Texture Gold Help

[SteveyConlan]

Hello! I was just wondering if anyone could give me a bit of advice for doing a gold texture, the actual reference of this had no gold, but I wanted gold on it. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it look right, I don't know if it's just a specular map is needed or that there is no reflection in it.

It is being used for a horror game and the record is going to spin really slowly backwards so quite a bit of attention may be drawn to it. Would a specular map be a helpful solution, I could make room for a low resolution one.

Comments and Criticism welcome, 10 points for the one who can name the record being played.

http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/802/recordplayeradjustments.jpg (http://img807.imageshack.us/i/recordplayeradjustments.jpg/)

[THE 5]

I did it this way:
Darker, strong saturated yellow/brown Diffuse and brighter yellow for the Specular. Though my gold could look better I suppose, well I am no expert.
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/077/8/a/Coresword_2___Details_Sheet_by_The_5.jpg
I don't want to be a attention whore posting that picture, but there is my Textures breakups on it :S


EDIT: just posted the link instead of the picture

[SteveyConlan]

Yeah that looks about right I might have to give that a try cheers for your help. I hope you don't mind me eye dropping that colour :)

P.S nice sword :)

[Noors]

Question is do you plan to use a shader with specular/reflection map, or is it supposed to be prelited like in world of warcraft e.g ?
Use references anyways :)

[ZacD]

I really depends on if your hand painting the details or using reflections, but its about knowing the properties and look of it.

Bright white/yellow highlight, and the main color is a dark yellow orange, reflections will help sell it.

http://imgur.com/Pnyxw.jpg

Here's a good list of metal shaders to look at to compare normal metal to dull to scratched to brushed.

http://www.indigorenderer.com/materials/categories/6

[SteveyConlan]

I am using Unity to piece it all together and I know that shaders can be used but I don't know exactly how to piece on different parts of a mesh (if possible) I know you can apply it to a full object, I'm just not sure about individual parts. I can't code shaders either most of what I use I find scouting the Unity Forums. This is a small object and whilst I notice it when I look at it in Unity, it's probably not even noticeable to someone who is looking out for things. The main reason is that in the past I have had trouble putting metal textures onto objects with them not looking like they are just copied from an image.

I'll look at those metal shaders though thanks a lot. :)

My Reference: I just wanted a gold on most of it I think the black looked a little too boring.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/1499/steepletonenorwichrecor.jpg (http://img404.imageshack.us/i/steepletonenorwichrecor.jpg/)

[ZacD]

The simplest way would be to export the "gold pieces" as a separate file and just apply different materials to each part.

The easiest way to get a gold looking shader would be something like this.

http://imgur.com/umllv.jpg

There are reflective shaders in unity, but you have to also generate a cube map.

[SteveyConlan]

Yeah I might just do it this way, as that does look a lot better than my painted attempt. I know about cube maps, I just wonder if it is a bit of a waste for a small(ish) object.

[divi]

for gold you sorta need reflections. can be just a b/w cloud render from photoshop tinted yellow or orange - depending on what kind of gold you are going for.

[Calabi]

There is a way you can do it without cubemaps. I dont know if this thread will be any good, but it seems to work quite well.

http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=42026&highlight=matcap+shader

[ZacD]

But with matcap materials, you'd need the lighting on the rest of the object to match 100% or else it'll look weird.

[Calabi]

But with matcap materials, you'd need the lighting on the rest of the object to match 100% or else it'll look weird.


You could just use a simple highlight. From the refs I checked the reflections are really diffuse and non distinct.

Just did a quick test. Seems to look ok, I dont know. Works differently on flat surfaces doesnt reflect all the details.

http://a.imageshack.us/img834/1638/goldmatcaptest.jpg (http://img834.imageshack.us/i/goldmatcaptest.jpg/)

[Ark]

Any kind of metal materials that have a low diffuse, you definitely need some form of reflections to help sell the surface.