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arma:texturing:normal_maps [2007/10/19 14:23] – added more info tips snakemanarma:texturing:normal_maps [2024/08/01 14:38] (current) – links added. snakeman
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-====== Normal Maps ======+====== ArmA 1 Normal Maps ====== 
 + 
 +[[https://www.pmctactical.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=42|ArmA 1 Forum]], [[:arma|ArmA 1 Home]], [[arma:config|ArmA 1 Config]], [[arma:tools|ArmA 1 Tools]], [[arma:file_formats|ArmA 1 File Formats]], [[arma:missions|ArmA 1 Missions]], [[arma:modeling|ArmA 1 3D Modeling]], [[arma:terrain|ArmA 1 Terrain]], [[arma:texturing|ArmA 1 Texturing]], [[arma:scripting|ArmA 1 Scripting]] 
 + 
 +**ArmA 1** aka Armed Assault (ArmA) 
  
 ====== Overview ====== ====== Overview ======
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 Say goodbye to dull surfaces with 3D World's high-speed tour of the games industry’s hottest new technique Say goodbye to dull surfaces with 3D World's high-speed tour of the games industry’s hottest new technique
  
-If you aim to work in games, it’s worth playing around with normal mapping. Now one of the industry’s hottest topics, normal maps make the surface of a game model look much more detailed and impressive. This detail is displayed in real time: the images in the article are screengrabs, not renders. To create a normal map, a 3D software package samples the directions in which the surfaces of a detailed model (a higher-resolution version of the in-game object) face, storing the information as coloured pixels. The map is then applied to the lower-resolution object, passing information about the hi-res model to the lighting calculations.+If you aim to work in games, it’s worth playing around with normal mapping. Now one of the industry’s hottest topics, normal maps make the surface of a game model look much more detailed and impressive. This detail is displayed in real time: the images in the article are screenshots, not renders. To create a normal map, a 3D software package samples the directions in which the surfaces of a detailed model (a higher-resolution version of the in-game object) face, storing the information as colored pixels. The map is then applied to the lower-resolution object, passing information about the hi-res model to the lighting calculations.
  
 At present, a common approach is to build the hi-res source model immediately, but I feel it can be more effective to start with the lo-res final model. Firstly, starting low makes it easier to revise proportions, and allows for vital early rigging and animation tests. Secondly, once the lo-res is finished, it is a simple job to add polish. I recommend exporting the mesh to ZBrush 2: a great tool for sculpting in organic detail. At present, a common approach is to build the hi-res source model immediately, but I feel it can be more effective to start with the lo-res final model. Firstly, starting low makes it easier to revise proportions, and allows for vital early rigging and animation tests. Secondly, once the lo-res is finished, it is a simple job to add polish. I recommend exporting the mesh to ZBrush 2: a great tool for sculpting in organic detail.
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 ====== ArmA guys ====== ====== ArmA guys ======
  
-Panda[PL] on [[http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=76;t=68166;st=15|BIS forums]]: IIRC one of devs once said how specular texture should look like:\\+Panda[PL]: IIRC one of devs once said how specular texture should look like:\\
 Red = diffuse\\ Red = diffuse\\
 Green = specular\\ Green = specular\\
 Blue = specular power.\\ Blue = specular power.\\
-So if you don't intend to change specular power and diffuse then both R and B should be both set to full. If diffuse is not all white (full) then the material gets darkened, if Blue is not all white then the value you imput as specular power in rvmat gets multiplied by this value (which is treated as a number betwen 0 and 1, not 0-255). Texture for specular should be "1,x,1,1", where x is specular, unless you want to modiffy the diffuse and specular power.+So if you don't intend to change specular power and diffuse then both R and B should be both set to full. If diffuse is not all white (full) then the material gets darkened, if Blue is not all white then the value you input as specular power in rvmat gets multiplied by this value (which is treated as a number between 0 and 1, not 0-255). Texture for specular should be "1,x,1,1", where x is specular, unless you want to modify the diffuse and specular power.
  
 Panda[PL]: The problem with specular map is: it needs two channels to work! The texture is 2D, so one channel supplies only information on how the light is applied along one axis. Panda[PL]: The problem with specular map is: it needs two channels to work! The texture is 2D, so one channel supplies only information on how the light is applied along one axis.
  
 My advise on normal maps:\\ My advise on normal maps:\\
-1) draw a height map (lighter th color the higher the point), you can use the normal texture here if you're really in a hurry, but I advise making it by hand.\\+1) draw a height map (lighter the color the higher the point), you can use the normal texture here if you're really in a hurry, but I advise making it by hand.\\
 2) use programs like Xnormal to convert it to normal map.\\ 2) use programs like Xnormal to convert it to normal map.\\
 The correct channel settings seem to be:\\ The correct channel settings seem to be:\\
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 In this turitorial I'm going to show you how to make a new normal map for a us soldier. I'm using my own diffuse texture as an example to show you what I want the new normal map to be based on. In this turitorial I'm going to show you how to make a new normal map for a us soldier. I'm using my own diffuse texture as an example to show you what I want the new normal map to be based on.
  
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/freddern_diffuse_texture.jpg }}+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/freddern_diffuse_texture.jpg }}
  
 As you can see in the diffuse texture , most of the changes are on the vest and the new armpads. The rest of the texture will look great with the original normal map. So this means that I'm going to add my own vest and armpads to the original normal map. As you can see in the diffuse texture , most of the changes are on the vest and the new armpads. The rest of the texture will look great with the original normal map. So this means that I'm going to add my own vest and armpads to the original normal map.
  
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/freddern_original_normal.jpg }}+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/freddern_original_normal.jpg }}
  
 But how do you do this? But how do you do this?
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 Now you have somthing like this: Now you have somthing like this:
  
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/freddern_my_vest_height.jpg }}+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/freddern_my_vest_height.jpg }}
  
 Use the xNormal plugin and choose Height2Normals. Use the xNormal plugin and choose Height2Normals.
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 Looks finished now don't it? Looks finished now don't it?
  
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/freddern_my_normal.jpg }}+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/freddern_my_normal.jpg }}
  
 Not quite. Not quite.
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 Now you see this: Now you see this:
  
-{{ http://tactical.nekromantix.com/images/wiki/freddern_alpha_channel.jpg }}+{{ https://pmc.editing.wiki/images/freddern_alpha_channel.jpg }}
  
 Select the whole image\alpha picture and copy it, select RGB channel, then paste so that you get a copy of the alpha channel in a regular RGB layer and can modify it as you wish. Select the whole image\alpha picture and copy it, select RGB channel, then paste so that you get a copy of the alpha channel in a regular RGB layer and can modify it as you wish.
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 Have fun! Have fun!
  
-Source ([[http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=76;t=65558|freddern in BIS forum]]) 
  
 ===== Normal Maps Tutorial by Skaven ===== ===== Normal Maps Tutorial by Skaven =====
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 (as a side note, I didn't just write it for myself. Somebody on Ars Technica's Macintosh Achaia (http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/...m/726000575831) expressed the same complaint with NMG as I felt, so I figured, why not write it. (as a side note, I didn't just write it for myself. Somebody on Ars Technica's Macintosh Achaia (http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/...m/726000575831) expressed the same complaint with NMG as I felt, so I figured, why not write it.
 +
  
 ===== Nvidia Tools ===== ===== Nvidia Tools =====
  
-Nvidia tools are supposedly doing normal maps (automatically?), some filters or something. Check out [[http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html|Nvidia Adobe Photoshop Plug-ins]].+Nvidia tools will create normal maps automatically. Check out [[http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html|Nvidia Adobe Photoshop Plug-ins]].
  
 Includes: Includes:
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 ORB is another normal map generator, converts 3D models into normal maps. Also generates displacement maps, diffuse maps, vertex-color maps. Imports ASE/OBJ/LWO formats. Previewer included. [[http://www.soclab.bth.se/practices/orb.html|here]] ORB is another normal map generator, converts 3D models into normal maps. Also generates displacement maps, diffuse maps, vertex-color maps. Imports ASE/OBJ/LWO formats. Previewer included. [[http://www.soclab.bth.se/practices/orb.html|here]]
 +
arma/texturing/normal_maps.1192803780.txt.gz · Last modified: 2007/10/19 14:23 by snakeman
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