Normal Mapping
by Will O-Reagan · in Torque X 2D · 05/07/2007 (2:55 pm) · 5 replies
Does anyone know any nifty tutorials for creating normal maps? I'd be using corel tools, most likely.. But I don't really know how to go about it.
About the author
I have a degree in dramatic art, and literature, from UC Santa Barbara. I've worked for a few studios, also at Animax Ent in 2008, and some smaller studios. Currently studying Computer Science at CSU Channel Islands.
#2
1) select your object inside your sprite, crop everything else
2) convert the remaining parts of your picture to greyscale
3) invert the colors
the results "look good", whatever that means.
05/07/2007 (5:54 pm)
What i've seen people do for "lazy" normal maps:1) select your object inside your sprite, crop everything else
2) convert the remaining parts of your picture to greyscale
3) invert the colors
the results "look good", whatever that means.
#3
Another option is a tool called "CrazyBump", which is still in beta as far as I know.. but for more photorealistic objects, it's not too bad at creating normal maps.
Basically, it's not really feasible to "paint" a normal map. You either have to a) work in 2.5d or 3d, b) paint a heightmap and convert it to a normal map, or c) find a tool to generate a normal map from your image. These solutions are ordered from best results to worst, but also hardest to easiest.
05/19/2007 (6:34 pm)
The simplest way is to paint a height map of your texture (where lighter parts are bumped out and darker parts are bumped in) and then use the Nvidia photoshop filter (or something else of the sort) to convert the height map to a normal map.Another option is a tool called "CrazyBump", which is still in beta as far as I know.. but for more photorealistic objects, it's not too bad at creating normal maps.
Basically, it's not really feasible to "paint" a normal map. You either have to a) work in 2.5d or 3d, b) paint a heightmap and convert it to a normal map, or c) find a tool to generate a normal map from your image. These solutions are ordered from best results to worst, but also hardest to easiest.
#4
05/19/2007 (8:50 pm)
Thanks for the advice. I think jasons idea worked somewhat the best, that and blender got me about as far as I'm willing to go for this part of the project.
#5
If you want to add some additional variation to the normal map, then:
1) add a layer on top with a generic texture (something blahish procedurally generated or a texture of wet mud would work)
2) convert that texture to greyscale,
3) invert it,
4) crop to the outline of your sprite,
5) change that layer (the texture) to 50% transparency
6) merge with the normal map (cretaed with the method described in my first post)
vary the methods according to taste, but you get the idea.
05/19/2007 (9:44 pm)
Yeah, that method works, and makes things look pretty. Though when I dropped USD100 for some vegitation art "with normal maps!" and I saw that's basically how they created the bump maps, I felt a bit cheated. but hey, whatchagonnado.If you want to add some additional variation to the normal map, then:
1) add a layer on top with a generic texture (something blahish procedurally generated or a texture of wet mud would work)
2) convert that texture to greyscale,
3) invert it,
4) crop to the outline of your sprite,
5) change that layer (the texture) to 50% transparency
6) merge with the normal map (cretaed with the method described in my first post)
vary the methods according to taste, but you get the idea.
Associate Joseph Euan
I (and most other people) use Photoshop and the Nvidia Plugin.