Texture Types (Research)

 Diffuse

Is the most common type of texture and is a raw colour channel for a 3d model. Diffuse maps defines the colour and pattern of the object.

Specular

Is a texture map which defines the shininess of an object or how much light reflects. Specular maps are usually greyscale. 

White = the most reflective

Black = the most absorbent.

Gloss

A gloss map can aid in defining the roughness of a surface, the lower the value, the darker areas get more rough. The higher the value the lighter areas of a 3d model are smoother. 

Albedo/Base Colour

An albedo/base colour map usually doesn't consist of any shadow and highlights. An albedo map usually consists of just the base color. Though an albedo map is known as a diffuse map, it has no ambient occlusion or directional light. 

Roughness

Roughness map & gloss map are similar. Roughness works when the dark areas of a texture will have a glossy look. And, the light areas having a matte look. 

Metalness

A metalness map tells the render which parts of a surface should be metallic and which parts of a surface, shouldn't.

White parts of the surface = should be metallic

Black parts of the surface = should be non-metallic

Normal

A normal map allows you to add moderate details of an object, without adding any extra polygons. Each color of a normal map represents each axis which can replicate the light reflecting on the surface.  

Emissive

An emissive map is a texture map which doesn't need lighting. It emits colours at full intensity without lighting other surfaces. 

Opacity

Controls how transparent a material can be. 

Black = fully transparent

White = solid colour

Grey scale = various levels of transparency

Ambient Occlusion (AO Map)

An AO map allows you to apply shadows into a texture but that process is irreversible.

Height Maps

Are greyscale images used to calculate different heights. It's mainly used in landscapes, adding some height detail.