$blendmodulatetexture: Difference between revisions
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Tip:You should use
Tip:The best way to create a modulation texture is to import the two albedos to an image editor as layers and create an alpha channel there by hand.
Kestrelguy (talk | contribs) m (added language bar.) |
ShiroDkxtro2 (talk | contribs) m (Additional Information - Caveats for primarily Alien Swarm and CSGO) |
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== Caveats == | == Caveats == | ||
* Incompatible with {{ent|$normalmapalphaenvmapmask}} (use {{ent|$envmapmask}} instead). {{todo|Only in later games?}} | * Incompatible with {{ent|$normalmapalphaenvmapmask}} in {{as}}. Works in {{csgo}}. (use {{ent|$envmapmask}} instead). | ||
:{{todo|Only in later games? If so, which?}} | |||
* Incompatible with {{ent|$selfillum}} in {{src13}}{{tf2}}{{csgo}}{{as}}. | |||
* Incompatible with {{ent|$bumpmap}} and {{ent|$detail}} being used at the same time, in {{as|4}}. | |||
* Incompatible with [[$detail#Parameters and Effects|$detailblendmode]] 7 in {{as}}{{csgo}} and 9 in {{csgo}} | |||
* In {{src06|4}}, {{src07|4}}, and {{tf2|4}}, incompatible with {{ent|$basetexturetransform}} and {{ent|$detail}}. | * In {{src06|4}}, {{src07|4}}, and {{tf2|4}}, incompatible with {{ent|$basetexturetransform}} and {{ent|$detail}}. | ||
* In {{src06|4}}, also incompatible with {{ent|$envmaptint}} and {{ent|$envmapmask}}. | * In {{src06|4}}, also incompatible with {{ent|$envmaptint}} and {{ent|$envmapmask}}. | ||
* In {{as|4}}, modulation textures are not aligned correctly. Use <code>$blendmasktransform "center .5 .5 scale 1 -1 rotate 90 translate 0 0"</code> to fix them up. | * In {{as|4}}, modulation textures are not aligned correctly. Use <code>$blendmasktransform "center .5 .5 scale 1 -1 rotate 90 translate 0 0"</code> to fix them up. | ||
* In {{as|4}}, not compatible with {{ent|$bumptransform}}. | |||
In some additional cases, textures will blend as if <code>$blendmodulatetexture</code> were not used: | In some additional cases, textures will blend as if <code>$blendmodulatetexture</code> were not used: | ||
Revision as of 15:58, 17 February 2023
Without vs With. The technique was first used in 
Day of Defeat's snow maps, such as Kalt.
Day of Defeat's snow maps, such as Kalt.
Template:Shaderparam It changes the transition between the textures from a smooth, linear gradient to one "stamped" with a pattern.
Tip:You should use $blendmodulatetexture wherever possible, as the improvement in visual quality is immense!Caveats
- Incompatible with $normalmapalphaenvmapmask in
. Works in 
. (use $envmapmask instead).
- Todo: Only in later games? If so, which?
- Incompatible with $selfillum in
. - Incompatible with $bumpmap and $detail being used at the same time, in Alien Swarm.
- Incompatible with $detailblendmode 7 in and 9 in
- In
Source 2006, 
Source 2007, and Team Fortress 2, incompatible with $basetexturetransform and $detail. - In Source 2006, also incompatible with $envmaptint and $envmapmask.
- In Alien Swarm, modulation textures are not aligned correctly. Use
$blendmasktransform "center .5 .5 scale 1 -1 rotate 90 translate 0 0"to fix them up. - In Alien Swarm, not compatible with $bumptransform.
In some additional cases, textures will blend as if $blendmodulatetexture were not used:
- Does not display when viewed through water. Todo: Only in earlier games?
- Does not display when illuminated with player's flashlight in
Half-Life 2. This is fixed in 
Mapbase. - Does not display in the Hammer Editor in most games. Known exceptions include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive,
Portal 2, 
Garry's Mod, 
Left 4 Dead 2, and Mapbase.
Parameters
$blendmodulatetexture
$blendmasktransform
Blend Modulation Textures
Tip:The best way to create a modulation texture is to import the two albedos to an image editor as layers and create an alpha channel there by hand.Only two color channels are read from the texture:
- Green
- Biases in favor of
$basetexture; high-value areas will be the most resistant to modulation. 128 is normal. - The idea is to paint noise and patterns into this channel, so that the edge between the two textures becomes irregular. Valve's snow texture (see right) has lots of ragged edges in the green channel, and even some bootprints. There are also lines painted along the edges of the albedo's bricks that give them a tendency to have snow along their edges.
- Red
- Sharpens. 0 makes the transition binary, 255 effectively disables modulation.
- The red channel of Valve's snow modulation texture is a constant 99, which produces a fairly sharp falloff. Using different values in different places has the potential to produce a more complex effect.
There is not always a need for the texture to be high resolution—high-frequency blends can be produced from low-res textures.