API Docs for:

MetallicMaterial

A MetallicMaterial is a physically-based Material that defines the surface appearance of Meshes using the metallic-roughness workflow.

Examples

Metallic Vs Roughness
glTF models with PBR materials Fire hydrant model Sample metal materials Metallic Vs. roughness

Overview

  • MetallicMaterial is usually used for conductive materials, such as metal.
  • SpecularMaterial is usually used for insulators, such as wood, ceramics and plastic.
  • PhongMaterial is usually used for non-realistic objects.

For an introduction to PBR concepts, try these articles:

The following table summarizes MetallicMaterial properties:

Property Type Range Default Value Space Description
baseColor Array [0, 1] for all components [1,1,1,1] linear The RGB components of the base color of the material.
metallic Number [0, 1] 1 linear The metallic-ness the material (1 for metals, 0 for non-metals).
roughness Number [0, 1] 1 linear The roughness of the material surface.
specularF0 Number [0, 1] 1 linear The specular Fresnel of the material surface.
emissive Array [0, 1] for all components [0,0,0] linear The RGB components of the emissive color of the material.
alpha Number [0, 1] 1 linear The transparency of the material surface (0 fully transparent, 1 fully opaque).
baseColorMap Texture null sRGB Texture RGB components multiplying by baseColor. If the fourth component (A) is present, it multiplies by alpha.
metallicMap Texture null linear Texture with first component multiplying by metallic.
roughnessMap Texture null linear Texture with first component multiplying by roughness.
metallicRoughnessMap Texture null linear Texture with first component multiplying by metallic and second component multiplying by roughness.
emissiveMap Texture null linear Texture with RGB components multiplying by emissive.
alphaMap Texture null linear Texture with first component multiplying by alpha.
occlusionMap Texture null linear Ambient occlusion texture multiplying by surface's reflected diffuse and specular light.
normalMap Texture null linear Tangent-space normal map.
alphaMode String "opaque", "blend", "mask" "blend" Alpha blend mode.
alphaCutoff Number [0..1] 0.5 Alpha cutoff value.
backfaces Boolean false Whether to render Geometry backfaces.
frontface String "ccw", "cw" "ccw" The winding order for Geometry frontfaces - "cw" for clockwise, or "ccw" for counter-clockwise.

Usage

In the example below we'll create the yellow fire hydrant shown in the example screen shots above. Our hydrant Mesh has:

  • a OBJGeometry which loads the fire hydrant mesh from an .OBJ file,
  • a MetallicMaterial with Textures providing diffuse, metallic, roughness, occlusion and normal maps.

We'll also provide its Scene's Lights with DirLights, plus CubeTextures for light and reflection maps.

Note that in this example we're providing separate Textures for the metallic and roughness channels, which allows us a little creative flexibility. Then, in the next example further down, we'll combine those channels within the same Texture for efficiency.

var hydrant = new xeogl.Mesh({

   geometry: new xeogl.OBJGeometry({
       src: "models/obj/FireHydrantMesh.obj"
   }),

   material: new xeogl.MetallicMaterial({

       // Channels with default values, just to show them

       baseColor: [1.0, 1.0, 1.0],
       metallic: 1.0,
       roughness: 1.0,
       emissive: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0],
       alpha: 1.0,

       // Textures to multiply by some of the channels

       baseColorMap : new xeogl.Texture({  // Multiplies by baseColor
           src: "textures/diffuse/fire_hydrant_Base_Color.png"
       }),

       metallicMap : new xeogl.Texture({   // R component multiplies by metallic
           src: "textures/metallic/fire_hydrant_Metallic.png"
       }),

       roughnessMap : new xeogl.Texture({  // R component multiplies by roughness
           src: "textures/roughness/fire_hydrant_Roughness.png"
       }),

       occlusionMap : new xeogl.Texture({  // Multiplies by fragment alpha
           src: "textures/occlusion/fire_hydrant_Mixed_AO.png"
       }),

       normalMap : new xeogl.Texture({
           src: "textures/normal/fire_hydrant_Normal_OpenGL.png"
       })
   })
});

var scene = hydrant.scene;

scene.lights.lights = [
new xeogl.DirLight({
        dir: [0.8, -0.6, -0.8],
        color: [0.8, 0.8, 0.8],
        space: "view"
    }),
new xeogl.DirLight({
        dir: [-0.8, -0.4, -0.4],
        color: [0.4, 0.4, 0.5],
        space: "view"
    }),
new xeogl.DirLight({
        dir: [0.2, -0.8, 0.8],
        color: [0.8, 0.8, 0.8],
        space: "view"
    }
];

scene.lights.lightMap = new xeogl.CubeTexture({
    src: [
        "textures/light/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Irradiance_PX.png",
        "textures/light/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Irradiance_NX.png",
        "textures/light/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Irradiance_PY.png",
        "textures/light/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Irradiance_NY.png",
        "textures/light/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Irradiance_PZ.png",
        "textures/light/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Irradiance_NZ.png"
    ]
});

scene.lights.reflectionMap = new xeogl.CubeTexture({
    src: [
        "textures/reflect/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Radiance_PX.png",
        "textures/reflect/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Radiance_NX.png",
        "textures/reflect/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Radiance_PY.png",
        "textures/reflect/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Radiance_NY.png",
        "textures/reflect/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Radiance_PZ.png",
        "textures/reflect/Uffizi_Gallery/Uffizi_Gallery_Radiance_NZ.png"
    ]
});

Combining channels within the same textures

In the previous example we provided separate Textures for the metallic and roughness channels, but we can combine those channels into the same Texture to reduce download time, memory footprint and rendering time (and also for glTF compatibility).

Here's our MetallicMaterial again with those channels combined in the metallicRoughnessMap Texture, where the R component multiplies by metallic and G multiplies by roughness.

hydrant.material = new xeogl.MetallicMaterial({

   baseColor: [1,1,1], // Default value
   metallic: 1.0,      // Default value
   roughness: 1.0,     // Default value

   baseColorMap : new xeogl.Texture({
       src: "textures/diffuse/fire_hydrant_Base_Color.png"
   }),
   metallicRoughnessMap : new xeogl.Texture({
       src: "textures/metallicRoughness/fire_hydrant_MetallicRoughness.png"
   }),
   occlusionMap : new xeogl.Texture({
       src: "textures/occlusion/fire_hydrant_Mixed_AO.png"
   }),
   normalMap : new xeogl.Texture({
       src: "textures/normal/fire_hydrant_Normal_OpenGL.png"
   })
});

Although not shown in this example, we can also texture alpha with the A component of baseColorMap's Texture, if required.

Transparency

Alpha Blending

Let's make our hydrant transparent.

We'll update its MetallicMaterial's alpha and alphaMode, causing it to blend 50% with the background:

hydrant.material.alpha = 0.5;
hydrant.material.alphaMode = "blend";

Alpha Masking

Let's apply an alpha mask to our hydrant.

We'll give its MetallicMaterial an alphaMap and configure alpha, alphaMode, and alphaCutoff to treat it as an alpha mask:

hydrant.material.alphaMap = new xeogl.Texture({
       src: "textures/diffuse/crossGridColorMap.jpg"
   });

hydrant.material.alpha = 1.0;
hydrant.material.alphaMode = "mask";
hydrant.material.alphaCutoff = 0.2;

Constructor

MetallicMaterial

(
  • [owner]
  • [cfg]
)

Parameters:

  • [owner] Component optional

    Owner component. When destroyed, the owner will destroy this component as well. Creates this component within the default Scene when omitted.

  • [cfg] optional

    The MetallicMaterial configuration.

    • [id] String optional

      Optional ID, unique among all components in the parent Scene, generated automatically when omitted.

    • [meta=null] String:Object optional

      Metadata to attach to this material.

    • [baseColor=[1,1,1] Float32Array optional

      RGB diffuse color of this MetallicMaterial. Multiplies by the RGB components of baseColorMap.

    • [metallic=1.0] Number optional

      Factor in the range 0..1 indicating how metallic this MetallicMaterial is. 1 is metal, 0 is non-metal. Multiplies by the R component of metallicMap and the A component of MetallicMaterial/metalRoughnessMap:property.

    • [roughness=1.0] Number optional

      Factor in the range 0..1 indicating the roughness of this MetallicMaterial. 0 is fully smooth, 1 is fully rough. Multiplies by the R component of roughnessMap.

    • [specularF0=0.0] Number optional

      Factor in the range 0..1 indicating specular Fresnel.

    • [emissive=[0,0,0] Float32Array optional

      RGB emissive color of this MetallicMaterial. Multiplies by the RGB components of emissiveMap.

    • [alpha=1.0] Number optional

      Factor in the range 0..1 indicating the alpha of this MetallicMaterial. Multiplies by the R component of alphaMap and the A component, if present, of baseColorMap. The value of alphaMode indicates how alpha is interpreted when rendering.

    • [baseColorMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGBA Texture containing the diffuse color of this MetallicMaterial, with optional A component for alpha. The RGB components multiply by the baseColor property, while the A component, if present, multiplies by the alpha property.

    • [alphaMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's alpha in its R component. The R component multiplies by the alpha property. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [metallicMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's metallic factor in its R component. The R component multiplies by the metallic property. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [roughnessMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's roughness factor in its R component. The R component multiplies by the roughness property. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [metallicRoughnessMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's metalness in its R component and roughness in its G component. Its R component multiplies by the metallic property, while its G component multiplies by the roughness property. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [emissiveMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB Texture containing the emissive color of this MetallicMaterial. Multiplies by the emissive property. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [occlusionMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB ambient occlusion Texture. Within shaders, multiplies by the specular and diffuse light reflected by surfaces. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [normalMap=undefined] Texture optional

      RGB tangent-space normal Texture. Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

    • [alphaMode="opaque"] String optional

      The alpha blend mode, which specifies how alpha is to be interpreted. Accepted values are "opaque", "blend" and "mask". See the alphaMode property for more info.

    • [alphaCutoff=0.5] Number optional

      The alpha cutoff value. See the alphaCutoff property for more info.

    • [backfaces=false] Boolean optional

      Whether to render Geometry backfaces.

    • [frontface="ccw"] Boolean optional

      The winding order for Geometry front faces - "cw" for clockwise, or "ccw" for counter-clockwise.

    • [lineWidth=1] Number optional

      Scalar that controls the width of lines for Geometry with primitive set to "lines".

    • [pointSize=1] Number optional

      Scalar that controls the size of points for Geometry with primitive set to "points".

Methods

create

(
  • [cfg]
)

Convenience method for creating a Component within this Component's Scene.

The method is given a component configuration, like so:

var material = myComponent.create({
     type: "xeogl.PhongMaterial",
     diffuse: [1,0,0],
     specular: [1,1,0]
}, "myMaterial");

Parameters:

  • [cfg] optional

    Configuration for the component instance.

Returns:

:

destroy

()

Destroys this component.

Fires a destroyed event on this Component.

Automatically disassociates this component from other components, causing them to fall back on any defaults that this component overrode on them.

TODO: describe effect with respect to #create

error

(
  • message
)

Logs an error for this component to the JavaScript console.

The console message will have this format: [ERROR] [<component type> =<component id>: <message>

Also fires the message as an error event on the parent Scene.

Parameters:

  • message String

    The message to log

fire

(
  • event
  • value
  • [forget=false]
)

Fires an event on this component.

Notifies existing subscribers to the event, optionally retains the event to give to any subsequent notifications on the event as they are made.

Parameters:

  • event String

    The event type name

  • value Object

    The event parameters

  • [forget=false] Boolean optional

    When true, does not retain for subsequent subscribers

hasSubs

(
  • event
)
Boolean

Returns true if there are any subscribers to the given event on this component.

Parameters:

  • event String

    The event

Returns:

Boolean:

True if there are any subscribers to the given event on this component.

isType

(
  • type
)
Boolean

Tests if this component is of the given type, or is a subclass of the given type.

The type may be given as either a string or a component constructor.

This method works by walking up the inheritance type chain, which this component provides in property Component/superTypes:property, returning true as soon as one of the type strings in the chain matches the given type, of false if none match.

Examples:

var myRotate = new xeogl.Rotate({ ... });

myRotate.isType(xeogl.Component); // Returns true for all xeogl components
myRotate.isType("xeogl.Component"); // Returns true for all xeogl components
myRotate.isType(xeogl.Rotate); // Returns true
myRotate.isType(xeogl.Transform); // Returns true
myRotate.isType("xeogl.Transform"); // Returns true
myRotate.isType(xeogl.Mesh); // Returns false, because xeogl.Rotate does not (even indirectly) extend xeogl.Mesh

Parameters:

  • type String | Function

    Component type to compare with, eg "xeogl.PhongMaterial", or a xeogl component constructor.

Returns:

Boolean:

True if this component is of given type or is subclass of the given type.

log

(
  • message
)

Logs a console debugging message for this component.

The console message will have this format: [LOG] [<component type> <component id>: <message>

Also fires the message as a log event on the parent Scene.

Parameters:

  • message String

    The message to log

off

(
  • subId
)

Cancels an event subscription that was previously made with Component#on() or Component#once().

Parameters:

  • subId String

    Publication subId

on

(
  • event
  • callback
  • [scope=this]
)
String

Subscribes to an event on this component.

The callback is be called with this component as scope.

Parameters:

  • event String

    The event

  • callback Function

    Called fired on the event

  • [scope=this] Object optional

    Scope for the callback

Returns:

String:

Handle to the subscription, which may be used to unsubscribe with {@link #off}.

once

(
  • event
  • callback
  • [scope=this]
)

Subscribes to the next occurrence of the given event, then un-subscribes as soon as the event is subIdd.

This is equivalent to calling Component#on(), and then calling Component#off() inside the callback function.

Parameters:

  • event String

    Data event to listen to

  • callback Function(data)

    Called when fresh data is available at the event

  • [scope=this] Object optional

    Scope for the callback

warn

(
  • message
)

Logs a warning for this component to the JavaScript console.

The console message will have this format: [WARN] [<component type> =<component id>: <message>

Also fires the message as a warn event on the parent Scene.

Parameters:

  • message String

    The message to log

Properties

alpha

Number

Factor in the range [0..1] indicating the alpha value.

Multiplies by the R component of alphaMap and the A component, if present, of baseColorMap.

The value of alphaMode indicates how alpha is interpreted when rendering.

Default: 1.0

alphaCutoff

Number

The alpha cutoff value.

Specifies the cutoff threshold when alphaMode equals "mask". If the alpha is greater than or equal to this value then it is rendered as fully opaque, otherwise, it is rendered as fully transparent. A value greater than 1.0 will render the entire material as fully transparent. This value is ignored for other modes.

Alpha is the combined result of the alpha and alphaMap properties.

Default: 0.5

alphaMap

Texture final

RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's alpha in its R component.

The R component multiplies by the alpha property.

Default: undefined

alphaMode

String

The alpha rendering mode.

This specifies how alpha is interpreted. Alpha is the combined result of the alpha and alphaMap properties.

  • "opaque" - The alpha value is ignored and the rendered output is fully opaque.
  • "mask" - The rendered output is either fully opaque or fully transparent depending on the alpha and alphaCutoff.
  • "blend" - The alpha value is used to composite the source and destination areas. The rendered output is combined with the background using the normal painting operation (i.e. the Porter and Duff over operator).

Default: "opaque"

backfaces

Boolean

Whether backfaces are visible on attached Meshes.

The backfaces will belong to Geometry compoents that are also attached to the Meshes.

Default: false

baseColor

Float32Array

RGB diffuse color.

Multiplies by the RGB components of baseColorMap.

Default: [1.0, 1.0, 1.0]

baseColorMap

Texture final

RGB Texture containing the diffuse color of this MetallicMaterial, with optional A component for alpha.

The RGB components multiply by the baseColor property, while the A component, if present, multiplies by the alpha property.

Default: undefined

destroyed

Boolean

True as soon as this Component has been destroyed

emissive

Float32Array

RGB emissive color.

Multiplies by emissiveMap.

Default: [0.0, 0.0, 0.0]

emissiveMap

Texture final

RGB emissive map.

Multiplies by emissive.

Default: undefined

frontface

String

Indicates the winding direction of front faces on attached Meshes.

The faces will belong to Geometry components that are also attached to the Meshes.

Default: "ccw"

id

String final

Unique ID for this Component within its parent Scene.

lineWidth

Number

The MetallicMaterial's line width.

Default: 1.0

metadata

Object

Arbitrary, user-defined metadata on this component.

metallic

Number

Factor in the range [0..1] indicating how metallic this MetallicMaterial is.

1 is metal, 0 is non-metal.

Multiplies by the R component of metallicMap and the A component of MetallicMaterial/metalRoughnessMap:property.

Default: 1.0

metallicMap

Texture final

RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's metallic factor in its R component.

The R component multiplies by the metallic property.

Default: undefined

metallicRoughnessMap

Texture final

RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's metalness in its R component and roughness in its G component.

Its B component multiplies by the metallic property, while its G component multiplies by the roughness property.

Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

Default: undefined

model

Model final

The Model which contains this Component, if any.

Will be null if this Component is not in a Model.

normalMap

Texture final

RGB tangent-space normal map Texture.

Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

Default: undefined

occlusionMap

Texture final

RGB ambient occlusion map.

Within objectRenderers, multiplies by the specular and diffuse light reflected by surfaces.

Default: undefined

pointSize

Number

The MetallicMaterial's point size.

Default: 1.0

roughness

Number

Factor in the range [0..1] indicating the roughness of this MetallicMaterial.

0 is fully smooth, 1 is fully rough.

Multiplies by the R component of roughnessMap.

Default: 1.0

roughnessMap

Texture final

RGB Texture containing this MetallicMaterial's roughness factor in its R component.

The R component multiplies by the roughness property.

Must be within the same Scene as this MetallicMaterial.

Default: undefined

scene

Scene final

The parent Scene that contains this Component.

specularF0

Number

Factor in the range [0..1] indicating specular Fresnel value.

Default: 0.0

type

String final

JavaScript class name for this Component.

For example: "xeogl.AmbientLight", "xeogl.MetallicMaterial" etc.

Events

destroyed

Fired when this Component is destroyed.