Specular maps and Defuse maps

[Mask Mods]

Never looked at the Saint's Row formats, but modding other games here's what I've found. Specularity maps can be pulled from lots of places. Fallout 3, which used the DDS format, pulled it from a channel in the normal map. It's greyscale so very easy to include in another image file without bloating things up too much. Specularity can be hidden/compiled within just about any shader, since it's so simple. Those videos above do a very good job explaining what they are, but someone who has played with them in SR3 or 4 will have to explain how they're implemented here.

For making normal maps, there is a plugin for photoshop on the nVidia site. https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

I think every one here already has that plug in , thats how were able to view and talk about the textures

and some one from Voltion did explain how they are used in Saints Row but it deosnt realy help fix certain problems like over reflective spec maps van tho ther are no highights in them -.- and im getin a glow file messing with another texture and I think SR handle glows diffrent than other games as iv seen like 3 diffrent ways they have done it jus in SRIV they cant keep it simple can they

and specs should not be B/W if thats what your saying it a common mistake people make, I dont know if im missunderstanding you tho and your saying somthing diffrent

Edit: just relaised after looking up that I should add any engraved detail on a weapon to normal map aswell as difuse