Advise on toning down an "xxxxx_x_s.dds" texture support file

[anjenthedog]

I have a character that is using a femalebody_1_s.dds file, apparently a specular ?overlay? file, per this quote from something I read a while back

_s.dds - just had a look on it in PS, seems similar to the other object's _m.dds, same color scheme as the specular map mentioned in the _msn.dds.

Black = dark, less reflection/gloss, white = the opposite.

 

In her case, from playing around with layers in Paint.Net, and using it as a negation layer atop the original (once scaled to accommodate use as an overlay in Paint.Net) I discovered that it's a combo of sweat/rain and glistening. (which is kinda what I expected and exactly the layer I was looking for).

She's a bit "glowy" due to the shimmer it produces.

Can I just edit the file in paint.net, then use brightness/contrast to tune its effect down? Or is there a better method? I've fiddle a little bit with the main texture files before (smoothing, sharpening, adding a tat), but tbh, I've never edited any of the msn, sk, or s files

In addition, at present, it's only a 512x512 file, whereas the main body texture is 2K. Would scaling the image to 2k (and a little sharpening and noise smoothing as needed) result in any improvements in presentation in-game? Conversely, would that be a "bad" thing to do, ie, it'd cause problems?

thanks.

[anjenthedog]

nvm "problem" solved. yes and yes.

 

I scaled the 0.5K "_s" file to 8K, cleaned it up with sharpen and noise reduction, then-down sampled back to 2K, and finally reduced the brightness a few clicks. works great.