APA Texture Brightness Issue

[GenericEnclaveBro]

So I've been working on a mod that brings back a more organized Enclave presence. However, I'm new to texturing and modeling, and was retexturing the Remnant Power Armor to be cleaner and well-maintained-looking in preparation for further editing of the color scheme. This seemed to be going well, and I kept the general color pattern of the armor in-game. Dark grey, mainly, but when I shoved the helmet textures into the game they considerably brightened, taking on an appearance more in line with the Fallout 2 inventory image. I checked if it was simply the ENB making things look brighter, but in a comparison with the unaltered body texture it becomes clear something went wrong. I looked into the normal maps, but they were identical to base-game assets as I had not modified them yet, confusing me further.

 

That said, I eventually wanted to brighten up the armor anyway, but I would've rather done that on my own time rather than the game's. Anyone got an idea what went wrong? I'll post the textures themselves if that will help in clearing things up.

 

http://i.imgur.com/mwfWHoO.jpg

[DaemonGrin]

Usually for me it's one of 2 things. Either the original models texture in it's linked material node has specular set to white or a bad glow map issue. These are at least worth checking out. (Also you might want to check the channels of your texture and delete the alpha if it has one that may help, it's probably white.)

 

Hope I helped,

Geoff

 

EDIT - Boy I got distracted and lost my train of thought and said glow map twice.

[GenericEnclaveBro]

Either the original models texture in it's linked material node has specular set to white or a bad glow map issue there is a third but hasn't happened to me and that's a bad glow map...(Also you might want to check the channels of your texture and delete the alpha if it has one that may help, it's probably white.)

 

Unfortunately, as I said, I'm rather new to texture work, and have basically been teaching myself, as awful as that is. I'm not entirely sure how to test for check the linked material node. I'll test if disabling specular maps entirely in the Texture Set menu has a difference.

 

I didn't set a glow map for the helmet. Perhaps I should set a more restrictive one based on only the lenses and see if it had just defauled to making the entire thing glow for some arcane reason. I doubt that's it, though, but I'm a newbie, so testing is necessary.

 

I'm looking directly at the channels, and there is indeed an all white Alpha channel, but I can't seem to do anything to it, as it's directly tied to all the other channels. Removing the Alpha channel obliterates all the others. Trying to convert the main channel into the alpha results in a strange checkering pattern. However, I can remove the alpha layer from layer>transparency. I wonder if that has any cosmetic effect?

 

In any case, I appreciate the speedy reply. It's given me places to look, so that's hands-down better than blindly stumbling about as I was previously.

[DaemonGrin]

 

Either the original models texture in it's linked material node has specular set to white or a bad glow map issue there is a third but hasn't happened to me and that's a bad glow map...(Also you might want to check the channels of your texture and delete the alpha if it has one that may help, it's probably white.)

 

Unfortunately, as I said, I'm rather new to texture work, and have basically been teaching myself, as awful as that is. I'm not entirely sure how to test for check the linked material node. I'll test if disabling specular maps entirely in the Texture Set menu has a difference.

 

I didn't set a glow map for the helmet. Perhaps I should set a more restrictive one based on only the lenses and see if it had just defauled to making the entire thing glow for some arcane reason. I doubt that's it, though, but I'm a newbie, so testing is necessary.

 

I'm looking directly at the channels, and there is indeed an all white Alpha channel, but I can't seem to do anything to it, as it's directly tied to all the other channels. Removing the Alpha channel obliterates all the others. Trying to convert the main channel into the alpha results in a strange checkering pattern. However, I can remove the alpha layer from layer>transparency. I wonder if that has any cosmetic effect?

 

In any case, I appreciate the speedy reply. It's given me places to look, so that's hands-down better than blindly stumbling about as I was previously.

 

 

 

Are you using Gimp or something else? I use PS CS4 so I am able to delete the channel. If you are using photoshop deleting the alpha doesn't destroy the image you just gotta click the RGB channel to show it because when you view the alpha it turns the RGB, R, G, B channels off. Other wise if you are using something else flood fill or w/e to make the alpha black. (You can try different neutral shades to different effect as well once you get it situated, white usually gives off an awful glossy shine like it's been dipped in butter.)

 

To view the specular setting you need to extract the armor nif from the meshes BSA open in nifskope and view the nimaterialproperty of the textured mesh piece. If you didn't mess with a glow map then don't worry that's not it.

[GenericEnclaveBro]

 

 

Are you using Gimp or something else? I use PS CS4 so I am able to delete the channel. If you are using photoshop deleting the alpha doesn't destroy the image you just gotta click the RGB channel to show it because when you view the alpha it turns the RGB, R, G, B channels off. Other wise if you are using something else flood fill or w/e to make the alpha black. (You can try different neutral shades to different effect as well once you get it situated, white usually gives off an awful glossy shine like it's been dipped in butter.)

 

To view the specular setting you need to extract the armor nif from the meshes BSA open in nifskope and view the nimaterialproperty of the textured mesh piece. If you didn't mess with a glow map then don't worry that's not it.

 

 

I'm using GIMPshop 2.8, yes. And I shoved a blank glowmap onto the thing after noticing that, frankly, no matter the lighting level, the helmet was clearly visible in all it's parts. Somehow the game defaulted to make my head a lightbulb when it lacked a glow map. I think New Vegas must've been looking for a glow map for the eyes regardless of whether or not there was a glow map attached to the texture set.

 

Again, thank you very much for the speedy reply, I still would be fumbling around in the dark trying to figure it out without your assistance. I'd likely just be messing with settings until something stuck, which it wouldn't, thanks to my utter lack of knowledge. I really don't understand why that would happen.