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PBR Maps

Learn the differences between Metalness and Specular PBR material workflows, including their distinct texture channels and how switching workflows affects model materials

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Written by Elaine

PBR has two main workflow options: Metalness and Specular.

Switching between workflows will change the workflow for ALL materials in the model.

Metalness

The channels specific to Metal/Roughness are Base Color, Metalness, and Specular F0.

  • Base Color: an (s)RGB texture or solid color for reflected color (non-metals a.k.a. 'dielectrics') or reflectance values (metals)

  • Metalness: a linear grayscale texture; black (0.0) for non-metal and white (1.0) for raw metal

  • Specular F0: a linear grayscale texture for Fresnel values (non-metals)

Specular

The channels specific to Specular/Glossiness are Albedo and Specular.

  • Albedo: an (s)RGB texture or solid color, without reflectance values

  • Specular: an (s)RGB texture or solid color for reflectance values (metals, color) and F0 (non-metals, grayscale)

Base Color and Albedo are more or less synonymous. All other channels are common to both workflows.

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