Quality Mod

[Springheel]

This is an interesting effect. This guy has done something with the spec maps. Apparently it makes things very plasticy in some cases, but in the mouseover example here:

 

http://www.skenegroup.net/tertsi/doom3/nvi...t_vs_mod11.html

 

it looks quite good. Brings out a lot of the details. Don't know if this is any use for us or not.

 

Here's the main discussion thread:

 

http://www.doom3world.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=10037

[Springheel]

LOL!! I copied that without even looking at the name of the poster. Ren, you've been holding out on us!! :lol:

[oDDity]

It's impossible to comment looking at that picture. Stone dons't need much spec anyway, uinless it's wet or slimy. I think some people go crazy with it - 'doom has spec maps = let's put one on everything, and really make it show!'

A lot of surfaces dont' actually need a spec map at all, and it improves performace if they dont have one, and saves on RAM. The quality of spec maps is all down to the way you create them anyway. You can bring the detail out in a texture if you know how to handle the height and spec maps.

Spec maps are excellent for metallic surfaces (no surprise the majority of doom textures are metallic) excellent for plasitc surfaces, but many thiefy textures like wood, stone, most cloth, carpets, wallpaper, can easily get away without one, or one so subtle it's hardly worth the system resources.

[Fingernail]

It's also only for NVidia cards...and the glossmap shader is better anyway IMO.

[Renzatic]

The thing about that mod that's such a big deal is that it's using a more realistic system for the spec maps, completely different from D3's specular lookup table. If you were to mix it with Idiom's glossmap mod you'd get some amazing results.

 

Plus it has a parallax mapping system packed in it that's awesome looking.

[Fingernail]

Well actually idiom's glossmap mod uses the same system...ie a function rather than a specular lookup table.

[Renzatic]

Really? I though the specs were still based on the table, and the glossmaps were layered over them to adjust tightness.

[Ishtvan]

What effect does using a function instead of a table have on framerate, if any?

[Renzatic]

According to them barely any at all, maybe a frame or 2 at most. But then again they're all sporting Geforce 6xxx's there.

 

As for the glossmap mod, it barely effects me at all.