Coloured Specular Maps

[Springheel]

It wasn't very long ago that I found out specular maps could incorporate colour. As far as I can tell, we've all been using black and white speculars so far in our textures and skins...is that because the colour doesn't have much of an impact, or because (like me) we just weren't aware it could use it?

 

Anyone know about coloured speculars and when you might want to use one? For example, would making a gold-coloured specular make our gold loot objects look more "goldish"? Or is it only valuable when you want things to have a 'sheen', like a slightly bluish sheen on black feathers?

[oDDity]

Generally metals are the only things with strong specular colour. Everything gets it's spec colour from the light source, because specular is just a cheap computer simulation of a blurred reflection.

[SneaksieDave]

I've tried them now and then for textures, but haven't loved the results much. I tried an orangey/reddish one for Brenda's rust texture, but it didn't really add anything and instead looked overdone. The black/white was better so I went with that.

 

However, the suggestions above sound like they might be good applications. Every time I think of this topic, I think of adding rust to copper surfaces, or perhaps it's adding copper sheen to the rusted patina - I believe they did that in D3.

[Gildoran]

I've heard that setting a specular map's hue to the inverse of the diffusemap makes for good liquids such as blood... (I assume because it causes the specular to look more white than red) But I think greyscale specularmaps work fine for most textures.

[OrbWeaver]

Coloured speculars are great for textures which need to change colour when you look at them from a different angle, I have used it for "rusty copper" type metals which look dull when viewed straight on but become golden-coloured when highlighted.

 

Anything can be overdone, but you can always use a gently-coloured specular if the obviously-coloured one looks stupid.

[BrendaEM]

Seen in real life, reddish rusty iron is quite flat and dull because it has an immense surface area that diffuses light.

 

Whatever takes wear, such as the edges of plates, and the tops of bolts and riviets, will be a little darker and shinier.

 

Wrought iron, as well as any iron that is touched a lot will be dark and shiny, like an old pair of pliers, because of the oils and acid from our skin put an odd layer or oxide on it that slows it from rusting normally.

 

I'm sure that medieval iron armor need to be oiled to keep it from rusting.

 

[Also early firearms, should there be any in a medieval game : ) were not blued, but browned.]