Normal Map Creation: Difference between revisions

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A [[Normal Maps|normal map]] should be created in the same dimensions as the image texture (color map) it will go with. There are a few options for how to create one, depending on the quality you want, your skill with various programs, or your patience.
#redirect [[Bump map#Creation]]
 
 
 
===Converting from a heightmap===
 
As the Source tool [[Height2Normal]] doesn't work anymore, you will have to resort to other tools in order to convert a [[wikipedia:Heightmap|heightmap]] to a normal map.
{{todo|Which ones?}}
 
 
===Using an image editing program===
 
*[[Normal Map Creation in Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro|Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro]]
*[[Normal Map Creation in The GIMP|The GIMP]]
 
 
===Using a 3D program===
*[[Normal Map Creation in XSI|XSI]]
*[[Normal Map Creation in ZBrush2|ZBrush2]]
*[[Normal Map Creation in Lightwave|Lightwave]]
*[[Normal Map Creation in 3D Studio Max|3D Studio Max]]
*[[Normal Map Creation in Maya|Maya]]
 
*[http://developer.nvidia.com/object/melody_home.html NVIDIA Melody]
*[http://planetpixelemporium.com/tutorialpages/normal2.html Cinema 4D]
*[[NormalMapper]]
 
 
===Other Tools===
 
*[http://www.crazybump.com CrazyBump beta test] - Produces some very good normal maps. Some of them can be argued as almost having the same depth as a parallax map.
 
 
==Getting the normal map in the game==
 
<ol><li>Save your normal map as a [[TGA]] in the same resolution as the original texture. Give it a name that ends in ''_normal''. Then convert it to a VTF. The ''_normal'' at the end of the name will affect how [[Vtex]] converts it. For the brick wall example, we would name the file <code>brickwall_normal.tga</code>. Place the new VTF in the same place as your original texture.</li>
<li>Add this line to the VMT somewhere between the braces:<br/>
 
<pre>"$bumpmap" "texture name"</pre>
and fill in the path and name of your normal map VTF. Here's an example VMT for a normal-mapped material:
<pre><nowiki>"LightmappedGeneric"
{
    "$basetexture" "walls/brickwall"
    "$surfaceprop" "brick"
    "$bumpmap" "walls/brickwall_normal"
}</nowiki></pre>
 
{{Note|Multiple materials can use the same normal map file.}}</li>
 
<li>When compiling your maps with vtex, Add this line to the <texture filename>.txt file in the same directory as your textures then compile with vtex.
<br/>
<pre>"nocompress" "1"
"normal" "1"</pre></li></ol>
 
 
==See Also==
*[[Creating Materials]]
*[[Normal Maps]]
 
 
 
[[Category: Tutorials]]
 
{{otherlang:en}} {{otherlang:en:jp|Creating Normal Maps:jp}}

Latest revision as of 03:48, 3 December 2008

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