# Decal Blend Types & Master Materials

There are a number of Decal Blend types/modes with different available features depending on your required usage. The type is controlled by the Decal Master Material parent in the Material Instance of your Decal, which can be [changed at any time](#changing-decal-master-material).

### Master Material Features Table

![Material feature cheat sheet](/files/hHGQzTgW4dgmwqHshV7g)

### Choose your Decal Master Material

Decals come in 11 different blend modes, listed on the left in the table above. Not all features are compatible with every blend mode and so the Master Materials have been set up to only expose parameters which work with their respective blend mode. 

Examples of all of these decals are in the Decal Blend Modes map Content>DecalDesigner>Maps>DecalBlendModes

{% hint style="info" %}
Choosing the right Decal Master Material can improve performance and reduce memory usage. Use the table above to help you to decide which features you need. For example, a decal which adds a little roughness variation to a polished table surface in a baked lighting environment, use the DBuffer\_R Master Material as it only affects Roughness.
{% endhint %}

The following example Decals all use the same source Textures but use different blend modes

### Basic Decals

Regular Decals that don't work with baked lighting

![Translucent](/files/MmG8JQ282idCLWM9fK9I)

**M\_Decal\_Translucent**

A translucent decal blend mode which can use Diffuse, Metallic, Specular, Roughness, Emissive, Opacity, and Normal.

MI\_Example\_Translucent

![Stain](/files/NYOutyb47jdh61wwMLeB)

**M\_Decal\_Stain**

A modulate type blend with Diffuse and Opacity

MI\_Example\_Stain

![Normal](/files/qrN16Fm11j81JS4Hj106)

**M\_Decal\_Normal**

Uses Opacity and Normal and only affects the Normal map it is projecting on

MI\_Example\_Normal

![Emissive](/files/kwbWD4oWs9BoQW47H1tW)

**M\_Decal\_Emissive**

Uses Emissive and Opacity only

MI\_Example\_Emissive

### DBuffer Decals

The DBuffer decals can be used with baked lighting

{% hint style="info" %}
DBuffer Decals are not on by default and must be enabled in the Project Settings > Rendering section.
{% endhint %}

![DBuffer Color Normal Roughness (Default Decal)](/files/Uh6l5BiN2Q7IbjVHl6dx)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_CNR = DBuffer Color Normal Roughness**

This is the Default Decal type being used for the Library. Uses Color, Opacity, Roughness, Normal and Emissive to work with baked lighting.

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_CNR

![DBuffer Color](/files/8EROTOvo8xO3LsdLgpcs)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_C = DBuffer Color**

Uses only Color, Opacity and Emissive to work with baked lighting

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_C

![DBuffer Color Normal](/files/kbTCLiKtfM6u5ak24odH)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_CN = DBuffer Color Normal**

Will use only Color, Normal, Opacity and Emissive to work with baked lighting

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_CN

![DBuffer Color Roughness](/files/2SYbScvtdzAygsDIQH5t)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_CR = DBuffer Color Roughness**

Will use only Color, Roughness, Opacity and Emissive to work with baked lighting

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_CR

![DBuffer Normal](/files/CwRtCpD3uXDWHVXLyJ59)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_N = DBuffer Normal**

This will only use the Opacity and Normal channels to work with baked lighting

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_N

![DBuffer Normal Roughness](/files/dy1H3F0razYoUXlDSWyP)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_NR = DBuffer Normal Roughness**

This will only use the Opacity, Roughness and Normal channels to work with baked lighting

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_NR

![DBuffer Roughness](/files/bdkSfMWaiUTXJB0zazGr)

**M\_Decal\_DBuffer\_R = DBuffer Roughness**

This will only use the Opacity and Roughness channels to work with baked lighting

MI\_Example\_DBuffer\_R

### Changing Decal Master Material

You can freely swap Master Material at any time on a Material Instance to change the required blend mode or available features. You will not lose any of the parameter values you have already changed previously on this Material instance when you swap Master Material.

![](/files/y68E96wgqaf6J2gETuEi)

1. Open any Material Instance window by double clicking
2. Scroll down to General
3. Under Parent, click the dropdown arrow
4. Search for "m\_decal" or
5. Swap to any of the other Decal Master Materials, prefixed with "M\_Decal\_"

The Decal Master Materials are located in Content>DecalDesigner>Master>Material


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