Softness map and channels

[fljhma (A)]

Hello guys,
I am wondering about how to work with channels in photoshop when creating a softness map. I understand that the red, green and blue channels are affecting different aspects of softness, but how to edit them in a good way? Sure I can paint directly in respective chananel with different greyscales, but it would be nice be able to work with layers. And if I create a layer and paint with example red, the red channel becomes white, but the green and blue becomes black and thats not what i want.

So, any ideas how to work with layers in channels? 

[Darkslides19]

The Softness Map texture controls how soft the dirt is and how fast it ruts. A lot of tracks have the R & B channels set between 100 and 150. Bigger is softer. Some of the tracks use 255 for max softness.

Scott (Scawn7) and John (Jvdl) did some testing and have come up with this explanation:

Red Channel: The red channel determines the speed at which deformation happens. 0 is slow (actually turning deformation off) and 255 is fast.

Green Channel: The green channel determines how deep the deformation happens. 0 is none (actually turning deformation off) and 255 is maximum depth.

Blue Channel: The blue channel determines how much the ground builds up around the deformation. 0 is none, and the ground does not deform outside of your tire path while 255 causes the ground around the deformation to start increasing in height.

Alpha Channel: The alpha channel does not appear to do anything. I tried 0, 255, and even deleted the alpha channel all together. Nothing made a difference. (update Bruce - 0 turns off the deformation. No alpha ends up defaulting to a white alpha)

Src: https://twisteddirt.bruceatkinson.com/wiki/SoftnessMapTexture

~Ds19

[fljhma (A)]

As I asid I already know that, its copied from the wiki  Maybe I was not clear, what i did't understand was how to work with the red green and blue channels in photoshop. Think i figured it out
though, if i paint in a layer with color (255, 128, 128) that will affect the red channel only. And thats what i wanted to know (given that it works) 

[Darkslides19]

Ooh sorry. Well, as you know, every color has an RGB value so if you want layers just paint 255 of that color on there. 255 128 128 will affect all channels. I usually just paint on one layer..

[SubbotaFew (A)]

wrong club its the SCCA doing it and the weather was cool in the am but by 11 it was like 63 last year not bad

what car will you be driving??