Reflections and Specularity
 

I'm a bit confused on the spec map and the reflection map.
Are these mutually exclusive maps?

When I try to use them together, they don't appear to work properly at all.

Reflection map being included turns off my specular highlights.

And if I have a spec map and a reflection map, wherever the spec map is dark the reflection goes dark ( doesn't produce the expected diffuse lighting result as if the spec map was masking reflections ).

Attached are two images with reflection and spec map followed by just the specular map and no reflection map.

The specularity and the reflections are tied together. If there is no specularity, there is no reflection. The brighter the spec, the more visible the reflection is. Your reflection is only as strong as your specularity. If your specularity is at 50 and your reflection is at a 100, your reflection is at 50.

Your specularity highlights should remain with whatever reflection you put on. Here is an example of an object with varied specularities and reflections:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4awa6utijq...pecularity.jpg

If you need more shine, you can always ad rim lighting or rim radial to your object. If you don't know how, here's a quick how to

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ara65fxcnb...mRadialHow.jpg

I hope this clears up the questions you have.

Thank you, I was able to replicate your results in a test.