Parallax for noobs?
by St. · in Torque 3D Professional · 10/10/2009 (6:24 pm) · 8 replies
Hi all,
I've just spent all day trying to make a parallax mapped texture (I've never done this before) without any success.
And the worst part is that there are very few tutorials on how to make parallax maps (especially using Photoshop) and import them in T3D.
I've found a couple of videos on bumpmapping (for the older versions of Torque) and there is one tutorial for GIMP in the resources section... but that doesn't help me much.
I've got a texture and the appropriate normal and a height map, I've installed the DDS plug-in for PS, but... I've got no idea what to do next.
Can anyone help me please?
P.S. I've actually tried many things and "combinations" already (that didn't work) but I won't mention them not to confuse you. A correct step by step guide on making a dds and putting it in T3D would be very welcome. :)
I've just spent all day trying to make a parallax mapped texture (I've never done this before) without any success.
And the worst part is that there are very few tutorials on how to make parallax maps (especially using Photoshop) and import them in T3D.
I've found a couple of videos on bumpmapping (for the older versions of Torque) and there is one tutorial for GIMP in the resources section... but that doesn't help me much.
I've got a texture and the appropriate normal and a height map, I've installed the DDS plug-in for PS, but... I've got no idea what to do next.
Can anyone help me please?
P.S. I've actually tried many things and "combinations" already (that didn't work) but I won't mention them not to confuse you. A correct step by step guide on making a dds and putting it in T3D would be very welcome. :)
#2
AutoHD Link www.youtube.com/v/04NOseM6UKg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1
10/10/2009 (6:50 pm)
DDS can not help you there but this is one way to make the texture in PS.AutoHD Link www.youtube.com/v/04NOseM6UKg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1
#3
10/10/2009 (7:01 pm)
Thanks, I remember seeing that earlier and forgot about it :-). Perhaps there should be a sticky thread with some of this stuff for people to take a look at. 
#4
10/10/2009 (7:01 pm)
Also saving as a DXT5_NM *.dds works.
#5
Thank you very much, everyone.
*gone reading and watching the video*
10/10/2009 (7:53 pm)
Awesome! :) Thank you very much, everyone.
*gone reading and watching the video*
#6
dxt5 works fine, just export the dds with alpha channels option ticked prior to the dds export options.
however i'm yet to get parallax working well on meshes. parallax works great on terrain and is probably best skipped elsewhere. the costs of calulating the effect would have to be more expensive than just adding the bump in triangles
10/10/2009 (10:08 pm)
how would a dxt5_nm work it only has two channels at twice the bitdepth the height is stored in the alpha which is the 4th channeldxt5 works fine, just export the dds with alpha channels option ticked prior to the dds export options.
however i'm yet to get parallax working well on meshes. parallax works great on terrain and is probably best skipped elsewhere. the costs of calulating the effect would have to be more expensive than just adding the bump in triangles
#7
10/10/2009 (11:27 pm)
didn't have any problems with DXT5_NM from photoshop + nvidias plugin
#8
10/10/2009 (11:44 pm)
so you've managed to use an image format with two channels AND an alpha? i never said it wouldn't be a problem i said it wouldn't contain a heightmap for parallax. 
Torque 3D Owner Joshua Halls (Xerves)
Not sure if this helps, but some tutorials on this would be beneficial.