SimRacingPL Shader Pack - discussion

I have the specular power to: 12,000 and is horrible!
Also decrease and the Fresnel scale and see me worse!
XOA, you, With photos of the Mercedes Have These put options? or have you changed?

Xoa, your graphics and your configuration is incredible!
 
I download the 0.91 pack.. but is only the shaders.. There is a new version of MaterialTool2?
 
Mario Morais said:
I download the 0.91 pack.. but is only the shaders.. There is a new version of MaterialTool2?
Click to expand...


ups i see now i download SimRacingPL Shader Pack_v0_91a and SimRacingPL Shader Pack_v0_91.zip is for modders.
 
I gave two links in announcement :)
First one is with all tools and manual, the other one is Shader Pack itself (for users).

EDIT:
Yes, users only need Shader Pack itself, that's why I always provide two packages.
 
Miguel.V said:
I have the specular power to: 12,000 and is horrible!
Also decrease and the Fresnel scale and see me worse!
XOA, you, With photos of the Mercedes Have These put options? or have you changed?

Xoa, your graphics and your configuration is incredible!
Click to expand...


This is the configuration i use for the Mercedes:
It is very important to use a proper spec-map. I made a new spec map with a higher resolution for the Mercedes by using the Template. My spec-maps I use are not dark, not completely white, but slightly grey. Here is a screenshot with the setting and the spec-map:

Untitled-1.jpg
 
Personally I'm not sure spec map must be detailed in that case. Specmap texture is only multiplier, when white color mults by 1.0, and black by 0.0.
The rest depends on how parts are mapped onto texture. If all objects are mapped onto single texture, then yes, you probably have to use more detailed specular one. But if you have car body separated from other objetcs, you may use a few pixel specular texture just to slightly modify output effect (without specuar texture empty white texture is used).

Why you don't need to "shade" specular texture? Because, in opposite to standard ISI shaders, reflectance is modified by Fresnel parameters. That's why you don't need to make upward faced surfaces more reflective. In reality, side-surfaces has the same reflectance properties as roof. It's enought to play with Fresnel.

Another tip is, you may use alpha channel of diffuse texture to modify specular (check T0 Alpha mode combobox). It may be used as multiplier (0.0 - 1.0) for global specular. For example allowing skin creators to limit reflectance for labels/stickers and other stuff.


best regards
 
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I think you are right with the shading, today I'm going to take a try without shading on the side. But here is a screenshot with the difference between low and righ-resolution spec-map:

1330991465-U1.jpg
 
Parts are not separate models in this case? Those are just lines drawn on the main texture?
 
xoa, yes.. if you are trying to reproduce parts just by painting on texture - you may need hires spec texture for it.

BTW: I'm glad that someone started to work with new shaders. It's new quality.
 
MaXyM said:
In reality, side-surfaces has the same reflectance properties as roof. It's enought to play with Fresnel.
Click to expand...
But in reality there are self-reflections.

For example - air intakes of Saleen S7 - horizontal surfaces will reflect sky and they shouldn't, because in reality they would reflect the car. In CG they will look much brighter than in reality, so it's good to darken specular map there and limit reflections looking for a compromise.

Unfortunately I often see just greyscaled diffuse texture used as specular map, which is completely unrealistic. Ambient occlusion texture would be closer to what good specular map should look like.


As for side of the car - it's true it should be as reflective as roof. But on the other hand we don't have realtime cubemaps in rFactor 1.
This means that while sky will more less be matched with contents of cubemap (also sky, even though different one), reflection on sides of car may betray mismatches between car's surroundings and content's of cubemap.
Sometimes making reflecions less obvious on sides is a good compromise aswell.
 
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yes, you are right. It is all about compromises in given environment to get most realistic but still "subjective" effect.
Thanx for explanation.
 
LesiU said:
Parts are not separate models in this case? Those are just lines drawn on the main texture?
Click to expand...



Exacly.

I have tried now both specmaps (with shading and without) but I can't really say what looks better/more realistic. With the shading-layer you can give the carbody less reflections in the lower part, what I think it's more realistic.

@K Szczech: Whats the difference between specular and ambient occlusion?
 
Hello XOA, thanks for your explanation , You've helped me a lot
but i have a problem. when i save the .DDS SPECULAR MAP, what configuration i use? because i save and no detect, the rfactor no detect a specular map.

This is my configuration to save in rfactor.

View attachment 1517
 
I use the same configuration. Did you assigned the spec map in the material tool?
 
yes, but the rfactor detect error.

ERROR LOADING TEXTURE FERRARIBALJOBB_23S.DDS TO MATERIAL WCEXTRA3.
 
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Make sure the texture has the correct dimensions. The dimensions of your image need to be "powers of 2", so resize it to that. Some examples would be 256x256, 512x2048, 1024x512, etc.

But maybe you know it already. :)
 
yes, I know but I think it is a problem saving on specular map as I keep, because I just change the color of blank_specular who comes in the materialtool2 and even the texture, it gives me problems, I now put: error loading blank_specular texture to materials wcextra3.
 
Maybe there are problems with your export plugin.
I think I wrote somewhere on this forum: I suggest to use nVidia tools instead of PS plugin. It is faster because of using CUDA and produces less compression artefacts. Hope it will help.
 
Ok. maxym, can you paste the link please? the link of your explanation
 
Another thing I still didn't understood well. How can I have two models with wccarbody in the .MAS but with different spec-masks? Is this possible or no? (I guess no...)
 
It's modding related question rather than shader pack but I will answer.

wccarbody is a special material name. Even it is named the same, any car has it's own wccarbody material (may have various textures including specular, normal map etc). Moreover, the T0 texture (color one, diffuse whatever you call it) will be replaced by default skin or custom skins if existing.

Of course this answer is valid in case you are asking for 'how to make a few different cars using the same material name'.

Note again, that specular texture in material definition cannot be replaced by skins. That's why it is good idea to use overall specular modifiers as specular texture then custom parts of painting like labels/stickers make put into alpha channel of T0 texture and use T0 Alpha mode: specular.

BTW: If possible, define new materials for car body elements which are not painted, like car logos, clasps, grills etc. It makes possible to set another material properties to it (for example steel-like) and allows to be independent from specular texture resolution (issue we talked about in previous posts)
 
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I have still trouble to get the shaders on the car.

I use material tool 2 now and import the body gmt file of the car

next I press create and after taking out some bump .dds (old config not becessary I guess) I press apply.

Now I export the file and copy it from exported into the car folder where all body gmts are.

But when I run no car in the showroom


What must I change in gen file + spinner genfile + what else?
Must the shading.tga be copied as well?

THX for help
 
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You don't need to change anything in .gen file, except for search pathes that is :)

It's like with anything else - your new GMT files must be in search patch specified in .scn or .gen file. Shading texture must be copied aswell - it's generated by material tool for a reason :)

I find it most convenient to have one folder with all source GMT files and textures and export folders placed within car's or track's main folder.
For example:

...../MyCar/SrcFiles/
...../MyCar/MAS/
...../MyCar/MyProject.rfmtp

In .gen file add: SearchPath=......./MyCar/MAS

Or:

...../MyTrack/SrcFiles/
...../MyTrack/MAS/
...../MyTrack/MAS_Sky/
...../MyTrack/MAS_Grass/
...../MyTrack/MyProject.rfmtp

In .scn file add: SearchPath=......./MyTrack/MAS
In .scn file add: SearchPath=......./MyTrack/MAS_Sky
In .scn file add: SearchPath=......./MyTrack/MAS_Grass


And of course set all these folders in project options (also set /SrcFiles as texture path).

The only change you'll ever need is in .scn file when you export sky - you need to replace standard sky section in .scn file with the one given in manual.
 
Someone can help me?
I had this issue today, i was modding my rFactor, and used by SimEd, the shaderpack. I realy dont know what and why that happens!View attachment 1763
 
@K Szczech

1000THX I got it now running -you made my day


BTW
My car was looking dull because I had an old specular.dds (very dark) map in it - so after some searching
I deleted the old specular in material tool 2 and the program made a new blank_specular.dds itself
which I copied with the body.gmt and the shading_wccarbody.tga to my car folder ->everything running fine now

great tool
 
Did you know something about my trouble??

I realy dont know.... I just using the dx9 carcube t0 cube on the body geometry, and the texture on it takes all other objects in game...... I realy dont know what is it. Other mods with the same shaders runs fine, and when i'll made my own, causes that issue! WHY?


View attachment 1765
 
I had similar problems only once - when I attached 8 textures to a material. Material itself worked fine, but everything else, including showroom, was messed up. Looks like rFactor had some bug and could only support 7 textures properly.


I don't know how you worked on that model, but just to make sure - you should not work on GMT files exported from MaterialTool2. Any editing should be done on source GMT files because other programs are unaware of my shaders.

You can also use my GMDDebugger tool to see if your materials don't look suspicious.
 
Can somebody give me a good setting for rims? I can't find a goog configuration. :( Thanks
 
Look at sample projects - meybe they will give you some hints as where to start from.

Usually it's best to start with selecting a cubemap with good level of blur, adding some detail normal and specular maps, then setting up reflectivity using fresnel parameters and finally setting up specular reflections.
 
Hi, I try these awesome shaders !
But i have a problem with the track surface editing: when I double click on the track the texture become black and i can't apply new texture (skidmarks, normal maps, specular etc..) I have read the pdf but i'm stuck here
I try to upgrading the NETframework version or DirectX
Thanks in advance !
 
i have no chance to run the tools within Win7. MSVRC71D.dll is missing. download the dll, put it into the tool folder and the system32 folder, registering the dll with regsvr32 msvrc71d.dll.. it will not work for me. any suggestions?
 
Did you installed NETframework?

BTW, the .dll file goes to the system folder, not system32.
 
It is not .net application.
however you have missing some Vissual Studio C++ re-distributable lib package. Find on net msvcp71d.dll and msvcr71d.dll and put these into MaterialTool directory. It is enough.
 
I have try to install the last version of Microsoft Visual C++ but nothing happens maybe a previous version ?
The Shader v0.79 works good with the Material Tool but the v0.91 the grass map capture, special material, track surface editing don't work for me. With the v0.79 i have arrow, bulb but with this version i have just a colored rectangle
 
There will be 0.92 release today and these missing dll files will be included. They can be found on internet, but I should have included them, as well as a few editor UI textures. You can copy these from previous version of editor if you still have it.

Grass capture editor had some bug and I've also found some in track surface editor. It's all fixed now.

As for getting black road surface in editor - this may be caused by shader failing to compile - please send me log.txt file that can be found in editor's main folder. If there is any problem with shader I'll fix it aswell before today's release.

By the way - updating DirectX is not necessary - this tool uses OpenGL :)

EDIT:
Yup, it was the shader. Thanks for your help. Version 0.92 is available now.
 
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