Bump And Normal Maps

[Brother23]

Has anyone of you done that already.

I will do this the first time but dont know what to do after making

the black and weight heightmap?!

There should be some transformation of format with PHotoshop or
Imagetool but the SDK Doc makes not much sense for me.

Hope somebody knows better.


Greetings

[phpdk]

Hi,

I have made bump maps successfully using the latest Nvidia plug-in for Photoshop (also working in PSP11 which I am using) and following Arno's instruction in post #15 here.

Peter

[n4gix]

Originally Posted by phpdk

Hi,

I have made bump maps successfully using the latest Nvidia plug-in for Photoshop (also working in PSP11 which I am using) and following Arno's instruction in post #15 here.

Peter

Peter you are the first person I've heard of who's managed to get the nVidea plugin working in PSP. I use Photoshop CS myself, but several other team members use PSP.

How did you get it working?

Hmmm... I just noticed that I do have PSP installed here, but it's version 7, so perhaps that's the problem... it's a bit "obsolete" now.

BTW, not to pick nits, but it was I who provided the information to Arno in the first place...

[phpdk]

Hi,

it's version 7, so perhaps that's the problem... it's a bit "obsolete" now.

Yes, that's it. It didn't work before, but works now with version 11 (or rather "PHOTO XI" as they call it for some reason) and with the latest plug-in (8.23.0307.1915). I simply installed it in the Corel folder where it creates 2 sub-folders, and directed PSP to that destination. (I have used PSP since version 4, I am happy with it and it is much cheaper than Photoshop).

it was I who provided the information to Arno in the first place...

Yes, I know. And Arno does give you the credit in that post. But the credit is yours, no doubt. In this, as in many other cases.

Peter

[n4gix]

Originally Posted by phpdk

Hi,Yes, that's it. It didn't work before, but works now with version 11 (or rather "PHOTO XI" as they call it for some reason) and with the latest plug-in (8.23.0307.1915). I simply installed it in the Corel folder where it creates 2 sub-folders, and directed PSP to that destination. (I have used PSP since version 4, I am happy with it and it is much cheaper than Photoshop).

Thanks for the confirmation. I'll pass this along to the other team members so they'll quit beating the heads against the wall.

It is possible to create "normal maps" manually, but it's definitely a PITA to do so!

Fortunately for them, I can quickly create the "normal maps" in Photoshop CS using the nVidea plugin.

[Brother23]

Thats nice with your high tech solution, but I as a beginner cannot understand it.

How is the regular way going.

1. I have the grey-scale map

2. I have to save that as a normal map in Photoshop

But what settings in that Nvidia Saver Plug?!

3. What then?

And on.

Please help. I shortly before jumping out of the window again LOL :0)

Greetings

[n4gix]

Basically, use the default setting for the nVidea Normal Filter. The only thing you need to set is the "Scale" factor. I recommend between 0.5 and 1.5 as a good place to start...



Note in the image below, that after creating the "Normal Map," you need to cut-n-paste the RED channel's image to the Alpha channel, leaving the RED channel black (0,0,0).

[Brother23]

Mainly I do the same. But my DDS Saver dialog look a little different.

But I tried the actual NIVIDIA Tools.

I use PS7. Is there the error.

So I have a HeightMap, RGB and save it as 3DS XY 8 bpp NORMAL MAP.

Then I already to that channel stuff and get a light different looking

Map. But is has not the same blue tone like the default aircraft ones.

Can you explicitely by position tell me the steps, so I can figure out

where its going wrong?

[n4gix]

Originally Posted by Brother23

Mainly I do the same. But my DDS Saver dialog look a little different.

I didn't show a picture of the "DDS Saver dialog," so I am confused by your statement...

Originally Posted by Brother23

But I tried the actual NIVIDIA Tools.

That is what I showed in the picture above...

Originally Posted by Brother23

I use PS7. Is there the error.

Photoshop CS is v8.0 but there v7.0 should work just as well.

If I can find the time, I'll write up an illustrated mini-tutorial and post it somewhere for download. Trying to write something and post it as a forum message is useless, as it'll soon get buried and lost...

[Brother23]

THX N4GIX,

I have found the solution. I didnt noticed that there was

a saver dialog and the filter dialog.

Oh man. Im a little overworked. But now its working well.

THX

[Brother23]

..and I saw that also the black-white image has to be inverted before
normalizing. Or did you read that somewhere?

[n4gix]

Originally Posted by Brother23

..and I saw that also the black-white image has to be inverted before
normalizing. Or did you read that somewhere?

All images saved to DDS format must be inverted prior to saving.

It really makes no difference whether you invert before or after normalizing, it's only critical that you DO invert prior to saving as DDS/DXT5...

[Brother23]

With the Bump Map in meant doig black and white from white and black.

Otherwise the heights will show up depressed on my system.

Is that strange?

I dont live in downunder hee.....

Greetings