Not going to lie, I've been through tons of tutorials for all sorts of tasks on youtube and full credit where credits due - This is hands down, by far, one of the best tutorials/explanations on how to do something - Not only the "How" but also the "Why"! Certainly should pop this on reddit/forums to gain the credit it deserves.+1 Very Happy, Now Clued up Subscriber!
Awe thanks Shane! Kind words. If you share it, I won't argue. lol. I'm really glad that the "why" of it all landed for you. That was my whole goal here.
Man, I know this was uploaded 3 years ago, but I really appreciate taking the time to do so! I've been wondering how to get change the spec files for reflectivity and this video hits the nail directly on the head! Much appreciated!!
My friend THANK YOU!!! This is the best explanation out here!!!! Within 15 minutes of this video I was making professional grade liveries. Some of the tutorials don't even explain what to do with files when you're finished!!! How to preview them, nothing!!! THANKSEKEHE YOU!!!
Thank you for taking the time to make this. I am an old painter from the original Papyrus NASCAR game days who is trying to learn the new tricks, this video clarified a bunch of questions, great job!
I am a total newb to Photoshop/Gimp etc. This video REALLY helped a lot. I know who I am going to be rooting for when I watch the Kamel GT youtube broadcasts from now on! Thanks so much, excellent tutoring.
I was about to give up on finding a guide for the custom spec map and found your video which made the concept easy to pick up. Thank you for putting this together.
My guy! I was lost trying to figure out how to make my car Matte. I watched this whole video and man, it really helped me understand how to get it to translate to iRacing. Thanks a ton!
Hey Joni - Glad it helped! I just used the new viewer the other day. It's pretty great with only two drawbacks... 1. If you hit CTRL-R out of habit, it freezes the whole application and you have to close/reopen. 2. If you are updating the spec map, you have to leave and re-enter the viewer. I livestreamed my goofing off here: ruclips.net/video/48VwNnmJMjY/видео.html
Thank you for uploading this video, I was having trouble with creating a gun metal metallic scheme and all the other Gimp tutorials didn't quite explain it well enough. I went step by step while watching and I finally got it right. It was pretty awesome seeing the chrome appear on the car, then I just scaled it down on the red. Thank you Sir!
Ben, this is by far, the most informative and easy to follow video i've seen on the new spec maps in iracing. thank you very much for making it i shall definitely be linking this in future for people like me struggling to understand how they work. you made it look Soooooo easy!!!
Ben, I have watched many video's on how to do this. I will re-watch this video and take notes so I get this right. It's an amazing tutorial. Thank You so much. As Patrolo said "a well explained spec map tutorial". BTW this video was so good I subbed and got notifications on so I don't miss any more painting video's you make.
This is by far the best tutorial on using spec maps I've seen. I do have a suggestion to make punching holes for logos and such in the spec map much, much easier. Put a copy all the items you want to show through into a single layer, use the Fuzzy Select tool to choose the transparent background, then create a layer mask from the selection. Apply the layer mask to the entire spec map folder and you're done.
Thanks. I've learned more since recording this video. I actually did a NASCAR one a week or two ago, but it's a full car design rather than just a spec map tutorial. In that one, I duplicated all graphics layers and merged them into one layer, using that layer to select complex shapes for spec-mapping. Might check that out too. I appreciate the comment!
@@Fishhooks I just added the NASCAR paint job to my watch list. I had been using Photoshop, but for painting cars, but GIMP makes exporting tga files (which is awkward in PS) so much easier that I've switched to using that instead. Thanks again for the great tutorials.
Fantastic tutorial! Really explained the spec maps for me from a GIMP approach. You have an excellent way of explaining things! Great teaching methods!
This talks to me. Thank you so much for putting it in terms that I understand. So many different ways to teach people and I've watch a few with this one being what helped me best.
The red and green layers in the spec map make more sense now than the black and white grayscale layers in other videos. Much easier to see exactly what your changes with the red and green
It's amazing that understanding "how something works" can be more important than "how to do something", eh? One must understand theory before applying solutions.
Hey thanks for the kind words, Anthony! The underlying "why" is what I felt was missing from the landscape when I put this together. Glad it's serving that purpose. I should probably do a more advanced tutorial now that I've learned some new tricks in the last few months!
Thx for the tutorial. This helps me a lot in understanding the chrome color I wanted to obtain. Whenever someone (when I read it) on Redit asks about a good tool for Iracing paint, I refer them to your channel. At last you ask if we have any questions or suggestions for a new tutorial. Maybe you could do a tutorial on color gradients. Maybe also with the metallic colors. thanks
Hey man! Thanks for the kind words. Gradients, eh? Maybe I'll do a short video on that. I've been getting requests for helmets and no-number paints as well.
Great Video Ben. Was good to use analogies which is not really done in other tutorial videos. Looking forward to going through your gallery on trading paints to see what you have created.
@@Fishhooks all good. I dobt even have the game yet but have managed to download all the templates so can at least play around a bit and then hope they look okay on the track
as someone that hadnt painted since before the update what im getting out of this is that i need to use negative space in my spec map for the vinyls and schemes in the spec map section. shouldnt be too bad to mess with. hopefully my old stuff wasnt too messily done to transfer over without a major headache.
@@Fishhooks have there been any significant changes or shortcuts or simplifications since the early release of the spec maps? Anything that someone should be aware of now that you've had a couple more months of work on the new system?
Ben, where exactly do you add your custom sponsor logos and not have them matte or chrome spec layered? Would you put (i.e. McDonalds) the golden arches logo on the original .tga file or on the spec layer and just tell iracing not matte or metallic those specific areas of the car? Great video by the way.
Like with the TCR sticker I discuss at timestamp 39:50, any logos you don't want affected by the spec map (matte or metallic)... Just make that a negative space in the spec layers. In the example, I did it prior to messing with the roughness layers. In a real paint, you'd make it a negative space in both the metallic and roughness.
Hey, thanks for your great explanation through the video. Lots of guys it’s hard to follow them but you are very good at it. ONE THING, when you do that quick key stuff on the keyboard please explain what you are doing so we all can follow along thx. Also a pinstripe video would be nice!!! PEACE
Good tutorial! Ya know also you can copy the decal layer and paint them all black put them on top in the red spec folder and they will look like stickers on not have the metallic...
Thank for that Ben, wonderful. I've followed to the letter with a fresh (ZB V8) file with no effect whatsoever. After 'exporting as' there's a 'car_spec_60581.tga' file in the folder. When I refresh the car, a 'car_spec_60581.mip' file is created to join it. Two files. Well, three files including the 'car_60581.tga' And no effect upon the car? Any clues? Is there a setting somewhere outside the tutorial I've missed?
I finally forced myself to learn how to do this, but it was just for chrome numbers. The numbers looked great, but I was doing something wrong somewhere. My lighter colors where looking kind of strange. White was looking pearl. It just did not look right, so I put it on the back burner for now.
Can you do a video on what each specific part of the template is? There are parts of the iracing template that I have no idea what it represents on the car itself.
Great an easy to follow, im having an issue where i follow everything you do but when I export the files to iracing i dont see the colour changing. I tried adding a chrome stripe to the car but it just keeps showing up as white no chrome any ideas how to fix this?.
Ben, I am having trouble with spec map. I followed this video 5 times to the tee. I do not have trading paints open and when I export the spec map the car stays white. No chrome. I double check to make sure I exported to the right file for car and spec. No dice. Like I said I followed it the same way you did it. Any suggestions on what could be wrong? I also tried it in a test session and also in ui. Update… I figured it out. My graphic card needed updated. Thanks for the videos they are great
I was hoping to find out how to mix metallic and matte like I do in photo shop but in gimp. Unfortunately it seems like the filters in your red and green channels don't work like they were meant to. If you gimp guys didn't know you can actually make a fully metallic and fully matte texture that looks sweet. Hope eventually I can find the answer.
Hey man. It's probably time for me to do a more advanced tutorial addressing matte and satin finishes. For me, it's still a good deal of experimentation rather than pure knowledge/craftsmanship. But I'm getting better at it.
@@Fishhooks I found the answer. It was in an iracing forum that you posted in so I'm guessing you know the way to do it. It's actually a lot nicer that way, even though I have photoshop I use the single folder with no filters way of doing it now. Here is the thread if you haven't seen it. members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/3680922.page#11814723 time stamp for the post is 12/4/2019 9:30 a.m.
Ben - I tried a basic scheme (which I see in the game) however, when I create the spec map and export it with the same number; only have the red layer filled in red, I don't get ANY reflection. Is there something I am doing wrong or do I have a setting wrong within the game? Thanks!
So... I don't know that I've got enough info to go on here, Anthony. My first guess is that you misnamed the spec-map .tga file. Double-check that it's car_spec_123456.tga (with 123456 being a placeholder for your actual iRacing Member ID). And ensure that it was exported to the correct folder. Question: Is the car not refreshing at all? Like... you try to refresh it in-sim and it just stays white? Or it properly loads the paint, just without the spec map overlaid?
Ben Laughter I checked it multiple times and it is correct. I can change the colors on the car, refresh and the change shows up. I turn all layers off and turn on the spec map layers with red base layer and save as car_spec_# and nothing. I tried it in a truck and then super late model. Neither worked. My assumption is there is a setting in the game or gimp not allowing to load or work properly.
@@agspeedracer17 Hey Anthony - Think you could post/link a video of what you're seeing? I'm obviously not iRacing Tech Support or anything. So I'm limited to your description. And I'm not sure where to point you next. Seeing what you're experiencing first hand would help.
So i 'carved' out some space for logos and such that i added. They are still showing up as metallic. I have them moved to the top above the metallic layer. Is that my issue?
Hey Teddy. The trick isn't to put the logo layers "above" the spec layers. It's to create holes in the spec layers where the logos are. You want to make the logos show through the spec maps. Not sit on top. So, make a selection of the logo down on your regular paint layers. Then cut that shape out of your reflective and roughness spec layers. Hope that helps.
For the goldiest of golds, use the yellowest of yellows on the car's paint. Then set your spec map to the most reflective in the red channel. That'll create gold.
Trading Paints is off and I am putting the file in the right folder an it's painting correctly but I'm not sure how to refresh like you do. I keep having to exit the sim and reloading it. How do you refresh so quickly?
Hey Mario - Get in the car, let it run for a few seconds. Get out of the car and pause the replay when the driver is in the car. Leave it paused from there on. Hit CTRL-R to refresh the paint.
So u have to be in the sim w the paint loaded when u upload to trading paints to snag the mip file also why did u add the racing stripe folder in the red channel couldnt u just click it below w wand n paint it red up above
1. You don't need to be in the sim at the time you upload to trading paints. You just need to be in the sim (or nowadays using the paint booth within the new UI) while painting. 2. You can arrange folders and layers any way you want. I like to break things up as much as possible and compartmentalize so that I can make fine adjustments easier and move things around independently.
@@Fishhooks one time it's there next its not I uploaded 3 paints to my showroom but now I cant when I get it on tp and I go to add the spec map nothing is in the folder when I exit go check the folder there it is so idk
Great video Ben!! I'm the owner of the iRacing Painters Facebook Page. I hope you wouldn't mind if I shared this on the page. It's probable the best explanation of Spec Maps that I've seen yet. Please check ou t the page if you get a few minutes, and get in touch with me to let me know you've been approved. You do have to answer all of the questions to get approved, just so you know. Thanks again!! Jeff
Hey Maggie - Difficult to answer without some visuals. But generally, either create a "hole" in the spec map to expose the underlying paint. Or create a new layer in the spec map and overlay a black section, basically overriding the spec map modification.
If you're using the iRacing numbers, you can't. The only way is to put them in a box, and apply that box shape to the spec map. I do that in my recent NASCAR paint walkthrough as an experiment. Maybe check it out. ruclips.net/video/_A3Nr0OtWus/видео.html
Ben Laughter ok thanks man. Just recently got iRacing and I’ve been makin my own schemes. Where do you go to turn the iRacing numbers off? And I’ll check it out for sure!
i cannot get my scheme to refresh in the replay section of iracing. Every time i refresh, and put my driver back in the scheme goes back to the default i racing scheme. Any suggestions would be great thanks.
Hmm... I'd check a couple things: 1. Is Trading Paints running? If so, turn TP off. Check your taskbar tooltray next to the clock and double-check that it isn't running in the background. 2. Is the driver in the car? 3. Confirm that you exported your car_xxxxxx.tga file to the correct car's folder. I've made the mistake before of exporting to the wrong car's folder and being frustrated by what you're describing.
@@Fishhooks ive done all of that. When i refresh the paint it goes white, then i rewind till my driver is in, and then the i racing default pops back up. I have also tried other cars, and have gotten the same results.
I have to assume that the file is named incorrectly then. Near the beginning of the video, I show where to find your iRacing Member Number and how to name the car's .tga file. Maybe look back at that and ensure you're naming the file correctly. And triple check that you have Trading Paints totally off. If you close the app, it often stays running in the background. So check background apps in the system tray (next to the clock in Windows).
@@Fishhooks well i have tried all of that and everything else. I even tried the Beta UI, same result. This is a fantastic video i just cant get the replay part to work to check my paint. All i did was paint my truck black, but the i racing default continues to show up. Thanks for your help
So. Whenever you apply the spec map, it'll create a .mip file in your car's paint folder with your member number on it. As long as that .mip file is there, it'll be applied to any paint applied to the car. So, if you're wanting to run a paint without the spec map, then just delete the .mip file. Or, replace it with a new .mip by exporting from Gimp just the spec layers as I've shown in the video.
Great video, thanks..... but what the heck was that music?? Nerverse jazz...... for the intro it didnt fit, but thats ok, since the music will be killed during the video..... OH NO, it wasnt killed!! The strange weed-smooking music is running under the whole video. O boy.....
Ha. I find that a little background music can add just a bit of pace and cadence to an otherwise boring topic. Regardless, thanks for watching. Hope it was helpful.
Ha! Are they the ones? That would be funny and confusing. Not gonna lie. It weirdly bothers me that about 100 people have liked this and one person was like "nah u suck old man!" lol
followed the first step, changing the color to red-255.0 in the red metallic channel base paint #1 and my car is still the original color, NO CHROME. so this one is a bust as is ALL the ones you'll find. if it does say 2021 in the posted date, then it's no good to use.
Not understanding your comment. Are you saying the method I'm presenting doesn't work? Dozens of paints later, I can assure you it does. Also, the chorus of other viewers seem to think the method works.
Not going to lie, I've been through tons of tutorials for all sorts of tasks on youtube and full credit where credits due - This is hands down, by far, one of the best tutorials/explanations on how to do something - Not only the "How" but also the "Why"! Certainly should pop this on reddit/forums to gain the credit it deserves.+1 Very Happy, Now Clued up Subscriber!
Awe thanks Shane! Kind words. If you share it, I won't argue. lol. I'm really glad that the "why" of it all landed for you. That was my whole goal here.
Man, I know this was uploaded 3 years ago, but I really appreciate taking the time to do so! I've been wondering how to get change the spec files for reflectivity and this video hits the nail directly on the head! Much appreciated!!
Cheers man. Thanks.
You Sir ...... are the MAN!!! Thank you so much. Great appreciation of how your audience needs to have the understanding of the spec maps.
Hey thanks! Glad it helped.
My friend THANK YOU!!! This is the best explanation out here!!!! Within 15 minutes of this video I was making professional grade liveries. Some of the tutorials don't even explain what to do with files when you're finished!!! How to preview them, nothing!!! THANKSEKEHE YOU!!!
My friend YOU'RE WELCOME!!! I'm so glad it helped. That's why I made it. Now go make some cool crap and share the Trading Paints link here.
Thank you for taking the time to make this. I am an old painter from the original Papyrus NASCAR game days who is trying to learn the new tricks, this video clarified a bunch of questions, great job!
Mission accomplished! Cheers man.
I am a total newb to Photoshop/Gimp etc. This video REALLY helped a lot.
I know who I am going to be rooting for when I watch the Kamel GT youtube broadcasts from now on!
Thanks so much, excellent tutoring.
Hey thanks Michael! I'm glad I could help.
I have tried to do this once, had no clue how to do it. Did it again tonight, BAM! Thanks for your help! Now my ARCA car can race in style!
So glad it helped you Dave
Finally, a well explained spec map tutorial! Really thank you Ben!
Sure thing Patrolo! I'm glad it helped.
Amazing video. Been painting since 96 and you sir have been an amazing tutor in this video!
Well how nice. Thank you Eric! Glad this was helpful!
I was about to give up on finding a guide for the custom spec map and found your video which made the concept easy to pick up. Thank you for putting this together.
Sure thing, Aaron. Sounds like it did what was intended. Glad I could help.
I don't know if it's the best on the whole internet Ben, but for me it's the best on Gimp+IRacing topic. Thanks for this!!!
Well thanks Sergi! It's becoming a crowded category and I appreciate your kind words. Glad I could help!
My guy! I was lost trying to figure out how to make my car Matte. I watched this whole video and man, it really helped me understand how to get it to translate to iRacing. Thanks a ton!
Yeah Ryan! Glad I could help.
Thanks for posting this video Ben!
Very informative and helpful!
This should be even easier now with iRacing's new paint viewer.
Hey Joni - Glad it helped!
I just used the new viewer the other day. It's pretty great with only two drawbacks...
1. If you hit CTRL-R out of habit, it freezes the whole application and you have to close/reopen.
2. If you are updating the spec map, you have to leave and re-enter the viewer.
I livestreamed my goofing off here: ruclips.net/video/48VwNnmJMjY/видео.html
Thank you for uploading this video, I was having trouble with creating a gun metal metallic scheme and all the other Gimp tutorials didn't quite explain it well enough. I went step by step while watching and I finally got it right. It was pretty awesome seeing the chrome appear on the car, then I just scaled it down on the red. Thank you Sir!
Glad the light bulb went on, man! I was pretty jazzed when I figured it out too. Hope you're creating some cool stuff!
@@Fishhooks yes sir!
Ben, this is by far, the most informative and easy to follow video i've seen on the new spec maps in iracing. thank you very much for making it i shall definitely be linking this in future for people like me struggling to understand how they work. you made it look Soooooo easy!!!
Cheers! Glad it helped you out!
This is by far the most helpful spec map video, ever!! Thank you
Also, AWESOME music!
Glad it was helpful!
Ben, I have watched many video's on how to do this. I will re-watch this video and take notes so I get this right. It's an amazing tutorial. Thank You so much. As Patrolo said "a well explained spec map tutorial". BTW this video was so good I subbed and got notifications on so I don't miss any more painting video's you make.
Thanks so much for the kind words!
This is by far the best tutorial on using spec maps I've seen. I do have a suggestion to make punching holes for logos and such in the spec map much, much easier. Put a copy all the items you want to show through into a single layer, use the Fuzzy Select tool to choose the transparent background, then create a layer mask from the selection. Apply the layer mask to the entire spec map folder and you're done.
Thanks. I've learned more since recording this video. I actually did a NASCAR one a week or two ago, but it's a full car design rather than just a spec map tutorial. In that one, I duplicated all graphics layers and merged them into one layer, using that layer to select complex shapes for spec-mapping. Might check that out too.
I appreciate the comment!
@@Fishhooks I just added the NASCAR paint job to my watch list. I had been using Photoshop, but for painting cars, but GIMP makes exporting tga files (which is awkward in PS) so much easier that I've switched to using that instead. Thanks again for the great tutorials.
Fantastic tutorial! Really explained the spec maps for me from a GIMP approach. You have an excellent way of explaining things! Great teaching methods!
Thanks man! I appreciate the compliment. Glad it helped.
This talks to me. Thank you so much for putting it in terms that I understand. So many different ways to teach people and I've watch a few with this one being what helped me best.
Awesome to hear that, Rob! Thanks so much. Glad it helped you.
The red and green layers in the spec map make more sense now than the black and white grayscale layers in other videos. Much easier to see exactly what your changes with the red and green
Clarity was the goal! Glad it helps.
Awesome tutorial, thanks!
Cheers, Devin!
Excellent video. Thank you for explaining the why and not just the how.
Glad it was helpful!
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks Ben, excellent tutorial. Music could go a touch or 2 lower but the information is excellent!
Thanks! Glad it helped. And thanks for the feedback on the music too. It's been polarizing for sure.
I'm working and watching on my lunch and can't wait to get home and work on my current paints and try this!
Thanks man!
Came from iRacing forums
That makes me happy, Jeff! Glad I could help.
i used this video a while ago and forgot to come here and say thank you, great tutorial!
Cheers Thiago! Thanks for watching. Glad it helped.
Awesome video!!! I think I finally got how the basic spec file works. Thanks and welcome to Atlanta
Rock and roll! Glad it helped clear things up.
Now that I'm in Atlanta, what should my rapper name be?
A great tutorial that added a bit of shine to my paint, thanks Ben.
Nice man! Glad I could help.
Best video so far. Thanks for the video, now I see what I was doing wrong.
It's amazing that understanding "how something works" can be more important than "how to do something", eh? One must understand theory before applying solutions.
Thank you this was the best and most clear video that i have found. Much appreciated
Awesome! Glad it helped clear it up.
Really good Ben, nice clear stages. Well done mate
Well thanks Rowdy! Appreciate the kind words. Glad it helped you out.
Thank you so much! I was really getting pissed at all the other "easy Spec Map" videos, and they were skipping all of the steps.
Hey thanks for the kind words, Anthony! The underlying "why" is what I felt was missing from the landscape when I put this together. Glad it's serving that purpose.
I should probably do a more advanced tutorial now that I've learned some new tricks in the last few months!
Great tutorial. I was able to do it with the video and get what I wanted, flat OD green. Now I just have to take the time to make some camo.
Flat AND Camo!? WHERE'D RICHARD GO!!??
Gives a new meaning to two-pass trees.
#shhh #clandestine-racecar
What a really good tutorial! Thank you, Ben!
Glad it helped, Kirk! Thanks for watching.
Thx for the tutorial. This helps me a lot in understanding the chrome color I wanted to obtain. Whenever someone (when I read it) on Redit asks about a good tool for Iracing paint, I refer them to your channel. At last you ask if we have any questions or suggestions for a new tutorial. Maybe you could do a tutorial on color gradients. Maybe also with the metallic colors. thanks
Hey man! Thanks for the kind words.
Gradients, eh? Maybe I'll do a short video on that. I've been getting requests for helmets and no-number paints as well.
@@Fishhooks that will be great aswell:)
Superb. This dummy now gets it! Cheers, Ben 😻
Cheers Mark - I may not be able to beat you on track... And now that I've shared my secrets, I won't be able to outstyle you either! Curses!!!
if only any of that were true, Ben! :)
Great Video Ben. Was good to use analogies which is not really done in other tutorial videos. Looking forward to going through your gallery on trading paints to see what you have created.
Hey thanks David. I appreciate the feedback.
I don't have a lot public on TP, as I've mostly done things for my team.
@@Fishhooks all good. I dobt even have the game yet but have managed to download all the templates so can at least play around a bit and then hope they look okay on the track
Thank you SO much!! Finally a video that worked for me. Have myself a shining green/black Merc now :)
Awesome! That's exactly what I wanted for Christmas. Glad I could help.
I get it finally, thanks Ben, ive been looking a video like this for a couple of days!!
Good deal Dani - Glad I could help!
Bravo!!!! I've been trying to figure this out for a couple of days (I dense...) Perfect analogies.. Well done!. Subscribing NOW!
Awesome! Thank you! Glad I could help you out, Aaron.
Ben, this is insanely helpful! Thanks so much
Awesome! Go make some cool stuff now! I command it!
Ben Laughter I’m working on it! Been at it since I got off work :) Be on the lookout for an AMD cup Mustang scheme soon!
Thank you!! I finally get it and its in GIMP. Also the music sounds like a good night out
Thanks Dave! Glad you enjoyed the jams and found the tutorial useful.
best video so far
The best, eh? Like... on the whole Internet!? I'm flattered, sir.
Excellent vid on this.
Thanks Chris! Glad it helped.
Outstanding tutorial, thanks so much!
Thanks so much! Glad it helped.
as someone that hadnt painted since before the update what im getting out of this is that i need to use negative space in my spec map for the vinyls and schemes in the spec map section. shouldnt be too bad to mess with. hopefully my old stuff wasnt too messily done to transfer over without a major headache.
You got it! Make negative spaces in the spec map for all the stuff you DON"T want to be enhanced by the spec map. Have fun!
@@Fishhooks have there been any significant changes or shortcuts or simplifications since the early release of the spec maps? Anything that someone should be aware of now that you've had a couple more months of work on the new system?
Thank you so much for this tutorial!
Glad I could help!
Thank you, great video and great explaining!
Yeah man. Thanks for the kind words.
Ben, where exactly do you add your custom sponsor logos and not have them matte or chrome spec layered? Would you put (i.e. McDonalds) the golden arches logo on the original .tga file or on the spec layer and just tell iracing not matte or metallic those specific areas of the car? Great video by the way.
Like with the TCR sticker I discuss at timestamp 39:50, any logos you don't want affected by the spec map (matte or metallic)... Just make that a negative space in the spec layers. In the example, I did it prior to messing with the roughness layers. In a real paint, you'd make it a negative space in both the metallic and roughness.
@@Fishhooks Thank you much. Thank you for the video.
Hey, thanks for your great explanation through the video. Lots of guys it’s hard to follow them but you are very good at it. ONE THING, when you do that quick key stuff on the keyboard please explain what you are doing so we all can follow along thx. Also a pinstripe video would be nice!!! PEACE
Pinstripe video. Good idea. That would be short and sweet.
Are you talking about making pin stripes in general? Or specifically spec map pin stripes?
This video made me make my first skin! Thank you!!!!
Cool! Go make cool stuff and post the Trading Paints link here. I'd love to check it out.
Great vid, really helped me understand spec maps. Cheers
Glad it helped!
Good tutorial! Ya know also you can copy the decal layer and paint them all black put them on top in the red spec folder and they will look like stickers on not have the metallic...
Yeah this was a really early tutorial made the week spec maps came out. Learned a ton since then. Thanks for watching!
@@Fishhooks Copy That! Saw the link on FB and thought it was a great video but didn't notice the date on it...
Thank for that Ben, wonderful.
I've followed to the letter with a fresh (ZB V8) file with no effect whatsoever.
After 'exporting as' there's a 'car_spec_60581.tga' file in the folder. When I refresh the car, a 'car_spec_60581.mip' file is created to join it. Two files.
Well, three files including the 'car_60581.tga'
And no effect upon the car?
Any clues? Is there a setting somewhere outside the tutorial I've missed?
Hey Ron - Thanks for watching. Did you get it figured out?
@@Fishhooks .
Yes, thank you Ben- too embarrassed to offer the solution.
Wonderful tutorial.
My first effort virtually complete...
I finally forced myself to learn how to do this, but it was just for chrome numbers. The numbers looked great, but I was doing something wrong somewhere. My lighter colors where looking kind of strange. White was looking pearl. It just did not look right, so I put it on the back burner for now.
Can you do a video on what each specific part of the template is? There are parts of the iracing template that I have no idea what it represents on the car itself.
Thank you for the tutorial! I would like to see you paint a nascar cup camaro!
Just might do it, Chris. Daytona 500 is coming up in a couple months and I feel the need for some fresh shininess!
Great tutorial!
Thanks so much!
Great an easy to follow, im having an issue where i follow everything you do but when I export the files to iracing i dont see the colour changing. I tried adding a chrome stripe to the car but it just keeps showing up as white no chrome any ideas how to fix this?.
Sounds like you might not be exporting the spec map correctly. Double-check that part and lemme know if you're still running into trouble.
@@Fishhooks finally worked it out had up dated my video card but hadnt re did the game to suit my monitor
sweet frickin racing stripe haha!! good tuto hope ill do good now
With a sweet frickin racing stripe, you can't go wrong. Thanks for watching. Hope it helps.
Thanks so much, Ben!
Sure thing! Thanks for watching!
wow! very understandable how you explain it all. now I can really go wild hahaha
Awesome. Glad I could help, Paul!
Ben, I am having trouble with spec map. I followed this video 5 times to the tee. I do not have trading paints open and when I export the spec map the car stays white. No chrome. I double check to make sure I exported to the right file for car and spec. No dice. Like I said I followed it the same way you did it. Any suggestions on what could be wrong? I also tried it in a test session and also in ui. Update…
I figured it out. My graphic card needed updated. Thanks for the videos they are great
Drivers always trying to sabotage us, man! Glad you figured it out, John! Thanks for watching.
Thanks Ben, Makes sense now!
Cheers! Glad I could help!
I was hoping to find out how to mix metallic and matte like I do in photo shop but in gimp. Unfortunately it seems like the filters in your red and green channels don't work like they were meant to. If you gimp guys didn't know you can actually make a fully metallic and fully matte texture that looks sweet. Hope eventually I can find the answer.
Hey man. It's probably time for me to do a more advanced tutorial addressing matte and satin finishes. For me, it's still a good deal of experimentation rather than pure knowledge/craftsmanship. But I'm getting better at it.
@@Fishhooks I found the answer. It was in an iracing forum that you posted in so I'm guessing you know the way to do it. It's actually a lot nicer that way, even though I have photoshop I use the single folder with no filters way of doing it now. Here is the thread if you haven't seen it.
members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/3680922.page#11814723
time stamp for the post is 12/4/2019 9:30 a.m.
SUBBED! Thank you so much for this!
Absolutely, my dear age-unspecific friend of unspecific hair color! hehe
Thank you so much Ben.
Cheers Coleson. Glad it helped.
Thanks! This helped me alot! Need to see it a third time to get it right. Still alot of confusion :)
Glad to hear it!
Ben - I tried a basic scheme (which I see in the game) however, when I create the spec map and export it with the same number; only have the red layer filled in red, I don't get ANY reflection. Is there something I am doing wrong or do I have a setting wrong within the game? Thanks!
So... I don't know that I've got enough info to go on here, Anthony. My first guess is that you misnamed the spec-map .tga file. Double-check that it's car_spec_123456.tga (with 123456 being a placeholder for your actual iRacing Member ID). And ensure that it was exported to the correct folder.
Question: Is the car not refreshing at all? Like... you try to refresh it in-sim and it just stays white? Or it properly loads the paint, just without the spec map overlaid?
Ben Laughter I checked it multiple times and it is correct. I can change the colors on the car, refresh and the change shows up. I turn all layers off and turn on the spec map layers with red base layer and save as car_spec_# and nothing. I tried it in a truck and then super late model. Neither worked. My assumption is there is a setting in the game or gimp not allowing to load or work properly.
@@Fishhooks Did you get my other reply?
@@agspeedracer17 Hey Anthony - Think you could post/link a video of what you're seeing? I'm obviously not iRacing Tech Support or anything. So I'm limited to your description. And I'm not sure where to point you next. Seeing what you're experiencing first hand would help.
AWESOME!
No you're awesome! hehe
So i 'carved' out some space for logos and such that i added. They are still showing up as metallic. I have them moved to the top above the metallic layer. Is that my issue?
Hey Teddy. The trick isn't to put the logo layers "above" the spec layers. It's to create holes in the spec layers where the logos are. You want to make the logos show through the spec maps. Not sit on top. So, make a selection of the logo down on your regular paint layers. Then cut that shape out of your reflective and roughness spec layers. Hope that helps.
ding ding ding spec makes sence
Ring-a-ding ding! My work here is done.
So if yellow turns gold how would I get a bright yellow chrome finish would I change the value of the yellow color
For the goldiest of golds, use the yellowest of yellows on the car's paint. Then set your spec map to the most reflective in the red channel. That'll create gold.
Trading Paints is off and I am putting the file in the right folder an it's painting correctly but I'm not sure how to refresh like you do. I keep having to exit the sim and reloading it. How do you refresh so quickly?
Hey Mario - Get in the car, let it run for a few seconds. Get out of the car and pause the replay when the driver is in the car. Leave it paused from there on. Hit CTRL-R to refresh the paint.
@@Fishhooks you're a legend thanks!!
So u have to be in the sim w the paint loaded when u upload to trading paints to snag the mip file also why did u add the racing stripe folder in the red channel couldnt u just click it below w wand n paint it red up above
1. You don't need to be in the sim at the time you upload to trading paints. You just need to be in the sim (or nowadays using the paint booth within the new UI) while painting.
2. You can arrange folders and layers any way you want. I like to break things up as much as possible and compartmentalize so that I can make fine adjustments easier and move things around independently.
@@Fishhooks one time it's there next its not I uploaded 3 paints to my showroom but now I cant when I get it on tp and I go to add the spec map nothing is in the folder when I exit go check the folder there it is so idk
Great video Ben!! I'm the owner of the iRacing Painters Facebook Page. I hope you wouldn't mind if I shared this on the page. It's probable the best explanation of Spec Maps that I've seen yet. Please check ou t the page if you get a few minutes, and get in touch with me to let me know you've been approved. You do have to answer all of the questions to get approved, just so you know.
Thanks again!!
Jeff
Please do. Just one more step in my mission of RUclips Domination! lol. Thanks for the compliment.
Great ben :-)
Cheers Franco! Thanks!
I kno erase it from metallic channel but how would i select all the main body parts
Hey Maggie - Difficult to answer without some visuals. But generally, either create a "hole" in the spec map to expose the underlying paint. Or create a new layer in the spec map and overlay a black section, basically overriding the spec map modification.
How do you make it where the numbers and decals are not affected by the chrome/matte?!
If you're using the iRacing numbers, you can't. The only way is to put them in a box, and apply that box shape to the spec map. I do that in my recent NASCAR paint walkthrough as an experiment. Maybe check it out.
ruclips.net/video/_A3Nr0OtWus/видео.html
Ben Laughter ok thanks man. Just recently got iRacing and I’ve been makin my own schemes. Where do you go to turn the iRacing numbers off? And I’ll check it out for sure!
How do i make the main car matte with a shiny hood n sweet frickin racin stripe
All about how you layer things in the spec map.
Tnx Ben, sub and liked.
Gwenndolynn
Well thank you kindly! Glad you enjoyed it.
i cannot get my scheme to refresh in the replay section of iracing. Every time i refresh, and put my driver back in the scheme goes back to the default i racing scheme. Any suggestions would be great thanks.
Hmm... I'd check a couple things:
1. Is Trading Paints running? If so, turn TP off. Check your taskbar tooltray next to the clock and double-check that it isn't running in the background.
2. Is the driver in the car?
3. Confirm that you exported your car_xxxxxx.tga file to the correct car's folder. I've made the mistake before of exporting to the wrong car's folder and being frustrated by what you're describing.
@@Fishhooks ive done all of that. When i refresh the paint it goes white, then i rewind till my driver is in, and then the i racing default pops back up. I have also tried other cars, and have gotten the same results.
I have to assume that the file is named incorrectly then. Near the beginning of the video, I show where to find your iRacing Member Number and how to name the car's .tga file. Maybe look back at that and ensure you're naming the file correctly.
And triple check that you have Trading Paints totally off. If you close the app, it often stays running in the background. So check background apps in the system tray (next to the clock in Windows).
@@Fishhooks well i have tried all of that and everything else. I even tried the Beta UI, same result. This is a fantastic video i just cant get the replay part to work to check my paint. All i did was paint my truck black, but the i racing default continues to show up. Thanks for your help
@@shaynepipala9808 think you could record it happening and post a video &link it here? Maybe watching you set up and try it, I'll see what's wrong.
I made a car kinda shiny and now every paint I make is the same shiny. Who do I get rid of the spec map
So. Whenever you apply the spec map, it'll create a .mip file in your car's paint folder with your member number on it. As long as that .mip file is there, it'll be applied to any paint applied to the car. So, if you're wanting to run a paint without the spec map, then just delete the .mip file. Or, replace it with a new .mip by exporting from Gimp just the spec layers as I've shown in the video.
@@Fishhooks I deleted the mip file and now I cant make any changes to the car at all
This saving here n exporting there has my head spinning
Gain your balance. Try again. Drink some scotch. And enjoy!
@@Fishhooks bahahahahaha 1 time it works the next it dont I've watched ur video prob 20 times
20 hours of my life gone lol n mine dont work the same as urs like how u color n delete in the spec map I have to turn eye on top to do any painting
Pen stripes in general
Take a look at my recent NASCAR tutorial. I do pin stripes in that one based on your request, Oran.
Why the hell does my paint save 1 time then it's gone the next or just a tga file
Are you continuing to run Trading Paints while painting? If so, it's likely overriding the paint you're trying to create.
Great video, thanks..... but what the heck was that music?? Nerverse jazz...... for the intro it didnt fit, but thats ok, since the music will be killed during the video..... OH NO, it wasnt killed!! The strange weed-smooking music is running under the whole video. O boy.....
Ha. I find that a little background music can add just a bit of pace and cadence to an otherwise boring topic. Regardless, thanks for watching. Hope it was helpful.
Trading Paints disliked this video, BTW.
Ha! Are they the ones? That would be funny and confusing. Not gonna lie. It weirdly bothers me that about 100 people have liked this and one person was like "nah u suck old man!" lol
followed the first step, changing the color to red-255.0 in the red metallic channel base paint #1 and my car is still the original color, NO CHROME. so this one is a bust as is ALL the ones you'll find. if it does say 2021 in the posted date, then it's no good to use.
Not understanding your comment. Are you saying the method I'm presenting doesn't work?
Dozens of paints later, I can assure you it does. Also, the chorus of other viewers seem to think the method works.
Practice Qualify Race i dont care what the damn car looks like its not my job im a racer dammit LoooL