How to add $detail to models?

[Mr. Marooned]

So Im trying to add a $detail and a detail texture to a material through the element viewer but I am really lost, for there are no tutorials that exsit of that. I have resulted to going into the vmt files and add the parameters there, but that doesnt seem to work(I must be doing something wrong). I know its possable because I have models that use $detail. Any help would be appriciated
-Mr.Marooned

[Marco Skoll]

Post one of the VMT files you've tried to modify.

[Mr. Marooned]

"VertexLitGeneric"
{
// Original shader: VertexLitTexture
"$basetexture" "models/Humans/Male/Group02/citizen_sheet"
"$halflambert" 0
"$bumpmap" "models/Humans/Male/Group01/citizen_sheet_normal"
"$phongexponent" 5
"$bumpmapalphaphongmask" 1
"$phongboost" 1.0
"$phongfresnelranges" "[0 0.5 1]"
}

[Marco Skoll]

I'll be more specific... show what the file looks like after you've tried to modify it.

Because I think you're going to need those parameters in the file already to be able to override them. Most parameters can't be added on the fly using material overrides. (I'm not certain off the top of my head that $detail is one of said parameters, but if I had to guess, I would say it probably is).

[Mr. Marooned]

"VertexLitGeneric"
{
// Original shader: VertexLitTexture
"$basetexture" "models/Humans/Male/Group02/citizen_sheet"
"$halflambert" 0
"$bumpmap" "models/Humans/Male/Group01/citizen_sheet_normal"
"$detail" "models/tnb/combine/noise_detail"
"$detailscale" "15"
"$phongexponent" 5
"$bumpmapalphaphongmask" 1
"$phongboost" 1.0
"$phongfresnelranges" "[0 0.5 1]"
}

[Marco Skoll]

Try adding a $detailblendmode - see the list on this page:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/$detail

If you're not sure which one, at least try either 0 or 8 to test whether the effect is working at all.

[Leitmotif]

Originally posted by Mr. Marooned:

So Im trying to add a $detail and a detail texture to a material through the element viewer but I am really lost, for there are no tutorials that exsit of that. I have resulted to going into the vmt files and add the parameters there, but that doesnt seem to work(I must be doing something wrong). I know its possable because I have models that use $detail. Any help would be appriciated
-Mr.Marooned

I know this is irrelevant but your the one that made that HL2 short, "Our Damnation". Great job there, m8.

[Mr. Marooned]

Originally posted by Marco Skoll:

Try adding a $detailblendmode - see the list on this page:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/$detail

If you're not sure which one, at least try either 0 or 8 to test whether the effect is working at all.

Doesnt seem to be working, but ive noticed anything i do to the citizen sheet doesnt work, on any of the citizen models. Im thinking maybe its because i have multiple vmt files of citizen sheet in multiple folders?

[Mr. Marooned]

Originally posted by Bente:

Originally posted by Mr. Marooned:

So Im trying to add a $detail and a detail texture to a material through the element viewer but I am really lost, for there are no tutorials that exsit of that. I have resulted to going into the vmt files and add the parameters there, but that doesnt seem to work(I must be doing something wrong). I know its possable because I have models that use $detail. Any help would be appriciated
-Mr.Marooned

I know this is irrelevant but your the one that made that HL2 short, "Our Damnation". Great job there, m8.

yeah, heh heh. thats me! Thanks for the support

[Marco Skoll]

Originally posted by Mr. Marooned:

Im thinking maybe its because i have multiple vmt files of citizen sheet in multiple folders?

It certainly could be. Files with the same folder structure within their mods are prioritised by the order of those mods within the search paths.

For example, usermod/materials/model/example.vmt will always override workshop/materials/model/example.vmt, because usermod is always maximum priority.

It allows you to override files without overwriting them - that can be very useful at times, although it does occasionally cause problems like this. If you're modifying a version of the file that isn't the top version of that file within the load order, you'll never see the changes, because that's not the version SFM is loading.

[Mr. Marooned]

Originally posted by Marco Skoll:

It certainly could be. Files with the same folder structure within their mods are prioritised by the order of those mods within the search paths.

For example, usermod/materials/model/example.vmt will always override workshop/materials/model/example.vmt, because usermod is always maximum priority.

It allows you to override files without overwriting them - that can be very useful at times, although it does occasionally cause problems like this. If you're modifying a version of the file that isn't the top version of that file within the load order, you'll never see the changes, because that's not the version SFM is loading.

I have tons of these citizen sheet vmt. ugh, i dont want to delete them because im not sure the effects it might have. But Ill have to figure out something

[Marco Skoll]

You don't need to delete them all, you just need to look up your mod load order and make sure that you're modifying the highest priority variant.

Or you can force it - I have a "test" mod at the top of my load order (other than usermod, anyway*). It's normally kept empty, but I can put any files in there to test them if I think there's a priority conflict.

* But as the only stuff in my usermod is content I've personally created or ported (and kept under filenames that use my initials - makes it easier to search for them), there's nothing in there that's going to cause any form of priority conflict.

[Mr. Marooned]

I did It!!!!!! Thanks Marco Skoll for all your help!