[TRACK TEXTURES] photorealistic textures

So why ask about? LOL!!!

 

So are you saying me..when you're driving at 300kph you're looking for the diffuse? Cmon...I think you're kidding...

Thinking in still frames could be a fraud for everybody, the same thing trying all the time to get great screenshots instead a good track looking during the ingame experience. I'm not talking about you...but this is a common trap for many people.

The first test I've tried with the new RR was using real tarmac pictures (tried a tons) and it NEVER worked in motion, but I could show you stunning stills using photos...but ingame was looking terrible.

When I work for offline renders I can think like this...but for the game engine (motion VS stills) the photo way needs a lot of adjustments to works properly and to avoid repetitions, tiling, motion patterns, pre-merged stuff like marbles, granes etc...

IMHO.

 

As already said I can't judge a still. A photo looks like a photo...but we've to look at the ingame quality thinking at the shader techology and requirements (shader map layering and motion@angles looking).

I don't know if you're using this technique in your actual shots...but I've to say I'm not too convinced on how the road looks from the distance. It looks too washed out and whitish...so I think we're talking about personal taste...and this is a mission impossible as everybody has their own personal style.

Your terrain looks astonishing...imho because this is a field more suitable for photographic stuff (non-dynamic surfaces).

 

Very good informative post K Szczech

 

wish i could make a tracks(((

 

agree. i m trying (even can make the track with BoB TB and google maps) but nothing further.. dont understand what to do)))

 

Interesting posts guys.

It is not entirely clear to me which map is used for what.
You have a Diffuse map and a Detail map (multi_map).
One for the basic seamless asphalt texture (with the little stones), and one for the imperfections/cracks/skidmarks etc?

I've also read in the Track-technology-document (ISI's) you should model lines separately, not painted on the diffuse map.
Do you guys do that?

@Tuttle. You're absolutely right about the wrong comparison for lighting etc, but I tried to point out the difference in scale/detail of the basic seamless asphalt texture. GCS's look much sharper/detailed and on the right scale IMO.

P.S. I'm not a modder, but have some modeling/rendering experience and am interested in the technology/principles behind rF2.
I tried creating a track for rF1, succeeded in the basics like modeling/texturing/AI-basics and getting in running ingame, thanks to the available tutorials and forums, but never invested the time needed to really understand/know what i'm doing

 

Nope. The diffuse is called "diffuse" (a texture that contains main surface colors) but it contains a first touch of details as cracks, different color dentisty and some grainy stuff plus an alpha channel to control the specular/wet effect... The detail map and the specular map are tight tiling for the grainy definition.

A stuff like this;

View attachment 2887

Yep. I'm using spline decals for the white lines. In this way you've total control on the feedback of those painted surfaces (.TDF materials)...

 

Yes that's what I thought, but feels3 uses a different layering then? That got me confused. There is no grainy stuff in his detail-map, it's in the diffuse map.
I assume the shaders react differently to channel 1 and 2? Is this just a different way or could this be a wrong way, according to ISI?

Great image BTW.
I see there is no Normal-map for channel 2.

 

There is not a Normal for channel 2 as it is based on the main diffuse map on channel 1. You've to put in this normal the general grainy stuff and cracks (if presents in the diffuse map). This map needs to be finely tuned to avoid strong and unrealistic results in extreme conditions (low sun and very wet surface)......A bit counterintuitive as we can think that a strong normal could gets better grainy effect above the surface, but u've to think at the entire range of conditions.

This is why could be a trap focusing too much on a singular aspect...

BTW...I dunno if feels3 is using the standard layering...but if he wants to use the RR shader he've to follow those general lines to make the shader working properly in the entire range of dynamic conditions. Of course you can experiment different pictures and maps and different tiling density...but you've to respect, as much as possible, those parameters that affects dynamic changes on the surfaces.

 

Some years ago you have had 1 or 2 channels, nothing more to add. So, thanks for the picture Tuttle. It shows how complex the hole modding has become during the years. But it's worth it. While in GPL all textures have been nice, they all have been fake, for example...

On a side-note: the rF-Community still ROCKZ HARD when it comes to modding tech-talk. I luv it!

 

Awesome thread!!

This kind of dicussion adds so much. It's a hell of a "documentation". lol

Tuttle, feels3, Luc and K Szczech. Congratulations!