Detail map
From polycount
A detail map is used to create up-close high-frequency details.
It is combined in the shader with a regular texture, except using a higher amount of UV tiling so it makes smaller pixels. Mip Mapping allows the detail texture to fade out at a medium distance to hide tiling artifacts.
Detail maps are often used with Diffuse maps and/or Normal maps.
![](/w/images/b/bc/Wolfire_DetailMap_none.jpg)
1. Landscape without any detail textures. Image by Wolfire Games.
![](/w/images/c/c9/Wolfire_DetailMap_color.jpg)
2. Landscape with a color detail texture. Image by Wolfire Games.
![](/w/images/9/98/Wolfire_DetailMap_color-and-normal.jpg)
3. Landscape with a color and normalmap detail textures. Image by Wolfire Games.
Tutorials
- Detail color textures in Battlefield 2 - by David "Fenring" Wahlberg
- Detail color textures in Unreal Engine - by Epic Games
- Detail color and normalmap textures in Overgrowth - by Wolfire Games
- Multitexturing in MotoGP - by Climax Group
- Alpha Blend - Source/Destination matrix - from the Polycount forum