Real Explanation on How to Get Rid of Too Shiny Textures

[soulslayerzx]

It really shouldn't be that hard, every single time I modify a texture, it looks fine in photoshop. I want to know the process of making a texture from scratch cuz many 3D games have their textures all layed out/uv mapped and then its a black background, do they make the texture first, make it the alpha layer, then add a black background so the game engine would identify which textures to show and don't show the black texture? It's all complex to me. Lol.

 

Anyways, I want a real explanation on how to get rid of this too shiny textures. Are normal maps really neccessary or can you configure the alpha channel and stuff in one main texture file. I'm currently retexturing an armor and making it into a completely new armor in creation kit.Am I supposed to set it with certain properties in the textureset entry? The current one I'm modifying is the dragonplatecuirass texture and I can't seem to find it, so I do not know it's properties.

 

I'm not sure how to do the textures with alpha and crap, I'm using Adobe Photoshop CS3 and I have the nvidia plugin for normal map filter. But to make it appear in creation kit in the preview(I refresh after each edit), I just save it as it is as DXT 5, with the alpha thing preserved when i name the file, I checked that box, but in game it's shiny as the fking sun.

 

Am I suppose to tamper with the alpha layer or make one?

[soulslayerzx]

Does no one know how to do this?

[soulslayerzx]

Omg. Seriously, no one knows how to do this? Where's all the people who make retextures and custom models. -_- Been looking all over the internet and the normal maps aren't working for me, the textures are shiny as f*** in creation kit.

[Gebreth]

Sorry bro, can't be of much help as I've never done modelling or texturing stuff I only know a bit pf theory. But I guess it has something to do with a parameter in either your nif (nifskope) or your esp (CK) file. Because this mod: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=15927, doesn't alter any textures BUT the nordplate helmet is shinier than vanilla's.

And I can't seem to find a parameter like this in the CK (searching right now), so it has to be the nif. And this tuto seems complete, jump to part 2 for all the nifskope stuff: http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Creating_an_armour_for_Skyrim._Part_2

 

Hope this can help

[Squizzo]

I'm having the same problem.

I don't think the issue is with the nif, I've tried copying the BSShaderProperty from a vanilla armour that has little shine, like leather armour for example, and the results are no different than if using the BSShaderProperty from a shinier armour, like steel etc.

 

I'm also about 99.9% sure that it has nothing to do with any parameters in the CK (that's just not what the CK is used for).

 

As previously mentioned the problem may be the lack of an alpha channel in your normals.

It also occurs to me that the problem might be with the _m greyscale map.

 

Would really appreciate any help.

[Urwy]

-snip-

Am I suppose to tamper with the alpha layer or make one?

 

im no expert on this, but from what i understand the more transparency your alpha layer in the normalmap contains, the less shiny it is.

So if your normalmap is completely opaque, the game reads that is "reflect all light hitting it". thus making it shiny as hell.

 

Ive had a similar issue: http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/638667-glossyness-headache/page__p__5032467#entry5032467

Turns out my diffuse textures were to bright...but maybe that thread contains something that might help you as well :)

[ResolveThatChord]

Okay, I'm getting a sense that you're missing information on how textures work, what the functions of each texture type are, and you need some specific instruction on how to deal with a common problem. Keep in mind that you have to state your problems clearly so we can understand and help you; I beg your pardon if any of this is teaching you how to suck eggs.

 

First off the "black background" thing. 3D game models have 5 dimensions: 3 dimensions which define their shape in the game world (X,Y,Z), as well as a 2 dimensional projection that allows them to be textured with a 2D image (U,V). A UV map will have flattened pieces of the 3D model arranged onto a texture. Pixels that aren't within these shapes do nothing whatsoever, and some artists colour them black to give them a clearer sense of how the texture fits onto the model.

 

A UV map is essential if you want to make a texture from scratch. You can extract the UV map from a model with nifskope. Simply right click on the model in the viewport, and select Texture -> Export template.

 

Next, we need to know what types of textures are required. Here's a rundown. One important piece of info this article omits is the specular map, which is a greyscale image stored in the 4th "alpha" channel of the *_n.dds texture.

 

Specualrity is a way of faking reflective materials. On a specular map, a white pixel is 100 percent shiny, a black pixel has no shine, and the greyscale covers everything in between.

To make a spec map, make a copy of your diffuse (colour) map, and desaturate it. You can then use filters, adjustments, burning, and dodging to control the brightness of your texture.

Then add it to the alpha channel of your normal map, or to a transparency mask of your normal map. (layer->layer mask->reveal all, Photoshop CS5)

 

The methods used to make normal/spec maps haven't changed since Oblivion, so make sure to look for Oblivion and Fallout 3 texturing tutorials if you're looking for detailed intruction. The shininess issue is a common one, and is usually addressed in these tutorials.

I had this exact same issue when I was learning this, and in my case it was because I forgot to "flatten image" (photoshop) before saving.

 

Also you mentioned being unable to find the textures for a mesh. To do this, extract the mesh from the .BSA and open it in nifskope. Click on the mesh in the viewport. This will highlight and open the the mesh's branch in the data block list on the left. Click on "BSLightingShaderProperty"-> "BSShaingTextureset". Then in the bottom "block details" panel, expand "textures". This lists the textures the mesh refernces as a filepath. Then follow the filepath in the textures BSA to find the texture, or if you're working with a custom mod mesh, follow the filepath in your installation directory to find the texture.

 

Hope this helps, let us know!

[Squizzo]

Thanks a bunch ResolveThatChord.

None of the tutorials I used mentioned adding the specular map the alpha channel of the normal map.

[soulslayerzx]

Thank you all for finally replying!

 

I'm pretty damn sure it's something to do with the alpha channels and normal map(s).

 

And ResolveThataChord, that's exactly what I did, and thanks for further clarifying how textures work for skyrim. Although, I am just retexturing a dragon armor and make a new entry for it in creation kit/skyrim and unfortunately it's been too shiny. I think I forgot to flatten the images too, I'm gonna do everything over again and see waht happens. =D I'll reply once I've finished!

[soulslayerzx]

Have to say. It kinda worked. I made the grayscale image in the alpha channel in the normal map file super dark, and now it's a bit purple. Lol. Do you have a skype or anything so I could constantly get help? xD In creation kit, the shine seems to be gone in the 3D window, but in the character menu the right portion of the armor is like dyed purple or is really near some blue/purple aura. Thanks though, at least the shine is gone. =D