Speed Dreams Documentation Wiki

Adding realism to car skins using Blender Texture Baking

Step 1: Preparation

• Download the .ac source files of the car
• Extract the archive to a working folder
• Create a white 2048x2048 px image in GIMP/ Inkscape and save/ export it as "white.png" at the working folder
  
  
  
• Duplicate the .ac file as "NameOfCar-bake.ac"
• Open the "NameOfCar-bake.ac" file in a text editor and replace all references of the original texture with "white.png"
  
  
  
• Save the file in the working folder

Step 2: Blender model preparation

• Start Blender
• Delete any objects at the default scene, except the camera
• Import via "File > Import > AC3D (.ac)..." the "NameOfCar-bake.ac" file from the working folder
  
  
  
• After that you should see the white model of the car
• Now select all mesh parts (do not select the camera) and merge them into one mesh by pressing "Ctrl+J" at the "3D View"
• Press "Tab Key" again to leave the "Edit Mode"
  
  
  
• Back in "Object mode" make sure the car model is selected at the "3D View"
• At the "Buttons Window" press "F9" to enter "Editing"
• Activate the "Set Smooth" button at the tab "Links and Materials"
  

Step 3: Blender rendering settings

• At the "Buttons Window" press "F8" to get the "World Buttons"
• Click on the tab "Amb Occ" and activate "Ambient Occlusion" and set it up as illustrated below:
  
  
  
• After that press "F10" to setup the format and rendering settings:
  
  
  
  
• Now at tab "Bake" activate the button "Ambient Occlusion" and press the "BAKE" button
  

Step 4: The Render result

• The rendering may took a while
• The baking result is based on the UV texture channel and the texture size of the imported "NameOfCar-bake.ac" file
• It is rendered at the "UV Image Editor" and can be saved there as a PNG with alpha channel
  
  
  
• When the texture baking is finished you can open it in GIMP/ Inkscape:
  
  
  • Put it on top as a new layer
  • Set up the blending mode of the layer to "multiply"
  • Setup the opacity in a range of 25% to 66%
• Now review the shading result and test the shaded car skin in-game
• You may have to erase or to blur some details of the baked shading or light it up
• The baked shading is based on the details of the model, so you may have to add some extra details and creases, too