not doing any too complicated things with textures - in fact, this alpha is the first "into the deep" dive I take. And I'm not a student and probably all I will ever do with alpha is getting this helm texture "shiny". That's all I desire '<img'> So I won't get myself Photoshop for this. Though if only Photoshop can accomplish this, I'm in trouble...

_six's info helped me alot in undersatanding his approach. With this in mind, I've been doings some testing, but I didn't manage "to paint the entire alpha channel a mid grey colour". All I manage is white or black, which causes the effects described by _six.

And this mid grey color alpha channel is probably all I need for a start.

(You probably roll your eyes now, but since I'm not planing to get Photoshop:) I tried Gimp, which also manages alpha. Still I'm too unexperienced to paint the alpha grey. '<img'>
               
               

               
            
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Legacy_TheOneBlackRider

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Textures: Shiny/metal like look on NPC-parts?
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2011, 12:35:14 pm »


               ALLRIGHT! I made it!
Though I wasn't able to get a grey alpha done with PSP or Gimp (which may be, because I'm too inexperienced)!

Testing for quiet a bit of time and doing more research following _six's "grey alpha" hint, I found this simple tool for managing alpha texture: DXTbmp!
http://www.mnwright....rams/dxtbmp.htm

It shows the alpha channel, lets you export it, so it can be modified even with MS Paint and reimport it (and save as tga). Very easy and fast!

'Image
(Left: NPC with shiny bodypart-helm, right: PC with item-helm)

Being "on fire" I tried to create a reddish shiny helm:
'Image

Thanks alot to you two for getting me on track!
               
               

               


                     Modifié par TheOneBlackRider, 06 novembre 2011 - 12:40 .
                     
                  


            
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