With all the difficulties I've had, this image represents the best I've been able to get so far.--Anti Aliasing really sucks!  But, I've had some fun and success finally creating better planets.

Shawn, I just read your last post, after I was creating my last posting.  Since I am still using Vue 6 Esprit, should I just consider myself stuck?

Shawn,

I am not certain what you meant by blending layers--in Vue. ( I can blend layers fine in PSP, but it doesn'[t apply to this)  I created a Simple Material, with Color, bump, and reflection MAPS (provided with the model), all mapped parametrically--which all work as they are suppose to
----I added a second material layer and spherically mapped the vary block noise in the highlight channel of the 2nd layer--this creates the weird band across the center of the saucer.  I have found no way to blend these two together, only the alpha boost applies--unless there is something to drive the alpha function itself--but, as you mentioned, the banding would still happen because of the two different material types (paramet object, and Spherical Object)
Using a noise function in the highlight channel of the material does not work properly when the material is parametrically mapped--which is needed for the other channels.

The registry numbers are not mapped, but are a separate object from the saucer itself.

I am still looking for an answer to my ORIGINAL post,, as to why this  UV mapped object will not properly use a map created for the object, in the highlight channel.  I do not know how I can be any more clear about this problem, and I hope I am not coming across as being rude--I am just very frustrated.

To add to the confusion, I am attaching an image from an original series version of the Enterprise.  On the left, with a plain blue color channel, I used the supplied map for specularity in the highlight channel.  In this instance, I had to  flip the image in PSP so the lettering appears properly.  On the right, the  color map is also used--not flipped ( though the lettering is backwards from the spec map), with the spec map loaded in for highlights, bump, and reflection.---and, except for having to flip vertically the gray scale image, everything works!--This problem only seems to apply to saucer shaped objects--other parts of the ship map correctly.

On the movie Enterprise, I have to wonder if there is something about the UV mapping that works for color, bump and reflection, but is wrong for highlights?--which doesn't make much sense to me.

It also does not make sense that I would have to use a flipped image on the other model (in the channels other than color).  Also, strangely enough, for the TV Enterprise, the preview image shows the lettering backwards, though it renders correctly!

And finally, I am trying to show what I mean by banding.  I used a spiral function to drive the color on a 2nd material layer.  On the left, the 2nd layer is on top, and on the right, the layer is on the bottom.  In both, the alpha boost is at 0.  So, it should be apparent that even when I use a procedural function to try to create a hull-like texture for highlights on a second layer, it doesn't work along with the other layer of color, reflection and bump mapping.  And, if I load one of the maps into the highlight channel, along with the other maps on a single, parametrically mapped  material layer, it doesn't work either.  I also did some experiementing with my still installed Vue 5, and had the same kind of results.  If anyone has an idea of how to get rid of the banding problem when using 2 layers, I can work with that!

greg

Shawn,

The banding that I mentioned, and showed above a couple messages, occurs when I attempt to use a block function for highlights on a 2nd material layer (with spherical mapping), whether that layer is on top or the bottom ( with the original layer using parametric mapping for the reflection and bump and color).  It is not a seam due to the repeat of the function, but some weird artifact when I do layering.

For comparison again, this image uses the Aztec map in the color channel, instead of the extremely pale color map that is meant to go in the color channel.  The highlight is plain, still with the red color to show up better.

Shawn, Yes, the object is UV mapped, as far as I can tell.  As I keep trying to explain, the texture maps work on the upper and lower saucers in the Color , Reflection, and Bump channels, but when I use any of the maps in the highlight channel, the highlights are distorted--showing that the map does not map in the highlight channel.  In the attached image, I am using Vary Block Noise to drive the highlight channel, mapped spherically.  In the above image, with red highlights, I used one of the texture maps--I don't remember if it was Aztec or the one with blocks--the results are the same no matter which I use.

This image may finally display the problem I have been having.  I changed the color of the saucer to a middle gray.  On the left, I used the texture map for the highlight channel, and changed the highlight color for added contrast.  On the right, the texture map is in the reflection channel, and highlighting is plain.

Here's another set of images.  On the left, The reflection and bump channels are texture mapped (object parametric), and highlight is plain-nothing in the channel.  The second shows what happens when I put a blocks function in the highlight channel, with a plain white color, loaded as a 2nd material layer-(sphereical mapping the 2nd layer)-this image--the "highlight channel" is loaded below the regular layer.  When it is loaded on the top, the band becomes light instead of dark.  The third image shows just the blocks funcition loaded into the hightlight channel, plain white, no reflection or bump added.  The images I sent out originally shows what happens when I load the texture map into the highlight channel--**only in this channel**, mapped parametrically, it is way distorted.

I thought I found a workaround for the problem, by applying asquares function for highlights, as an additional material layer, mapped spherically, but  the image renders with what looks like a "band" across portions of the object..  It doesn't seem to matter which layer is on top.

Thanks, I wondered if it was something simple!

I found this topic, and thought I might try the renderer, but Gelato seems to have disappeared at Nvidia.

I haven't done a whole lot in blender, other than render some models.  Where would I find the commands to bake the textures in Blender to export the model?

What confuses me is why the specularity is distorted, but the same maps are fine when applied as Reflection or Bump.

Can't bake anything with Vue6 Esprit!

Chocolate Chip cookies sounds good about now, though.........