RVMAT Clarifications (Hopefully)

[TroyT 6]

I've trying to get a better handle on rvmat settings.  I've been going through A3 rvmat files and experimenting with changes on my own but there are still holes that I can't find info on. One of these holes is how the uvTransform settings work within the stages. Eg:

class Stage2
{
	texture="#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.8,0.8,0.8,0)";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={0,1,0};
		up[]={-1,0,0};
		dir[]={0,0,0};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};

I assume that these are some sort of UV coordinate.  I see many variations of these in the dozens of rvmats that I've been looking at.  Changing them seems to have no effect on my models.  The stage shown is an example.  I'm curious about their function in general.

[TroyT 6]

**** EDIT****  Apparently, this is only the case in the VR Editor.  Bringing into a map, it displays fine.  Another lesson learned.

 

On the same topic there's this, which may be related:
 

What controls how an object's normal map is displayed when no direct lighting is applied?  How do you get the normal map to activate in indirect light?

 

 

 

You can see the normal map pop into action as you rotate the face into the light. I haven't noticed this as an issue before on other assets so I may have changed something unknowingly while experimenting with other settings.  This one is very obvious.

 

[PuFu 4600]

On 8/6/2021 at 5:14 PM, TroyT said:

**** EDIT****  Apparently, this is only the case in the VR Editor.  Bringing into a map, it displays fine.  Another lesson learned.

 

On the same topic there's this, which may be related:
 

What controls how an object's normal map is displayed when no direct lighting is applied?  How do you get the normal map to activate in indirect light?

 

You can see the normal map pop into action as you rotate the face into the light. I haven't noticed this as an issue before on other assets so I may have changed something unknowingly while experimenting with other settings.  This one is very obvious.

 

post your entire RVMAT please

 

On 8/6/2021 at 6:51 AM, TroyT said:

I've trying to get a better handle on rvmat settings.  I've been going through A3 rvmat files and experimenting with changes on my own but there are still holes that I can't find info on. One of these holes is how the uvTransform settings work within the stages. Eg:

class Stage2
{
	texture="#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.8,0.8,0.8,0)";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={0,1,0};
		up[]={-1,0,0};
		dir[]={0,0,0};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};

I assume that these are some sort of UV coordinate.  I see many variations of these in the dozens of rvmats that I've been looking at.  Changing them seems to have no effect on my models.  The stage shown is an example.  I'm curious about their function in general.

i assume you are talking about UV transforms. indeed, these are UVW world transformation, which means you can choose to rotate on UVW axis, as well as translate the texture in relation to the mesh it is applied on. 

[TroyT 6]

2 hours ago, PuFu said:

post your entire RVMAT please

 

 

Spoiler

ambient[]={1,1,1,1};
diffuse[]={1,1,1,1};
forcedDiffuse[]={0,0,0,0};
emmisive[]={0,0,0,1};
specular[]={0.150000,0.150000,0.150000,1};
specularPower=15;
PixelShaderID="Super";
VertexShaderID="Super";
class Stage1
{
	texture="BSF_Community_Addon\addons\BSF_IronWall\IronWall_Door\Data\BSF_GreenWall_Door_C_NOHQ.paa";
	uvSource="tex";
};
class Stage2
{
	texture="#(argb,8,8,3)color(0.8,0.8,0.8,0)";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={0,1,0};
		up[]={-1,0,0};
		dir[]={0,0,0};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};
class Stage3
{
	texture="#(argb,8,8,3)color(0,0,0,0,MC)";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={1,0,0};
		up[]={0,1,0};
		dir[]={0,0,0};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};
class Stage4
{
	texture="BSF_Community_Addon\addons\BSF_IronWall\IronWall_Door\Data\BSF_GreenWall_Door_C_AS.paa";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={1,0,0};
		up[]={0,1,0};
		dir[]={0,0,1};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};
class Stage5
{
	texture="BSF_Community_Addon\addons\BSF_IronWall\IronWall_Door\Data\BSF_GreenWall_Door_C_SMDI.paa";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={1,0,0};
		up[]={0,1,0};
		dir[]={0,0,1};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};
class Stage6
{
	texture="#(ai,64,64,1)fresnel(3.12,3.87)";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={1,0,0};
		up[]={0,1,0};
		dir[]={0,0,1};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};
class Stage7
{
	texture="a3\data_f\env_land_co.paa";
	useWorldEnvMap = true;
	uvSource="none";
};

 

 

[Jackal326 1181]

I've never seen a normal map that flat, but then again I always have uvTransform  information in Stage1 of my RVMATs which you seem to lack:

class Stage1
{
	texture="BSF_Community_Addon\addons\BSF_IronWall\IronWall_Door\Data\BSF_GreenWall_Door_C_NOHQ.paa";
	uvSource="tex";
	class uvTransform
	{
		aside[]={1,0,0};
		up[]={0,1,0};
		dir[]={0,0,0};
		pos[]={0,0,0};
	};
};

That might make a difference, it might not. To tell the truth I don't really understand them and have only just come to terms with configuring different material types using specular power etc.

[da12thMonkey 1943]

On 8/6/2021 at 3:14 PM, TroyT said:

How do you get the normal map to activate in indirect light?

You don't really. Arma uses diffuse textures that are supposed to have some elements of pre-baked lighting to compensate. Not use just straight colour/albedo maps that are designed for PBR shaders.

It's advisable to bake/generate curvature maps and ambient occlusion maps and apply them over the top of the albedo with an overlay (for curvature) and multiply (for ao). IIRC most PBR texturing aps like Substance and Quixel contain a "base" material that generates these overlays from input maps and applies them in albedo/colour, specular etc. maps for creating these kinds of stylised textures.

[x3kj 1247]

Substance (designer and also painter) have options to bake lighting into the textures too (can look much better than just applying ambient occlusion and curvature, especially for shiny metal),  but its tricky to find a good lighting setting and environment map that doesnt overdo it and still looks somewhat believable when only lit indirectly.