===== Textures =====
Textures enable a realistic representation of surfaces. If a texture is applied to a surface, it is given the corresponding appearance. These textures are responsible for the following properties of surfaces:
1. image: The diffuse map is a coloured image of the surface.
2. reflection: The normal map determines how a light source is reflected in the surface.
3. roughness: The roughness map defines smooth and rough areas.
4. gloss: The metalness map (sometimes also called gloss map) determines how strongly reflective a surface is at the location.
5. heights and depths: The displacement or height map: These define this information.

===== Properties of products =====
Textures are often used for products that give surfaces their character. Surfaces can be:
  * Floors
  * Walls
  * Doors

Ultimately, it is about the design of any product surface.

The products have these properties, which contain information about the manufacturer and product.

^ Property ^ Example ^
| Manufacturer | Dinesen |
| Manufacturer email | info@dinesen.com |
| Product name | Oak Classic One |
| Order number | XT4711 |
| Name of the product line | PARK 18 (2200x181x14mm) |
| Description of the product line | The 3-layer plank with character. The generous oak wideplank emphasises the warm atmosphere of your rooms with its characterful features. |
| Material name | Oak parquet smoked calm |
| Material type | Parquet, oak |
| Service class | 32 |
| Abrasion class | AC3 |
| Durability class | 2 (1-5) |
| Delivery zone | AT, DE, FR, NL |
| Real world width of the map | 7230  |
| Real world height of the map | 6420 |
| Element width | 1200 |
| Element height | 300 |

===== Use of the images =====
The images have different meanings for the visualisation of surfaces on which these textures are applied. To achieve a realistic appearance, maps are required in this order (from important to less important):
1. diffuse map
2. normal map
3. roughness map
4. metalness map
5. displacement or height map

Some maps contain similar information and can be used to generate other maps. For example, a normal map can be generated from a height map or a displacement map.

==== Diffuse map ====

The diffuse map is the basic texture and is also known as the colour map, as it is used to define the colours of the model.

==== Normal map ====
A normal map influences the normal vector. In geometry, a normal vector is a vector that is orthogonal (i.e. at right angles, perpendicular) to a straight line, curve, plane or (curved) surface. A straight line with this vector as the direction vector is called a normal vector (en: normal). (More about this: [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalenvektor|Wikipedia]])

The normal vector influences the direction of light reflection. The normal map can therefore be used to influence light reflection.

When viewing a texture, we also show an additional **normal quality indicator as a blue-purple circle below the texture object.** below the texture object. The less movement there is in the bright dot, the smaller the deviation from the vertical normal for this texture.

{{store:pasted:20240214-102834.png?Direct&200 |}}
**What does a rotating dot on the normal quality indicator mean?** If the bright dot rotates here, then a reflection is influenced by the normal map in such a way that a rotation of the surface around the vertical axis for a light reflection causes a shift in the position of the reflection. This means that if the texture is to be used for a floor covering, it makes a difference to the reflection if the surface is rotated by 180 degrees. The reflection of a sun on this reflective texture is then displayed offset, which can lead to undesirable effects.

For straight surfaces such as floors or walls, only use textures where the normal quality indicator shows a point that is as stable as possible.


===Creating a normal map===


{{en:store:pasted:20240313-102628.png?direct&800}}

The button ''Generate'' button is used to create a normal map from the diffuse map. This button can be used if the textures do not have a normal map or the normal map is not correct. After the normal map has been created, the filter options are displayed with the default values with which it was created. These values can be adjusted as required. Each time the filter options are changed, a new map is created and the results can be seen on the texture sphere. 

The button ''Save'' button appears when we create a normal map. If you click on the ''Save'' button, the newly created normal map is saved in the textures as a normal map or the existing normal map is replaced by the new map. 



==== Roughness Map ====
The roughness map provides information and details about the surface, whether it is rough or smooth. It is a greyscale map that varies in all shades of grey. A surface with a lower roughness value is more reflective and a higher roughness shows fewer highlights.

If the texture does not have a roughness map or needs some changes, it can be created by clicking on the Generate button and saved with the Save button.
==== Displacement map ====
The displacement map, also called height map, defines the height range of the structure. It is also a greyscale map that varies from black to white and defines the height of the structure. The white part of the texture represents the higher part of the material and the black areas represent the lower parts.
==== AO Map ====
An Ambient Occlusion or AO map is a greyscale map that contains lighting data. It is often used together with the diffuse map to create small shadow details on the surface. (More about this: [[https://conceptartempire.com/ambient-occlusion-map|AO Map]])


==== ARM Map ====
ARM is the abbreviation for Ambient Occlusion, Roughness and Metallic. The ARM texture map combines the three textures into a single texture map with separate red, green and blue colour channels.

==== Emissive map ====
An emissive map is known as a fullbright map, glow map, incandescence map or self-illumination map. It is used for a glow effect in the dark, but does not emit any light onto neighbouring surfaces. It can be used in conjunction with a diffuse map to add a glow effect, such as magical runes on a sword or the heated material of a torch.
==== Metalness Map ====
A metalness map is used to define which areas of the material are metallic. It is a greyscale map in which the black areas are dielectric and non-metallic and the white area represents metal.
==== Alpha Map ====

The alpha map is a greyscale texture in which black stands for transparent and white for opaque.

===== Notes =====
The diffuse map and the normal map are primarily used for VR scenes that are also used on devices that are not very powerful. The **maximum texture file size is set at 50 MB** is set. Texture images that exceed this size will be reduced in size before uploading.