Wile E Coyote
04-09-2007, 03:14 PM
Allrighty
I finally had a chance to sit down and really read and experiment with the phong shader VMT's. Here is a very condensed version of how things work.
ev_cubemap (and all associated cubemap settings) = As far as I can tell, totally useless IF you are rendering a phong shader. The phong shader automatically turns off any cubemap reflections.
phong = Disable/enable Phong (0/1)
phongexponenttexture = Path to the exponent map. cannot be used at same time with phongexponent
phongexponent = Overides the exponent map and applies a uniform exponent value over the whole texture. Good if you don't feel like making an exponent map.
phongboost = Phong overbrightening
phongfresnelranges = controls rim shading
phongalbedotint = non-functional. does nothing. useless.read more here :)
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Phong_materials
Most important thing I learned: do not expect that the VMT's that shipped with games are 100% correct. Many (most) have useless parameters in them and/or parameters that cancel each other out.
I finally had a chance to sit down and really read and experiment with the phong shader VMT's. Here is a very condensed version of how things work.
ev_cubemap (and all associated cubemap settings) = As far as I can tell, totally useless IF you are rendering a phong shader. The phong shader automatically turns off any cubemap reflections.
phong = Disable/enable Phong (0/1)
phongexponenttexture = Path to the exponent map. cannot be used at same time with phongexponent
phongexponent = Overides the exponent map and applies a uniform exponent value over the whole texture. Good if you don't feel like making an exponent map.
phongboost = Phong overbrightening
phongfresnelranges = controls rim shading
phongalbedotint = non-functional. does nothing. useless.read more here :)
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Phong_materials
Most important thing I learned: do not expect that the VMT's that shipped with games are 100% correct. Many (most) have useless parameters in them and/or parameters that cancel each other out.