Greetings!

So this week it was time to wrap up the first assignment, i.e. the chest. And so that is what I’ve been doing. In this post I will go through what kinds of different texture maps the 3D object has and what they do.

Diffuse Texture Map

Every object needs at least three different texture maps to look good. The first one is the diffuse texture.

The diffuse is basically and simply the color of the object. Straight color along with some self shadowing and other nice details. This is the texture map that is done first since it makes it a lot easier to create the other two when you have something to go after.

Normal Texture Map

The second one is the normal map. This is the texture map that marks out dents and bulges in the object.

You have to be careful when crafting this sort of map because it is simply and illusion so you cannot break the silhouette because it will simply won’t show the work you’ve done on the normal map and can sometimes look a bit strange.

When you model you can save a lot of data usage by just modeling for the silhouette and letting the normal map do the job with dents and bulges on the surface of the 3D model. This is a big lifesaver and the reason we can have really good looking games with high performance.

Specular Texture Map

The last but by no means least is the specular map. This is the texture map that basically defines the objects feel and our understanding of it.

The specular map is basically a texture map that decides the glossiness of the object, how much light is going to bounce on it’s surface. This helps us see what kind of material it is. Wood doesn’t reflect light that well and is much darker on the specular map compared to the gold which reflects it much better and is therefor lighter on the specular map.

The specular map helps player to, together with the silhouette, identify the object form a far distance. Such as if it is a cork or a penny lying on the floor.

Conclusions

So the first 3D object made when it comes to this class. I’ve never actually done a normal(except for baking one) nor specular map before so that was an experience worth having. Now it just comes to use all that I’ve learned from this and continue on slaving away at what comes next. Assignment 2, speaking of which…

Assignment 2 – Update Report 2

Yes! The last one I made was in a separate blog post, but lets condense it shall we?

Simple shapes, could probably have done more with the ornaments on top but I wanted to keep it simple.

And one thing different from last time? Yes, I had a plan to go for a cartoony style but it was not to be. I changed my mind while modeling the thing and decided to go for a realistic style and showing the item off when it was in its prime.

And here’s the UV layout as well as the start of the diffuse texture, very simple two-color scheme that for now is just splashed on. Next week will be the week for fixing that along side starting the normal/specular map!

And that is all I have to say about that.

Have a good one!