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Texturesintermediate10 min readupdated 11 Sept 2026

Normal and specular maps on GTA V weapons

The short answer

GTA V weapons usually use a diffuse (_d), normal (_n) and specular (_s) texture on a weapon_normal_spec… shader; _tnt variants support weapon tints through a palette. Normal maps follow the DirectX convention — flip the green channel if your baker exports OpenGL style. Specular maps control where light reflects; start from the vanilla weapon’s textures as a reference for values.

The diffuse texture gives a weapon its colour; the normal and specular maps give it shape and material. A good normal map makes a low-poly receiver look machined, and a correct specular map separates matte polymer from polished steel. Get either wrong and the gun looks plastic or inside out.

Normal and specular maps on GTA V weapons — illustrated with a FiveM-compatible minimap render

#The texture set

TextureSuffixStores
Diffuse_dBase colour (and sometimes alpha)
Normal_nSurface direction detail — scratches, knurling, screws
Specular_sHow strongly and sharply each area reflects light

The shader on each model material decides which textures are used. Check the material in CodeWalker or Sollumz before creating textures — a material on a diffuse-only shader ignores your normal map entirely.

#Weapon shaders

Vanilla weapons use shaders from the weapon_normal_spec… family. Variants ending in _tnt read a tint palette so the weapon supports tints; others add detail maps, cutout alpha or emissive parts. Keep the vanilla shader when you retexture, and choose a _tnt variant for add-on weapons that should support tints — see weapon tints.

#Normal maps

  • Bake from a high-poly model onto the game model (Blender, Substance, Marmoset).
  • GTA V uses DirectX-style normal maps. If lighting looks inverted (bumps look like dents), flip the green channel.
  • Keep the normal map flat (128,128,255) where there is no detail.
  • Compress as BC5 or BC3 — see DDS formats.

#Specular maps

Bright areas reflect strongly (bare metal edges, polished parts), dark areas stay matte (polymer grips, rubber). A uniformly bright specular map is why many add-on guns look like wet plastic. Open the vanilla weapon’s _s texture next to yours and match its overall brightness before adding your own variation.

#Common shading problems

Looks likeLikely cause
Bumps look like dentsOpenGL normal map — flip green
Whole weapon glossySpecular map too bright
Flat, painted-on detailNormal map missing or shader without normal support
Blocky shading on curvesNormal map compressed as BC1
Seams along UV edgesBake padding too small or mismatched tangents
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Questions

Does GTA V use DirectX or OpenGL normal maps?
DirectX-style. Flip the green channel of OpenGL-style normal maps.
Why is my add-on weapon too shiny?
The specular map is too bright. Compare it with the vanilla weapon’s _s texture and tone it down.
What does _tnt mean on a weapon shader?
The shader supports weapon tints via a palette.
Do I need a specular map?
If the shader uses one, yes — without it the material cannot tell metal from polymer.

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