Normal map [Solved]

[jedimoose32]

Hi everyone.

I tried adding a normal (and specular) map to my model by following Darth DUCK's tutorial. Here's what I ended up with.

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Here's my explorer view in Softimage:

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And the Materials Manager from ZE Tools:

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I have dda_bldg_forticade_normal.tga, and a .tga.option file that says:

Code: Select all

-format bump

I tried exporting the mesh with the XSINormalMap, but the exporter gives me an error. So I exported it without the actual normal map material included, as you can see in the explorer view.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[edited to provide correct explorer picture]

[Marth8880]

No no no, you can only use the Phong (or Lambert) materials with Battlefront II models. ZE-ify your diffuse texture Phong material, enter the name of the normal map texture in the Texture 1 slot and set the render type to 28 for render bump+gloss. (Optionally, you might want to set the specular decay to a value like 4. Specular decay determines the size of the specular spot; the smaller the value, the larger the spot.)

Also, see here: http://www.gametoast.com/viewtopic.php?p=466539#p466539 under "Normal map".

[jedimoose32]

No no no, you can only use the Phong (or Lambert) materials with Battlefront II models.

Mkay, so you think it's the Image2 material that's killing me?

[Marth8880]

Something along those lines. Just delete the material and start over.

Note: Phong materials for Battlefront II should only ever have have *one* image/texture connected to it.

[jedimoose32]

Something along those lines. Just delete the material and start over.

Note: Phong materials for Battlefront II should only ever have have *one* image/texture connected to it.

Here's what I have now.

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Look okay?

[Marth8880]

Yep! Do you want me to confirm that your ZE flags are correct, too? Post a screenshot if you do.

[jedimoose32]

Yep! Do you want me to confirm that your ZE flags are correct, too?

Might as well. I'm munging as I type this so we'll see.

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Also I think the problem may have been two-fold - I found the tangent map from ultimapper in my clusters folder and I think that may have been contributing to the funny colours.
Here's where it was:


EDIT: Fixed! I think it was the tangents.

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The specular looks a bit funny but I'll do some tweaking from here. Thanks!

[Marth8880]

Great! Though you shouldn't have the specular box checked. Render type 28 takes care of that automatically.

[jedimoose32]

Hey Marth, thanks for all the help so far. Here's a tricky one that I can guarantee is related to the same subject - now that I've got my sweet-looking normal-mapped, specular-mapped wall model, ZeroEditor crashes when I try to load my .wld file... I searched all over and couldn't find any other people having an issue like this. If I back up my dda_bldg_forticade.msh and replace it with the old one that had just a specular map the .wld file loads fine.

Still tinkering with settings and whatnot to see if I can make any progress but so far no luck.

[Marth8880]

What resolution is your texture(s)? It can't be anything above 2048x2048 (or something along those lines).

[jedimoose32]

What resolution is your texture(s)? It can't be anything above 2048x2048 (or something along those lines).

My textures are exactly 2048 x 2048, but why would this only start affecting ZeroEditor once a normal map is applied?
I'll try reducing them to 1024 x 1024 and see if that helps.

PS Glad to see someone else is on at this hour (12am here).

EDIT: I reduced them to 1024 and it still didn't work but then I checked the normal map and for some reason Photoshop was saving it at 32-bit instead of the (what seems to be standard for ZE) 24-bit. So I fixed that and everything is fine now.

[DarthD.U.C.K.]

Converting the normalmap to 24 bit may fix the ZE problem but then its alphachannel with the specularmap is lost. If this really makes ZE crash, try putting the specularmap in the alphachannel of the diffuse texture, maybe battefront will recognize it.

[jedimoose32]

Converting the normalmap to 24 bit may fix the ZE problem but then its alphachannel with the specularmap is lost.

Okay, that makes sense, thanks. My specular map was in the diffuse texture alpha map since the beginning so no issues there. Right now both maps seem to be displaying fine in-game.