Hello everyone,
I dont understand the big difference between the thumbnail view and the item in the world.
The thumbnail in the material view looks like it is supposed to. It is relatively close to what I see in other software packages as well. But when I apply it to an actual mesh, it looks completely different. What am I doing wrong?
Hey Casper Wermuth -
Can you post a screenshot of your material setup?
Thank You
Eric Ketchum
Hi Eric, thanks for your interest in helping me 
I am just plugin them in as basic as possible, like I would in MODO, marmoset, etc.
Is that incorrect?
The question is also, why there is the difference between the thumbnail and the real mesh. I dont understand it 
Hey Casper Wermuth -
The Metallic and Roughness inputs for materials are essentially math inputs and will only read 0 to 1 values, which it looks like you have it setup to do. So the rendering of the material in the level is actually correct in order to get that roughness map applied to your Base Color you would have to multiply the two together then plug into Base Color and leave the single Roughness texture in Roughness.
As you were saying I have been trying to reproduce the issue of the material editor window showing you the incorrect render (essentially it looks like it is applying your roughness map as a overlay to the base color). Try plugging your material up as suggested above and take a screenshot of the resultant material editor window and level rendering.
Thank You
Eric Ketchum
As I am retarded in UE, I am not sure if this is what you mean?
Anyway, I am actually after the look in the material thumbnail, as that is what closest resembles what I see in my other packages.
My confusion is why there is this mismatch. Is it just how it is, or have I done something wrong somewhere?
In case it makes a difference, the metallic map is not pure BW. The dirt has grey values.
Again, thanks a lot for taking time to help out
No grey values are simple variations in numbers from 0 to 1, so 0.5 would be pure grey or 50% White and 50% black. There are a few things which can cause a bit of a discrepancy between the Material Editor and the Level. One of the big ones is how our Material Editor shows Metallic and Roughness values. Since those values are specular in nature and tend to be based on reflection actors placed in the level, the material editor attempts to simulate that effect with a generated cubemap based on the default level (cloud skybox). Since in your actual level you do not have a reflection actor nor any scenery to form a cubemap the level is using pure white specular colors.
Try this test, going back to your original setup (lose the multiple which BTW was set up correctly). Place your mesh in the Default map (Minimal_Default.umap) and see if it looks closer to what you are getting in the material editor.
The big take away I think for your work here is the reflection actor in the level will provide a cubemap which gets added into your metallic and roughness maps based on how close the value is to 0 / Black (Roughness) or to 1 / White (Metallic).
Thank You
Eric Ketchum
Thanks for your explanation, Eric.
I wasnt aware of the cubemap in the thumbnail.
Now, here it is in the default scene. I changed the textures a little, to see if it had something to do with those as well, but of course, that still doesnt explan the difference between these two.
What else is there in the material view, besides the cubemap? Any other settings I need to change/replicate?
I simply have no idea what is going on here. If nothing worked, that would be easier to understand, but that the thumbnail works and the level doesnt, makes no sense to me ./
I can understand if you are starting to give up on me as well, Eric
Hey -
To get the most accurate view in the material editor viewport, open your material, then select the Static Mesh in your content browser. Back in the Material Editor select the Teapot icon in the upper righthand corner.
This way you will see your material mapped directly to the mesh you want to apply it to.
Thank You
Eric Ketchum
Thanks a lot, Eric.
Guess I will just have to tweak it from there, then. Appreciate all the time you spent on this!
