$detail

A detail texture (noise_detail_01), and its effect when applied to a material (left).

Template:Shaderparam It specifies a texture which Source will use to add high-resolution detail to a material when it is viewed up close, by darkening or lightening the albedo appropriately, depending on the $detailblendmode. You can also use a full color (as opposed to grayscale) image and blend it using $detailblendmode 2. It is very effective for increasing the apparent resolution of a texture, and was used extensively in Episode Two.

Bug:Detail textures do not currently work in conjunction with $seamless_scale. Enabling them to work together would require a programmer to edit the used shader.  [todo tested in ?]

Syntax

$detail <texture>

You will probably want to use at least $detailscale (see below) as well.

Parameters and Effects

$detailtexturetransform $detailscale $detailblendfactor $detailblendmode $detailtint $detailframe $detail_alpha_mask_base_texture

Valve's detail textures

Valve's stock detail textures (available in OB only) are best used with the following pre-configured values:

$detail detail\noise_detail_01 // e.g. for brickwork, concrete...
$detailscale 7.74
$detailblendfactor 0.8
$detailblendmode 0

$detail detail\metal_detail_01
$detailscale 4.283
$detailblendfactor .65
$detailblendmode 0

$detail detail\rock_detail_01
$detailscale 11
$detailblendfactor 1
$detailblendmode 0

$detail detail\plaster_detail_01
$detailscale 6.783
$detailblendfactor .8
$detailblendmode 0

The below parameters come from models\props_forest\LadderWood.vmt It is the only Valve Stock texture VMT file to use this particular detail texture. Because the detail texture (detail\wood_detail_01) is a high resolution (1024x1024), the $detailscale is lower than the others. With the exception of rock_detail_01.

$detail detail\wood_detail_01
$detailscale 2.563
$detailblendfactor .8
$detailblendmode 0

Additionally, there are 2 other stock detail textures. detail\detailash001a and detail\detaildirt001a.

These files were used in the "leaked" version of Half-Life 2 & in Half-Life 2: Episode One using the following parameters;

(Concrete/concretefloor009a in Episode One materials)

$detail detail/detaildirt001a
$detailscale 0.27

(Metal/metalfloor005a in Episode One materials)

$detail detail/detailash001a
$detailscale 0.50

See Also

Hiding large-scale tiling with detail textures - How to make texture repeating less noticeable using $detail