Metal Material Import

[p_ktlr]

Hi there,

I have an issue with metal textures in cinema 4D with corona. They tend to be way to dark and nothing like the preview on e.g. poliigon.
I attached screenshots on how I linked the different maps. If any of you can tell me what I'm doing wrong, I'd appreciate your help!

cheers
/Users/patrickuttler/Desktop/Bildschirm­foto 2024-02-02 um 22.13.49.jpg
/Users/patrickuttler/Desktop/Bildschirm­foto 2024-02-02 um 22.20.08.jpg
/Users/patrickuttler/Desktop/Bildschirm­foto 2024-02-02 um 22.20.18.jpg

[burnin]

Hi, you got no images there.
Anyways, is your "Linear Workflow" set and on?

[p_ktlr]

Hi I hope the screenshots did upload now. To be honest, I do not know what "Linear Workflow" in Cinema 4D is....

[James Vella]

From what I see you have a few issues here.

- First you are using gamma 2.2 for your linear textures.
- You are also using Metal workflow for Specular textures
- You have a texture in your IOR slot, I dont see an IOR texture in that list.
- These will all compound if you are unsure of what you are doing for this texture set.

You can use the Poliigon C4D tool and do a bit of reading on their website regarding the Specular workflow/textures:
Poliigon Material Converter Addon for Cinema 4D
Technical Asset Information & FAQ

[p_ktlr]

Hi James,

thanks for your answer. Do I need to change that gamma value? I tried downloading the same texture once with metal workflow and once with specular. With the metal workflow I get a good result. With the specular one not. The material is almost completely black.

I was told by someone to put the Reflection map in the IOR slot. That why i did it.

Also thanks for the links, I red the articles.

[James Vella]

thanks for your answer. Do I need to change that gamma value?

Follow this guide for which textures Poliigon require gamma 2.2 (srgb) and gamma 1.0 (linear)

I tried downloading the same texture once with metal workflow and once with specular. With the metal workflow I get a good result. With the specular one not. The material is almost completely black.

Use the metal workflow in my opinion. Corona Physical Material works well with this.

I was told by someone to put the Reflection map in the IOR slot. That why i did it.

Nope, don't do that. That's incredibly bad advice.

If you want to know more about IOR and reflectance (not reflection!) You can read more about it in an article I wrote some time ago (now outdated for Corona but the concept is still relevant for fresnel IOR). Reflectance (at f0) and reflection textures are quite different to each other and if you are using the metal workflow, don't bother with IOR, leave it at the default values (unless you have some understanding of how IOR works).

[p_ktlr]

Hi James thanks for your answer! I will have a look into your article.

Cheers Patric