Graphical feature requests

[zimluura]

We already have the ability to select from a set body textures, why not just add the ability to select from a set of specular textures? The car author could make paints of different glossiness available as different specular maps.

that is do-able, but if the game is built to offer predefined specular levels in the interface (near the paint selection), you get 2 benefits:

1. a player can get any desired solid color paint job without touching gimp

2. car builders have fewer textures to make.

the downside is that it's more work for programmers, but that work can be done once, instead of once for each vehicle. and the texture count of each vehicle won't go up so there will be less data being downloaded.

various specular levels could be done as shared textures in the data dir, or generated by hand in ram. can ogl handle a 1x1rgba texture?

in theory, artists have less control. but players have more control. i also think, in practice, we'll see 40% of people doing gloss, 40% doing metallic, and the other 20% will be split between matte, flip/flops, and pearl-coats.