How do Textures work with KSP?

[Dani-Sang]

In order to follow this guide you need to have some basic knowledge of textures & modeling. If you never textured before then I suggest you look up on the web for a Basic Texture guide.

KSP\'s Textures (Still WIP)

In this guide I will tell you everything what you need to know about putting your textures in KSP. It is confusing at first, but knowing what is possible and whats not helps you planning and creating your models better.

In this tutorial made by C7 you can see how he applies his textures to the model within Unity. Worth checking out if you haven\'t figured out how to import models & textures towards KSP.

However this guide is all about the details of textures.

Basics

What do you need to know?

Mesh/Object is where you apply your Material on.

Each Object can only have ONE Material at the time.

A Material consists out of a Shader and it is also only possible to have ONE Shader on a Material.

Depending on the Shader you can have 1 up to 4 different Textures.

Textures

Textures are the first step of everything. Here you put in the details of screwbolts and metal colors to 'paint' your model. But I asumed you knew that already . Here are the texture-specifications that you can use for KSP.

- Diffuse Map (Base Texture)

Diffuse Map is the regular map with colors and textures which isn\'t affected by light.

- Specular Map

This map gives the texture details when it 'shines' and is affected by lights in the scene. This map should be Always in the Alpha Channel of the Diffuse map if you plan to use it.

- Bumped Map (aka Normal map)

This map gives the Depth & Detail to the model and is affected by lights in the scene. Bumped Maps are recognizable by the blueish overal color with pink/red & green lines that define the edges of the Depth & Details.

- Emissive Map (aka Self-Illuminating map)

This map gives 'light' on a texture. When the model is in a dark location (dark side of moon), then the Texture itself will give light and isn\'t effected by the darkness around it. However it won\'t light up the area around him. You need Regular lights for that.

Emissive Maps are Always in a Alpha Channel but can be in the Diffuse Map OR Bumped Map depending on the shader that you use. The exception to the rule is with the Emissive Specular Shader where the Emissive Map isn\'t a Alpha Channel.

- Alpha/Cutoff Map

This map gives the option to make 100% transparent areas within the Material (that you apply on the model). This is unlike the Transparacy shader (which isn\'t within KSP because it is kind of buggy shader) where you can have semi-transparent areas. It is transparent or not.

Cutoff Map is Always the Alpha channel of the Texture that you put in the Diffuse Map.

Shaders

Now that you know which textures you can use for KSP, then only thing left is to find which shader you can use for your Material (which then goes on your model to give it\'s awesomeness)

These are the supported shaders that you can use for KSP. And which you should download from here to use it within Unity: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=11795.0

- KSP/Diffuse

Only contains a Diffuse Map

- KSP/Specular

Contains a Diffuse Map with Specular Alpha Map

- KSP/Bumped

Contains a Diffuse Map and a Bumped Map

- KSP/Bumped Specular

Contains a Diffuse Map with Specular Alpha Channel and a Map Channel

- KSP/Emissive/Diffuse

Contains a Diffuse Map with Emissive Alpha Map

- KSP/Emissive/Specular (One that I personally skip)

Contains a Diffuse Map with Specular Alpha Map and a Regular Emissive Map (No Alpha)

- KSP/Emissive/Bumped Specular

The most complicated one but my personal favorite:

Contains a Diffuse Map with Specular Alpha Map

and a Bumped Map with Emissive Alpha Map

- KSP/Alpha/Cutoff

Contains Diffuse map with Cutoff Alpha Map

- KSP/Alpha/Cutoff Bumped

Contains Diffuse map with Cutoff Alpha Map and a Bumped Map

So there is a limit to what you can use. If you planned with a Material that had, Diffuse, Cutoff and Specular then that is sadly not supported (atm). You can only choose one of the above. So plan your textures/model wisely with this in the back of your mind.

For more detailed info, check the Built-in Shader Guide of Unity:

http://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/Components/Built-inShaderGuide.html

Now you only have to apply the Shader to the Material, and then the Material to the Objects/Meshes/Model to

give your part the final texture result.

Happy Texturing,

Dani-Sang