Chrome Lum Problem

[Nickkuenzig211]

I seem to be having problems with the chrome lum maps.. After I experimented, did some looking on the forums and youtube I am still having an issue. After importing the chrome lum map into the game the track looks fine but as I drive around there is a bright blinding light circle that is following around me.. I have no idea what to do so any help is appreciated!

[JamieT]

I think the bright circle you're describing is actually the "Top Down" texture.  This is what the game displays in the distance.  Sounds like you still have the defualt sandy texture in place.  Check the following link for a tool that will help you create the Top Down texture.  Bare in mind, this tool doesn't bake your Chrome Lum texture into the Top Down.  You will have to do this yourself in Photoshop if you need to.

Create Top Down
http://twisteddirt.com/reflex_createtopdown.php

[Nickkuenzig211]

Thanks Jamie..
I have the topdown map in.. but it still didn't fix the problem. The track looks fine but then where ever I am on the track turns really bright.. It was not like this until I started making the chrome lum map.. It might just be the way the game loads the track but I have never seen it like this before.. http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198085037274/screenshots/?appid=0&sort=newestfirst&browsefilter=myfiles&view=imagewall&privacy=8 You can see how the dirt is brighter where I am when compared to 20 feet in front of me even though it is the same dirt.

[JamieT]

Thanks for the pictures!   The effects of the chrome lum should extend further than it does in your picture.  This makes me think that it's an issue with the bump map you have for the on-track dirt texture.  Say if you went and rode on the grass, does the bright circle follow you around on there?  If not, then it's a bump map issue.

If you look at the majority of the bump maps for Reflex, they're predominantly a green colour.  This is because the green channel is almost white, and the reason for that, is so that the setting you have for "Dirt Color" ( in the Scene tab) doesn't blend in with your textures.

I would open up your bump map that's paired with your dirt texture in photoshop and take a look at the green channel.  Putting that to full white will get rid of the problem.  Alternatively, you could go into the Scene tab of Digital Earthworks and play around with the "Dirt Color" setting, and make it something which is a closer colour to the dirt you're riding on.

Hopefully that helps.

[DirtTwister]

Sometimes just a little too bright chrome lum alpha can make the areas near the bike blinding.  How bright is too bright depends on several other factors.  It's really a combination of the different aspects that JamieT is describing and the effects aren't necessarily linear.

One way to experiment is to go make a single extreme change and if that affects the area that you are interested in you can keep adjusting that change by 50% until you narrow in on what is the best option for your scenario.  If you change doesn't do what you want, then put it back and change something else.  Try to avoid changing multiple things at the same time, because it will make it difficult to figure out what the real problem is and will probably just end up confusing you.

[Nickkuenzig211]

Awesome. I think I have it all fixed now but thanks for the tips. I'm sure ill be needing them in the future!