DCC production guide
Channel Packing and ORM Map Checklist
Direct answer: Channel packing is approved only when the receiving shader reads the same channel order that the texture author exported. A common game convention is ORM: red for ambient occlusion, green for roughness, blue for metallic. Some teams use RMA or MRA instead. The file name, material graph, and import settings must agree; if one side says ORM and the shader samples roughness from red, the material will look wrong even though the image file is valid.
Channel PackingORM MapOcclusion Roughness Metallic MapRMA Map通道打包ORM 贴图ORMマップ
What channel packing must prove
Channel packing is approved only when the receiving shader reads the same channel order that the texture author exported. A common game convention is ORM: red for ambient occlusion, green for roughness, blue for metallic. Some teams use RMA or MRA instead. The file name, material graph, and import settings must agree; if one side says ORM and the shader samples roughness from red, the material will look wrong even though the image file is valid.
Color-space rule
Packed AO, roughness, metallic, masks, and height data should be treated as linear data, not sRGB color. Base color and emissive are typical color maps; ORM/RMA is not. In Unity, Unreal, Blender, or a custom WebGL viewer, the practical check is the same: disable color correction for packed data maps and preview each channel independently.
Approval checklist
1. State the convention: ORM, RMA, MRA, or project-specific. 2. Verify red/green/blue channel previews against the shader inputs. 3. Confirm import setting is linear or non-color data. 4. Record resolution, bit depth, and alpha usage. 5. Test one bright metal, one matte dielectric, and one occluded cavity area in the target lighting.
Naming and handoff example
A defensible name is `prop_crate_2k_ORM.png` plus a manifest line such as `R=AO, G=Roughness, B=Metallic, Linear`. Avoid names like `mask.png` or `packed.png`; they do not preserve intent when files are moved into an engine project.
Common failures
If a surface becomes mirror-like, roughness may be sampled from the wrong channel or imported as sRGB. If metal appears plastic, metallic might be missing or inverted. If cavities brighten instead of darken, AO may be ignored or wired into the wrong material slot.
Evidence to keep
Save the channel preview screenshot, material node screenshot, target-engine viewport image, and the map manifest. The reviewer should be able to reproduce the interpretation without asking the artist which channel means what.
Worked review example
For a sci-fi crate material, the reviewer opens the packed texture and samples three known areas: a deep seam for AO, a painted worn edge for roughness, and a bare metal bolt for metallic. The AO channel should darken cavities without changing the base color. The roughness channel should separate polished worn edges from dusty paint. The metallic channel should be mostly binary unless the art direction intentionally uses blended grime. If the engine preview does not match those expectations, the fix is not “make it look better” but to identify whether the channel order, import color space, or shader input is wrong.
Multilingual production terms
Use this channel packing orm map checklist terminology table when writing review comments, export notes, or handoff instructions across Chinese, English, and Japanese teams.
| 中文 | English | 日本語 | Workflow usage note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 通道打包 | Channel Packing | チャンネルパック | Use these terms when naming packed PBR maps and explaining channel order in material handoff notes. |
| ORM 贴图 | Occlusion Roughness Metallic Map | ORMマップ | Use these terms when naming packed PBR maps and explaining channel order in material handoff notes. |
| 遮挡粗糙金属贴图 | ORM Map | オクルージョン/ラフネス/メタリックマップ | Use these terms when naming packed PBR maps and explaining channel order in material handoff notes. |
Term notes for multilingual briefs
Use the English term Channel Packing with matching Chinese/Japanese notes where relevant: 通道打包 / ORM 贴图 / ORMマップ. Keep the technical term beside the local-language note so reviewers can map it back to DCC and engine settings.
Related pages and next step
Open SEELE AI workspaceFAQ
What is the safest default for ORM maps?
Use project-defined channel order and write it into the file name or manifest. A common example is R=AO, G=Roughness, B=Metallic, imported as linear data.
Is ORM the same as RMA?
No. The same three values may be packed in a different order. The shader and texture must use the same order.
Should packed maps be sRGB?
Normally no. ORM/RMA maps are data maps and should usually be imported as linear or non-color data.
What visible proof is enough for approval?
A channel preview plus a target-engine material preview usually proves the map is interpreted correctly.