Normal Mapping Question

[philip_ho_]

I was wondering if its possible to create and export normal maps in Hex to map a lower poly version of the same model? i've included screen shots of the low poly and high poly model. If there are tutorials out there can someone post a link?

[Patrick210]

Hex can create and export displacement maps for low to high poly, but not normal maps.

[Affuso]

I tryed Melody for this but it crash or give bad , useless output.

[philip_ho_]

thanks patrick for letting me know, saves me trying to look for tutorials that dont exist for normal map in Hex.
Since Hex can't export normal maps and Melody is apparently not so great, Affuso what do you use to create normal maps then?

[laughingnome]

theres only a few programs that produce normals maps Philip, Zbrush and LW are 2 i know of, dunno about Modo or Softimage or Max or Maya though.
seems it all depends on what you want to render in and what you want to model in.

stu

[jbshorty]

Originally Posted by laughingnome

theres only a few programs that produce normals maps Philip, Zbrush and LW are 2 i know of, dunno about Modo or Softimage or Max or Maya though.
seems it all depends on what you want to render in and what you want to model in.

stu

Silo 2 - Yes, it will export normal maps. But program is still in development. I'm not sure if the export function has been completely finished yet. But it will be in the final release.

Modo - Yes. And it can also bake a normal map from one mesh to another, even if they've got different topology.

shorty

[transient]

Xnormal is the new program of choice for quality normal mapping. Better yet it's free.

Don't let this put you off, it's a professional application. It can do many other things as well, like mapping textures from high poly to low-poly models and ambient occlusion.

Blender has normal mapping now too, but it it doesn't do tangent mapping yet.

[Affuso]

I don't know , I just made some test with £dgs.
The model looks bumpy but not reseamble the reference model.
I save the normal map in both dds and tga files and the image looks like a collection of feather and not the model.
Something Melody not load the model at all or crashes.

The antivirus does block the X Normal istallation .

[Affuso]

The reference model (hig poly, just a quick test) rendered in Carrara

[Affuso]

The strange normal map from Melody

[Doug.S]

Get a low cost plugin for Carrara to render normal maps from

http://www.inagoni.com/news.php

Doug.S

[jogshy]

Originally Posted by Affuso

The antivirus does block the xNormal istallation

You need adminitrative rights on computer to intall xNormal from the Windows Installer package ( and in Vista, tell the UAC to allow intallation )

If you prefer there is a zipped xNormal installation package... just decompress into the folder you want ( look for the "zipped" version in http://www.xnormal.net/downloads.aspx , by the "xNormal ZIPPED for Windows 2000/XP" table, and sure you install the .NET 2.0/VS2005 DLLs/DirectX9.0c february 2007 editior or above pre-requisites first )

Hope it helps!

[philip_ho_]

transient i took ur advice and downloaded XNormal but i dont understand how to use the program, the help files that come with it i find aren't all that helpful. Does anyone know of tutorials i can look at, or better can someone make a simple tutorial show how to create a normal map?

[jogshy]

Originally Posted by philip_ho_

transient i took ur advice and downloaded XNormal but i dont understand how to use the program, the help files that come with it i find aren't all that helpful.

I have some flash tutorials in http://www.xnormal.net/Tutorials.aspx too hehe
However I must admit normal mapping is not easy!

Originally Posted by philip_ho_

Does anyone know of tutorials i can look at, or better can someone make a simple tutorial show how to create a normal map?

For a more basic tutorials your can try these:

http://www.bencloward.com/tutorials_normal_maps1.shtml
http://www.poopinmymouth.com/tutoria...l_workflow.htm
http://www.game-artist.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43

Hope it helps

[philip_ho_]

Originally Posted by jogshy

I have some flash tutorials in http://www.xnormal.net/Tutorials.aspx too hehe
However I must admit normal mapping is not easy!

jogshy, i take it u wrote those tutorials? if u did, any chance of making one that shows how to use the program, by doing a step by step guide of how to create a normal map using XNormal? I just can't get my head round using the program keep getting errors...

[jogshy]

Originally Posted by philip_ho_

jogshy, i take it u wrote those tutorials?

Yep i'm the xNormal's programmer! Fear my programmer-art skeeelz!

Originally Posted by philip_ho_

jif u did, any chance of making one that shows how to use the program, by doing a step by step guide of how to create a normal map ?

Well atm I'm too much occupied coding the next version but gonna try if I get some spare time!

Is easy though:

1) Put a highpoly mesh in the highpoly mesh list ( right click over a row and a context menu will appear. Select the "Browse meshes" )




2) Put the lowpoly in the lowpoly list(this one needs UVs). Again right click over a slow and context menu will appear. Again press the the "Browse meshes" and select the lowpoly mesh file



3) Setup ray distances(see the PDF doc, basically use a 3dsmax "tape" helper or radius estimation) or better setup a cage(and mark the "use cage" in the slot)... Cages gives the best results, but can be complicated.



Notice you use uniform rays distance OR cages. If you select the "use cages" then the uniform ray distance values will be ignored. For a fast test better UNcheck the "use cage" and set the ray distance to approximate the model radius. If you have no ide what distance to put there then leave it at 0.5 and sure you check this option:





5) Select an output file name where to save the normal map and the kind of maps you want to generate:




4) Press generate and voila...



If you get some errors or you are just "lost" tell me, I will try to help you!

[L33tace]

i can't see a download button for xNormal so i thought i had to register and log in, but i can't find a register either?????

[bwtr]

http://www.xnormal.net/Downloads.aspx

Try this.

[Affuso]

Mmmmmmmmmm
This is the low poly and the high poly rendered in Carrara.
X normal give me a strange normal map and a lot of black maps..
I miss something, I guess.





the normal map

[jogshy]

Originally Posted by Affuso

Mmmmmmmmmm
X normal give me a strange normal map and a lot of black maps..

Just check the "Generate normal and height map", the others are for AO, etc that probably don't need.

Originally Posted by Affuso

the normal map

I think it looks ok as quick test. Perhaps a better UV packing will use better the texture space, but is mainly ok. Just need to play a few with the ray distance/cages to solve some small ray errors ( and try to triangulate your model to avoid n-sided polygons winding problems )

I'm not sure what method uses Carrara to show in realtime the normal map. Perhaps you will need to "swizzle" some components in map ( for example UE3 engine needs the Y flipped (-Y) ).