Texture Channel Packer

Module: Tech · Category: TextureGenerators · Tool ID: TextureChannelPacker

Pack 4 source textures’ channels into a single RGBA output. Each output channel (R / G / B / A) gets its own source texture + source channel selection (R/G/B/A/White/Black) + invert toggle + level remap. Includes packing presets (ORM, MRA, RMA, etc.), 8-bit or 16-bit output, batch folder mode, preset save/load to JSON, and auto-detect for <basename>_Roughness / _Metallic / _AO texture sets.

Packer with 4 channel slots filled in for ORM packing, preview showing the packed texture, batch mode panel visible.

When to use it

• ORM packing: Occlusion / Roughness / Metallic in one RGB texture for memory + sample-count savings
• Custom mask packing: packing 4 mask textures into a single RGBA
• Preparing texture sets for a parent material that expects packed inputs
• Batch processing a folder of texture sets

What it isn’t for

• Don’t expect this to unpack. See Texture Sheet Splitter for atlas splitting (different operation).

Opening the tool

1. Open the EQLabs Hub and search for Channel Packer (or browse to Tech → TextureGenerators).
2. Click the tool card.

Interface tour

Channel slots (4)

For each of R / G / B / A output channels:

Field	What it does
Source Texture picker	The texture to sample from
Source Channel combo	Red / Green / Blue / Alpha / White / Black
Invert toggle	1 - value
Level Min / Max	Remap the source range

Output config

Field	What it does	Default
Output Resolution	Final texture size	1024
Bit Depth	8 / 16	8
Save Asset Path	Output asset path	/Game/Textures/T_Generated_PackedChannels

Packing presets

Built-in presets covering common conventions: ORM (Occlusion/Roughness/Metallic in RGB), MRA, RMA, etc. Click a preset to fill the channel slots automatically.

Preview

Live preview with isolation modes: RGBA / Solo R / Solo G / Solo B / Solo A.

Batch mode

Field	What it does
Batch Folder Path	Folder with texture sets to process
Batch Output Suffix	Suffix appended to output filenames
Run Batch	Walks the folder, packs every texture set

Auto-detect texture set

When the source for one slot is set, Auto-Detect Texture Set scans the same folder for <basename>_Roughness, _Metallic, _AO, etc., and auto-fills the other slots.

Preset save/load

Configure your packing setup, click Save Preset with a name. Reload via Load Preset. JSON files persist across sessions.

Auto-Detect Texture Set just ran, all 4 slots populated with matching _AO, _Rough, _Metal textures.

Workflow

ORM pack

1. Drop the AO texture into channel R, source channel R.
2. Drop the Roughness texture into channel G, source channel R.
3. Drop the Metallic texture into channel B, source channel R.
4. Channel A: Source = Black (or set as needed).
5. Or: pick ORM preset to fill these in one click.
6. Click Pack + Save as UE Asset.

Batch process a folder

1. Set up the channel slots (or load a preset).
2. Set Batch Folder Path.
3. Click Run Batch — every detected texture set gets packed and saved.

Settings reference

Settings + presets persist to [Project]/Saved/EQLabs/.

Output

• UTexture2D asset. Via Save as UE Asset.
• PNG file. Via Export.
• Bit depth. 8-bit (BGRA8) or 16-bit (HDR-friendly).
• Batch run writes one packed texture per detected source set

Tips and gotchas

• ORM is the de-facto PBR packing convention. Occlusion / Roughness / Metallic in RGB, A free for any mask.
• Bit depth matters for normal maps. For normal-channel packing, use 16-bit to avoid quantization artifacts.
• Auto-detect uses naming conventions. Assumes _Roughness, _Rough, _R; _Metallic, _Metal, _M; etc.
• Solo Preview modes are useful for verifying each channel ended up where you intended

Related tools

• Smart Mask & Texture Processor — for height-to-normal and normal blending (not channel packing)
• Texture Sheet Splitter — opposite domain (atlas → individual textures)
• Texture Validation & Color Mgmt — validate the packed output’s settings