Environmental Maps _m, _em,

[hoodoo_man]

Hi all,

 

I'm just getting back to modding after taking a vacation between Oblivion & Skyrim because my GPU decided to eat itself ;). I thought I understood NIF files pretty well--and then they go and implement things all differently. . . . My main background is in modelling (3DS Max, or Rhino--I LIKE Rhino, NURBS, etc. ;)) and texture painting because I used to be a prepress guy. I am still a little afraid of weight-painting/rigging models myself, so I try to avoid messing with that part of things if possible. As a result, I usually either use existing geometry or create my own, export as an OBJ mesh from Rhino with materials included (so I can separate out the stuff that's hard to paint), re-uvmap the whole thing using uvmapper, and then use 3DS Max to convert back to a NIF file, and copy/paste the NiTriShapes/Strips geometry with uvmap in Nifskope. Or that WAS my workflow. With diminished OBJ support within Nifskope, I'm working other things out ;)

 

Anyway--and to avoid too big a "wall of text" (I didn't know that was a thing around here--oh, and I apologize in advance to all the non-native English speakers for whom my posts have no doubt been nightmares. . . .

 

I think I get the distinction between different types of environmental map. According to my nifty(:P) list of NIF file descriptions, an _m, or _em file is an "environmental mask map" which looks a whole lot like a reflection mask to me. I believe--someone please correct me if I'm wrong--that it masks out the parts of the texture you want to be reflective. I'm not quite clear on how it differs from a specular map--other than being involved with real-time textures and/or raytracing. An "_e" file is an "environmental cube map" that I guess prevents the engine from having to render reflections from the actual objects in the room, but rather a 2D map to reflect.

 

My question, I guess, is when would you use that? It would only be useful on static objects, right? If the object moves, then the cube has to change to reflect its new location--or am I missing something? I do miss things a lot lately :P. A non-static, simple object, such as a weapon would have no use for an _e map, correct?

 

If/When you do need an _e map--which cube is it? I.e., is it an inverted view of the room from the object's perspective or something else?

 

Also the way different types of shaders are layered seems to me to be an attempt to simulate a procedural texture while still using a uvmap. Why would one want to do this? Why not just use a procedural texture--aside from the fact that I'm not sure NIF supports them? And the color properties of the individual nodes--what's that about? Is it worth trying to manipulate, or on the whole have people found it easier to leave these things mostly alone and stick with some form of their old workflow?

 

I realize these are kind of technical--and kind of noobish at the same time--questions. I am headed over to TES Alliance to ask more just as soon as they validate my membership--my e-mail must be acting up again and I haven't gotten my confirmation yet. I gather they cater more to technical specifics over there, though.

 

Sorry for any misunderstandings--or if my past questions have given the impression I have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm just coming from more of an art background--where rendering speed is not as much of an issue--and sometimes the game-based terminology is different--or the Skyrim specific names for things are different than the terms I would use.

 

Thank you again, everybody who has been so helpful. And if you feel like answering anything I mention above. . . . ;)

 

Hoodoo Man