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Creating normal maps
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Creating normal maps // Feature suggestions
Post by GraySho // Jun 27, 2006, 7:56am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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One feature that would make ts7 even more interesting for game developers, would be the creation of a normal map for a low poly model, based on a high poly version. Chose the low poly model, hit the "creato normal map" button and select the high poly model. I'm not talking about the feature that is already implemented. It is basically a poly reduction tool. The problem is that poly reduction tools can never evaluate which features of the high poly model should be kept (at least not with the desired accuracy). ATI has already developed such a tool, but plugins are only available for Max and Maya. Would be nice to have it embedded in trueSpace (or a plugin). |
Post by parva // Jun 27, 2006, 8:50am
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parva
Total Posts: 822
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Such a tool is already in there, the Normalmap Generator.
If you create an object and press the "simplify mesh and create normal map" tool you get a box with settings in the LE.
Enter the sub structure and you will find the Normalmap Generator.
Two nodes: highres and lowres input can be connected with custom objects. MeshUnwrapper is also in there which create directly a normal UV texture.
Problem just to save this normal map and personally I have never got a working convertion low->high so I agree with you we need a more advanced version ;) |
Post by Asem // Jun 27, 2006, 9:41am
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Asem
Total Posts: 255
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There is another way because I noticed that somethimes the normal map created by truespace doesn't look the way I wanted.
You'll need to use GIMP which is a free photoshop like software and is pretty good by itself.(http://www.gimp.org)
Next you need to download the normal mapper plugin from nvidia website.
(http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_texture_tools.html)
it's located at the bottom of the page.
I have actually been turning some of my textures into normal maps(512^2 or 1024^2) not only for ts7 but also for other game creation purposes.
Check it out :D |
Post by GraySho // Jun 29, 2006, 10:53am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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Asem: this is not really what I'm talking about. I want to be able to create a normal map based on geometry, not an image.
Parva: Just tried the NormalMapGenerator object with some sort of success. I selected it in LE and saved it to the object library. Then I created a simple cylinder, made a copy and started to model details on that copy. Then I linked the simple cylinder to the lowres input, the modified cylinder to the highres input. The generator created the normalmap I expected to show up (more or less). Just have to find out how to save that map.
Edit: It seems like the normal map is automatically painted onto the highres object, which doesn't make any sense. Should be the other way around. |
Post by rj0 // Jun 29, 2006, 12:32pm
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rj0
Total Posts: 167
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nVidia used to have a free tool (MeLODy) that I believe combined normal mapping with polygon reduction (for LODs), but I seem to recall that nVidia made a change of direction with their development of MeLODy, so I am not sure what they have available anymore.
rj |
Post by Asem // Jun 29, 2006, 7:32pm
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Asem
Total Posts: 255
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NormalMapper (http://www2.ati.com/developer/NormalMapper-3_2_2.zip) generates normal (bump) maps from a high and low-resolution model, for PC and the APPLE platform
ATI seems to have one.
I haven't tried it but this seems to do what you want. |
Post by GraySho // Jun 30, 2006, 4:51am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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ATI seems to have one.
I haven't tried it but this seems to do what you want.
You really should take some time and read my post ;) I have that specific tool from ATI, but it's using a file format that doesn't work with trueSpace. There are plugins available for 3DS Max and Maya, but none for tS. So I have to look for another way, or wait 'till Caligari develops the normalMapGenerator a bit further. Maybe it can be done within LE, but I haven't had success saving or extracting the normal map. Maybe a developer can comment on this issue? |
Post by trueBlue // Jun 30, 2006, 5:07am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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Not sure if you tried this, but read page 511 in the Artist's guide. |
Post by GraySho // Jun 30, 2006, 5:21am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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Here's the model I tried to create a normal map for. On the left the "high" poly version (medium actually), on the right the textured low poly model as it appears in-game.
http://www.spacerat.at/truespace/high_low.jpg |
Post by GraySho // Jun 30, 2006, 5:33am
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GraySho
Total Posts: 695
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Allright. Found out how to get the map. Did the poly reduction, switched to model view, and inspected the material. The map was saved in "TS tmp textures" directory. Just have to try it with the normal map generator object without poly reduction. |
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