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Bump map/normal map.
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Bump map/normal map. // Archive: Tech Forum
Post by W!ZARD // Aug 8, 2007, 1:16am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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OK so I'm getting the hang of things with the DX9 shaders - I'm really getting to like them even though working with them is still a rather hit and miss thing at the moment.
So here's my question; I have a LW texture using a colour image in the colour shader and a monochrome bump map (obviously in the bump shader.
Now I've created a DX9 material and have used the same colour image in the Colour Shader but how do I create a bump map? Or how do I create a normal map from my monochrome LW bump map?
Or am I barking up the wrong tree? Is there some other method for deriving bump map effects from an image file that I'm overlooking?
My DX9 texture looks so good but I want a bump map effect - preferably before my brain melts!:D
If anyone can give me some pointers here I would be most appreciative.
Thanks in advance and apologies if this is one of those "Der, the answers really obvious" type questions. |
Post by 3dvisuals dude // Aug 8, 2007, 2:00am
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3dvisuals dude
Total Posts: 1703
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TrueSpace 7.5x can make it's own normal maps via placing objects on a plane beneath an overhead camera and rendering them to PSD format in Modelside with the "normal map" option, then do a screengrab of the Modelside window once the normal map is rendered there.
On an easier note... do what I do, grab "Wilbur" which will convert any image you feed it into a genuine trueSpace-compatable normal map in 1 click:D .
Here's the link:
http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~jslayton/wilbur.html (http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~jslayton/wilbur.html)
Hope that helps,
- 3dvisuals dude |
Post by Jack Edwards // Aug 8, 2007, 2:07am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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The more mundane way to convert to normal maps you need to use the nVidia plug-ins for PhotoShop or download the normal map plug-in for GIMP.
You can find more info here:
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php...view&qid=10156
Here's the links for the plug-ins for GIMP:
http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/%7ecocidius/normalmap/
http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/dds/
Also useful is this Normal map baking prog:
http://www.xnormal.net/
-Jack. |
Post by W!ZARD // Aug 8, 2007, 2:17am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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See? It's easy when you know how!
Thanks you gentlemen. Jack as I'm a BIG fan of the GIMP I'll probably try that option first - thanks for the links, you are Da Man! |
Post by W!ZARD // Aug 8, 2007, 3:29am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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Brilliant - thanks Jack that was exactly what I needed! And at my favourite price too. Gotta love that GIMP. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Aug 8, 2007, 4:00am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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3dvisual's link looks cool too. But it's hard to beat the ability to paint them yourself. ;)
GIMP's worked out awesome for me too. It keeps getting better as well. I'm running 2.3.19 right now and the brush and selection tools are hugely improved over the "stable" releases. I just wish more of the plugins would get compiled for Windows. The compiling process for them (and GIMP itself) looks like a hell I don't even want to begin to enter... lol
BTW, I noticed that I had to install the GTK separately to get tablet support working correctly for the latest developer release.
-Jack. |
Post by Steinie // Aug 8, 2007, 5:22am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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Why wouldn't you load the bump map in Modeler and have it converted to a Normal Map when sent over to workSpace?
What am I missing? |
Post by W!ZARD // Aug 13, 2007, 3:21am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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Why wouldn't you load the bump map in Modeler and have it converted to a Normal Map when sent over to workSpace?
What am I missing?
Um.... I'm not sure of the answer here Bob. I started with a LW material, used an image in the colour shader and a greyscale version of the same image file in the bump shader. When rendered in LW it looks brilliant. However in the workplace realtime window the texture image looks fuzzy and shows no appreciable 'bumpy' effect. This may render out complete with bump effect if rendered in Vray, but I don't have Vray.
Even if I did have Vray the object of this exercise was to learn to use the realtime DX9 shaders. So delving into the LE and adding and adjusting DX9 shader 'objects' I was able to get a lovely sharp material using my original image but it displayed no bump effect. I needed a normal map for the DX9 normal shader and maybe there is a way to convert it in tS but I couldn't find it (translation: didn't know or think to look! ;) ).
Jacks solution involved a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between the GIMP and the LE but I got a pleasing result without any problems. And as Jack points out, using the GIMP like this gives you the ability to paint your normal map yourself.
It's highly likely that I'm the one missing the easiest approach of all (I sometime think I've made a lifelong practice of doing exactly that; missing the easiest approach!) so if you've got anything to add about doing the bump to normal conversion directly in tS please let me know! |
Post by Jack Edwards // Aug 13, 2007, 5:39am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Not sure either Steinie...?
But TS version of VRay definitely handles Normal maps much better than bump maps. If you're getting render artifacts (odd shadowing/lighting) when rendering with VRay try converting your bump maps to normal maps and see if they go away.
-Jack. |
Post by Steinie // Aug 13, 2007, 6:35am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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It's not pretty but it is possible...
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=388&highlight=bump |
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