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# 1 23-03-2008 , 05:12 PM
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Problem with reflectivity map. (mental ray)

I am working on a character with some metallic armor. To get the look of dirty, worn metal I have mapped different jpg images to the color, bump and specularity attributes on a blinn material. That works fine.
But when I do a black and white jpg and plug it in to the reflectivity attribute, the object gets maximum reflectivity all over. I have tried changing the appearance of the reflectivity jpg, but that has no effect on the reflections; when rendering, the object still gets the look of polished chrome (not what I want).

I am using maya 2008, mental ray and have set up an hdri sphere and a couple of lights.


I would very much appreciate some help!

# 2 24-03-2008 , 02:53 AM
LauriePriest's Avatar
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post the reflectivity map your using.
dont use jpg for texturing use tga.

Chances are your using a reflectivity map which uses too broad a range of values, for soft reflections on somthing like your talking about the values shouldnt go pass a 0.2 luminance. You probably want to blur the reflections as well.

remember reflectivity and is a multiplier of specular so you can get most the control you will need just from that.

this is what i got in a few mins without texturing the reflectivity channel.
user added image

# 3 24-03-2008 , 03:59 AM
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thanks for taking time to help me out-

In these images you can see what I´m struggling with.
I am working on the reflectivity map that controls his chest armor and the inner rubber suit.(not the helmet, grenades or arm padding).
I made a new TGA version of the reflectivity map, but it didn´t seem to change anything.

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# 4 24-03-2008 , 04:41 AM
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lol apply the reflectivity map you have as a specular map, and set reflectivity to 0.5 odd... its a multiplier so if you set it to 0 you will get no reflections.

The issue your having is that the reflectivity values you are using are very high, instead you want get this varition in the specular (shineyness) attribute and then control the effect broading using the reflevity attribute as a float not a mapped attribute.


TGA wont make a diffrence now since your textures have allready been compressed as jpg. In the future dont save out as jpg, they generally have a very low bit depth and really bad compression. I texture in 16 bit at least with tga. jpg are only 8 bit so alot less color range and your more likely to get banding if yout try and play with your values much.

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