Planes surface reflective material shader...any way to change??

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

Hi guys, after watching this screen:

 

 

I realized how nice is the shader of the fuselage in the L39 and also noticed that most planes in DCS lacks this effect or its too weak in comparsion ...for example, russian fighters are very reflective when looked at wide angles:

 

 

so, as the effect IS THERE AND WORKS in DCS , I wonder if there is any "easy" way to increase the parameter/s that determine that reflectiveness for any given aircraft to increase it...I bet most fighters would look INSANE with that reflectiveness increased!!like the l-39

 

Any idea how to achieve this??

Edited January 19, 2016 by watermanpc

[Kuky]

Most military aircraft are not that shiny/reflective. They are painted with matt paint, not glossy like airshow aircraft, so reflectiveness will vary (and normally not be as high as the L-39 in screenshot)

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

Yes, most are not like that, but russian aircraft are pretty reflective even the ones not for display purposes...anyway, I would like to know a way to change/mod this to my liking if possible...or a way to edit this depending on the skin used...that would be great!!

[SkateZilla]

Reflection and Specular Noise are 2 different things...

 

Most Jets at Shallow angles have really strong speculars.

 

Just increase the Red Channel in the Specular Maps.

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

Well, I must admit I have no idea what Im doing :P so I dont know exactly what the correct term for the thing I want :D...could you please tell me where are those specular maps??...I mean, I dont think they are the skins right??...also, the red channel I guess is editable by changing red in the RGB inside Photo Shop right??

 

Sorry for my limited knoledge in the matter :P

[gabuzomeu]

Hello

A lot of details in the following thread:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=88855

Specular maps are the skin parts with SPEC in their name, IIRC, where color Red/Green is used to determine reflectivity/shine

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

wow, great link pal!!! thanks a lot!! I will take a look!:thumbup:

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

Ok, after some testing with the thread you linked I have concluded that what they talk in there is not what Im looking for...

 

 

As SkateZilla said, Im talking about REFLECTION not SPECULAR...playing a bit with the specular gave me the first attached image (I only aplied a higher amount at some parts to make the effect visible so there is a hard line where there almost isnt any specular)...

 

What I want is REFLECTION!!...changing specular only modifies the shines in the fuselage, I want to modify what I hope could be visible in the second image I attached, the way the fuselage reflect the environment which is not the same.

[SkateZilla]

The Specular is way too high and looks solid.

 

add some difference clouds, and reduce it some/alot.

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

Sorry mate but I think you didnt understand what I said in my last post...i DONT want to change specular, I looking for a way to increase the level of REFLECTION, which is NOT the same thing...as you can see in the l39 screen it has a very high level of reflection so environment reflects a lot in the fuselage...it has nothing to do with the specular...anyone knows how to deal with reflection?¿?¿?¿

[SkateZilla]

Then increase Blue Channel.

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

could you explain to me a bit how to do that without damaging the specular?¿?¿?...Im really bad with PS sorry...

[SkateZilla]

open specular map in PS,

 

on the tab that says layers, there should be a tab that says "Channels", click on that.

 

Should be 3 main channels, and the top RGB Channel.

Red, Green Blue.

 

Click on the Blue channel, goto Image Menu, Adjustments, Bright ess and Contrast.

 

Increase Brightness of blue channel.

 

White = Mirror

Black = Matte

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

thanks mate, and sorry because my PS CS6 doesnt hace a "channels" tab...instead I see an "info" tab...only thing I find obout channels is channel mixer?¿?¿?

[SkateZilla]

I dunno what it is off hand for CS6.I'll have to check when I get home.

[GeorgeLKMT]

Window -> Channels.

 

And don't use anything from the Image menu on top. Instead, use adjustment layers. Either channel mixer, or for simple brightness adjustment, curves or levels will do fine (just switch from RGB to appropriate channel). They basically do the same thing, just with different interface. That way you can always go back and easily change the settings.

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

I dunno what it is off hand for CS6.I'll have to check when I get home.

 

thanks mate!

 

Window -> Channels.

 

And don't use anything from the Image menu on top. Instead, use adjustment layers. Either channel mixer, or for simple brightness adjustment, curves or levels will do fine (just switch from RGB to appropriate channel). They basically do the same thing, just with different interface. That way you can always go back and easily change the settings.

 

Thanks a lot, now I see the channels tab!!:thumbup:...but for some reason I cant "select" just the blue one...I hide the others and select the blue but when I choose the adjust mask (brightness/contrast for example) ALL other channels are affected WTH?¿?¿?¿?:mad:...I cant move the adjustment to any other position to only affect the blue channel...I cant also find a good tutorial to do that!...damn!, I feel stupid but PS is soooooooooooooooo ****ing hard to work with!!I just want to make a damn adjustment to blue channel, OMG, Im sorry pals!!:helpsmilie:

 

EDIT: Ok, doing what SkateZilla said, this is selecting the brigtness/contrast from the TOP menu, image/adjust/brightness and contras it works!!, only applies to the blue channel...anyway I would like to know why is not working when selecting the mask from the side menu...

Edited January 21, 2016 by watermanpc

[GeorgeLKMT]

All the channels are affected because brightness/contrast has no channel-specific setting, that why I said use mixer, curves or levels when using adjustment layers.

You just need to change the "RGB" setting to whatever channel you're adjusting and then it'll touch only that channel.

Edited January 21, 2016 by GeorgeLKMT

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

All the channels are affected because brightness/contrast has no channel-specific setting, that why I said use mixer, curves or levels when using adjustment layers.

 

You just need to change the "RGB" setting to whatever channel you're adjusting and then it'll touch only that channel.

 

Ok, thanks mate!!:thumbup:

 

Well, I just made a quick test and it looks like it works but...well, is not the result I was expecting :cry:...Now I think that there is also another very important thing here...the ANGLE at which the reflection is more evident, and I suspect this is some kind of parameter more than a texture work...I dont know...the resul of a maxed brightness SPC files SU27 texture is the attached...again, the reflection is increased, but not the angle at which is visible so it just look stronger but exactly in the same spots as before...this is not what I want. I want the whole plane to be more reflective at more ortogonal angles to the surfaces.