[PS] Normal Mapping and it's Importance

[noremorse]

[Quake3Bits Normal Mapping Tutorial]
-A good insight into what a normal map is, and how do create one.

---

[/HR]

A normal map is a technique used to make a low polygon, low detail model look like a higher polygon, higher detail model without sacrificing performance.

Resources
-Nvidia Normal Map Photoshop Plug-in
-ATi tga2dot3 Converter
-GIMP Freeware Photo Editor
-GIMP Normal Map Plug-in
-GIMP DDS Plug-in

[TITLE]Importance[/TITLE]

All new models/texture need to have a corresponding normal map to go with it. Without this map, the model will not respond to lighting in the game.

Creating a normal map is fairly easy. Creating a good normal map requires much more knowledge and talent. I'm not going to write a tutorial here when there are much better ones available on the internet already. For a great one I found, click the link at the top of this thread.

[TITLE]Applying Your Normal Map[/TITLE]

In order to apply your new normal map to an object in Oblivion, all you need to do is save it into the same directory and add the suffix "_n" to it.

Example:
My original texture is named "Door_texture.dds."
My normal map is named "Door_texture_n.dds."

[TITLE]Alpha Channel Transparency[/TITLE]

:alert: EDIT: It is possible. I cannot figure it out enough to explain how yet, but it is and I can get it to work sometimes. Once I do, you'll see a tutorial on how to get it to work.

Through extensive eye gouging and head bashing I have come to the conclusion that you do not need (or want) to use a normal map if you are creating a model/texture that should have a section of it completely transparent, such as a torn up banner. This banner only has two faces (mine is on the left).

[GALLY]2~0.jpg[/GALLY]

A normal map would normally apply much more detail, such as the wrinkles standing out in 3 demensions, but due to the way Oblivion handles Alpha channels with normal maps, it will not work correctly. Though you will still get the normal mapping effect, such as it becoming 3d, you will also lose your transparencies.

[GALLY]1.jpg[/GALLY]

[Greybeard]

Thanks for the info - and especially for the link.

[TheImperialDragon]

:poorme:

I'm the one who got this whole normal map issue started... Doesn't anyone remember it was me and DA who found the plugin?

:poorme:

but thanks noremorse for typing this, I guess maybe I should be thanking you so I don't get swamped in PMs. lol.

[Greybeard]

Since both of you are well over 1,000 posts, which of you do I go to for help with all of these odd mapping additions: bump, normal, gloss, etc.?

[noremorse]

Well, I'm still learning myself. I've heard here and there that there are different capabilities of the alpha channel on a normal map, such as gloss, but haven't been able to successfully pull anything off.

Either of us could be the go to guy, but I think TID may have a little more experience in that field.

[TheImperialDragon]

Maybe a little more experience, but I too, am still learning, gloss as I hear are perhaps controlled by the normal map, so maybe I'll have a look at what I can do with my trusty old GIMP.

Here's something, that is supposed to be a red quill, but I set the Alpha channel to 1.

[DarkAsmodeous]

Transperancy I have been told involves some mesh values as well, but I think it is doable with normal maps.

[noremorse]

Well, I figured there has to be a way, now. I opened up the .bsa file and looked at some of the plants, realizing they all reacted to light. Come to find out, there is a way. I cannot figure it out for the life of me though.

[Razorwing]

Transparancy doesn't have anything to do with normal maps.

A color map can have an opacity map in the alpha channel. If it's black-and-white, and you set the 'strength' to a 100, it makes the black parts completely invisible, like a leaf effect for instance. If you set the color map to also be the opacity map, the transparancy is evenly distributed, like with the glass bottle. I presume you can also use a greyscale opacity map to get varying degrees of opacity, like a partial frosted-glass effect, but I've never experimented with that.

The problem, if you will, lies in the exporter. Gundalf's exporter can't export transparancy, but can export collision. The Civ4 exporter can export opacity, but not collision. Either technique *should* be able to set up in NifSkope, but between the Civ4 exporter and gundalf's exporter I just never got around to studying NifSkope.

[noremorse]

I've gotten the color map to be transparent, but as soon as I add in the normal it reverses that effect. It won't show up in NifSkope because it doesn't even display the normals, only the color maps.

This is a direct result of the normal map being in (left) or out (right) of the directory, all I did was delete it from the folder.



So I know there is already transparency available for the mesh. Maybe I should check out GIMP, because it seems to have worked for TID on that quill.