ChatGTP Assistance - Example from a mod with texture problems - BeamNG
1Here is what she said about the Grand-Torino Mod's main.materials.json...
The main.materials.json file appears to have a valid structure, but here are some observations that might need your attention:
Unused Stages:
Many materials have multiple Stages defined, but most stages are set to null. This isn't inherently wrong, but it's unnecessary if those stages aren't used, as they add to file size and complexity.
Texture Mapping:
The mapTo property for some materials, like "bluebuck_manual_sticks_001", contains .001 suffixes. This can cause issues with naming conflicts or unintended mappings in BeamNG. It might be worth cleaning up these suffixes if they're not intentional.
Translucent Materials:
Materials such as Glass are marked as "translucent": true. Ensure this setting is consistent with how you intend these materials to behave in-game. Translucent materials might also need additional properties like opacityMap or properly configured blending.
Procedural Material:
The material hood_paint_2 has a custom configuration with properties like baseColorMap and clearCoatFactor. Ensure the referenced texture paths (e.g., Wide+shot_fixed_power_of_2.dds) are correct and accessible in your mod folder.
Duplicate Names:
Multiple materials, such as moonhawk, moonhawk_001, and others with similar names, could cause confusion or overlap in the game. Verify that these materials are distinct and necessary.
Optimization:
Some materials, like Rubber, are set to a solid color ([0, 0, 0, 1]). If this is intended, you might consider using simpler configurations or merging similar materials to reduce the material count.
Consistency in Class Names:
While most materials use "class": "material", some like hood_paint_2 use "Material" with different case sensitivity. Ensure this is intentional and adheres to BeamNG's expectations.
Let me know if you need assistance refining this file further or addressing specific issues you're experiencing in BeamNG!