Rearview mirror

[Frosty]

Because I don't want to hijack Clive's thread about his great, new BoB release, here are some screenies of the effect of using a reflective material on the rearview mirror (so far gmax material values only, I haven't even used a _r .dds texture yet). Like I posted in the BoB thread, the reflection isn't as sharp as a real mirror, but basic elements are certainly discernable. Ground details blur fast at distance while clouds hold up pretty good. Maybe using a _r texture will make the reflections sharper. So, to be continued (when I get to that with the model)...

Screenie 1 shows autogen land, sea, sky and clouds in the reflection. The grey band at the bottom of the reflected image is the reflection of the top of the armored headrest (all three screenies). I tilted the mirror like that to get a reference to the aircraft.
Screenie 2 shows an autogen road on the left and a line of trees just right of the center.
Screenie 3 shows part of ALG A2 in France, minus all models (including the PSP) because those are not autogen. That the airfield is visible at all, surprised me a little because airfields aren't really autogen - but the groundtexture apparently is.

 

[Pat Pattle]

That's quite incredible Joost. I'm sure that Ankor said previously that CFS3 doesn't draw what's behind you so the fact that you are getting 'true' reflections is amazing!

So, taking onboard what you have found, I made the terrain texture I was using for the 'mirror' plain white and, with Ankors shaders get this:
Quite astonished that you can see the inside of the cockpit. It also reflects whatever clouds you have chosen.

I like it!

 

[Frosty]

That's quite incredible Joost. I'm sure that Ankor said previously that CFS3 doesn't draw what's behind you so the fact that you are getting 'true' reflections is amazing! ...

Ah, yours is even better! I was right thinking that adding a texture would make the reflections sharper. Excellent job!

The general idea was that if 'chrome-mercury-flightshow-polished-mirror-like' skins are possible, why not try using that as a rearview mirror? I think Ankor meant that 'other models' aren't drawn behind you (so no enemies in your mirror). But if a skin can reflect the scenery, an object with mirror-like reflectiveness should too!
If you have access to the gmax file, play around with the material values of the object and try to make it as reflective as possible to see what effect that gives. I think I am gonna try and see what a metal shader does (metal instead of blinn - even though glass is not a metal).

BTW, is your mirror a spherical object instead of a flat, circular plane? It has some fisheye qualities to it. Really cool and it gives an even better view behind you! Were mirrors of that type shaped like that? As far as I can tell, the rearview in the P-47 was more like a car type rearview mirror - flat.

 

[Pat Pattle]

BTW, is your mirror a spherical object instead of a flat, circular plane? It has some fisheye qualities to it. Really cool and it gives an even better view behind you! Were mirrors of that type shaped like that?

Yes it's a sphere and it rolls around like the AH gauge that it is, unfortunately I've lost the source model for it so can't go back and find out what the specular settings are.

I've had a few old MG's over the years, some of the 'bullet' mirrors on them were concave I seem to remember so the image was distorted. They were the sort of thing that Pilots had fitted to their aircraft.

Interesting thread, I'm sure there's progress to be made here.

 

[MajorMagee]

Here's one from the MAW 1943 A-36 that's flat.

I set the material reflectivity in the cockpit to 00000043 (128) to make it look a bit more 3D versus my standard 00008042 (64) for exteriors. I use 00007E43 (254) for glass to get the sharpest reflections.
Most of the cockpit has a reflectivity map texture set at a brightness of 6%, and the mirror area is 100%.

The Spitfire IX in ETO has convex curved mirrors, but they distort the image badly.

For most of our models that have mirrors they don't seem to be set at an angle that points in the proper direction relative to where the pilot is sitting. As you do in your car, they should have a bit of adjustability to match your personal needs.

 

[Frosty]

Yes it's a sphere and it rolls around like the AH gauge that it is, unfortunately I've lost the source model for it so can't go back and find out what the specular settings are.

I've had a few old MG's over the years, some of the 'bullet' mirrors on them were concave I seem to remember so the image was distorted. They were the sort of thing that Pilots had fitted to their aircraft. ...

Maybe someone else can help you to the source file? Or perhaps you can hexedit the .M3D, change the name of the AH gauge (the one in the mirror) so CFS3 can't identify it as a gauge? That should make it stop working.

Here's one from the MAW 1943 A-36 that's flat. ...

That's a crispy clean reflection!! Thanks for the values, I'll see if I can put that to use!

 

[mongoose]

I really need a complete how to on reflectivity, glass, and mirrors WRT the hex files and where and what to edit. MM has told be a bit about them but I am really quite ignorant on hex files and their editing, other tah some basic change dds info! I love that cockpit glass setting for a start!

 

[gecko]

There may be something to do with the mapping of the texture applied to a mirror that can effect how sharp the reflections are. We experimented with the Spitfire mirror, but couldn't find anything conclusive. Some of it will be limited by what CFS3 is actually drawing behind you. Models aren't drawn behind you, which is why airplanes don't show up in the mirror. But if a model is partly in view, if it extends behind you, it will appear in the mirror. This is why you are able to see the VC and aircraft model drawn in the mirror, and if you fly through a hanger, it will show up too. The sharpness for different parts of the environment (clouds, water, terrain, etc) is at least partly determined by how sharp CFS3 is drawing it behind you, thus clouds are much sharper than terrain, and so on.

 

[MajorMagee]

I thought a short video might convey the immersive look of a live mirror.

This model has the cockpit reflectivity settings I mentioned above. (MAW 1943)

 

[mongoose]

 

[65olschool]

Wow that looks outstanding

Mick