Chrome / Reflective Surfaces - Part Two

[Guest Fly1]

Ok, thanks to Kevin in a previous post I checked and removed "Has Light Map" and "Has Damage Map" from my Middleman default settings, and Voila, nice stable chrome and reflective textures at night with lights on. Thanks a million Kevin.But, while experimenting with textures, and reviewing the FS9 texture files, I came upon something very interesting, possibly already known.I use Gmax, and it has always been said to use _t textures for reflective surfaces. Noting that some other aircraft I have downloaded lately did not use _t files (I think this is FSDS2 based) and still had reflective surfaces, I tried playing with the assignments in the Gmax material editor.I created a 50% gray texture (Base.bmp) and an alpha of 8,8,8. The Base.bmp (not Base_t.bmp) was applied to the Ambient - Diffuse - and Reflective slot. Base.bmp was run through DxtBmp using the aplha file. When the model was exported, I made sure the above "Map" options were removed, and when viewed from FS9 there was a very nice chrome finish on my object. When viewed at night, very stable. Since it was not using the _t file, it did not need a _l file to counter the transparent problem.I noticed if the reflective slot was not filled in, using the alpha version of Base.bmp in FS9, the object was not visible.Just thought this might be interesting. Add it to the Hmmmmmmmm ... list.Back to the FS9 version of the Legacy. Thanks again Kevin!!Bob C.

[Guest LilSki]

Glad I could help in the first post! What you have done is interesting. But again just to clear it up for some people. When "Has Light Map" is NOT enabled you can have a _t texture and it will not be transparent at night. Only when "Has Light Map" is enabled does a _t texture become transparent at night. Again what you found is interesting but I don't mind having _t on my texture names ;)Kevin

[Guest Milton]

xxx_t named textures were never required for reflectivity, just for transparency. Firestriker noted that last year.There are two questions you now raise. Are you texturing your reflective transparent windows on your fuse map or separately? What happens to them at night?Once you add backlit gauges to your VC and have to turn on HasLightMap for them to work, what will be the implications?What do you use for night time textures if any?Thanks guys for stirring this sometimes confusing array of options. :-)Milton

[Guest LilSki]

I repeat again you do NOT need "Has Light map" enabled for Backlit gauges to work. yet again I have attached a shot my VC of MY Bellanca Decathlon WITH backlit gauges WITHOUT "has light map" The only thing enabled when this thing was recently exported was "has reflective map" That is all. Although I thought there had to be a _t texture for shine. Oh well ;)Kevin