Modular SciFi: Command Center
Information on the product Modular SciFi: Command Center
Materials
Modular SciFi: Command Center takes a different approach to texturing objects. In previous entries to the series, you would typically have one texture per object, which would then be set up through materials to allow multiple color and pbr changes. With Command Center, this method is replaced with a trim texture method. This allows the environment to keep a consistent look, increase detail and helps with conserving memory as you can create objects from a handful of textures as opposed to one set for each.
Color customization remains the same, though rather than changing multiple colors per material you have different material slots per mesh that represents a possible unique color.
Base Diffuse
One of the changes to the material instance given the usage of one trim texture is the incorporation of base textures. This allows you to choose the sort of metal the trim texture will use - clean, dirty, etc. Command Center includes 4 different base textures.
Static Switch Parameters
Detail Normals
Check whether or not you want to enable detail normals
Trim Detail Masking
This option allows you to mask the detail normal on some areas where it doesn't necessarily make sense to have it, depending on the normal. It utilizes the texture Trim_EdgeMask to designate which areas to hide.
Lightmaps
The new texturing method uses the first two UV channels of static meshes where Trim textures are utilized. As a result, lightmap coordinate index of 2 is used for most of the meshes, where objects that do not use the new texturing method use the traditional index of 1.
Static Meshes
Modular Scifi: Command Center marks the first "thematic" pack, in that it is a fixed environment with regards to layout. The environment can integrate with previous entrees in the series, such as the back and side wall slots which allow you to place doorways to connect to other rooms. While this is a fixed layout, it has been designed to allow swappable pieces to create physical cosmetic differences outside of the color and pbr changes. This will be explored in future expansion updates.
The majority of the meshes in Command Center use a central pivot point. This was necessary due to the circular and precise nature of the architecture.(For example, curved walls couldn't have a corner pivot placement and still fit within the desired layout). A few pieces, such as the back walls, feature the traditional pivot point placement on the corner.
More Information
While Command Center makes use of improvements to the material and texturing methods, it still uses some of the legacy methods, textures and trims when necessary. This is to help ensure visual consistency throughout the series, especially going forward.
If you have any further questions, leave a comment in the WIP thread or send me an email at SE_Jonf@hotmail.com