Upcoming Skins and Shader Maps #2

[DJ99X]

Well, the proper way to do it is to make a displacement map. The shading is not a proper displacement map. It sort of worked for the rider displacement map, because the shading sort of resembled a displacement map

[hvpunk62]

well im new at normal mapping i think some one should post up a tutorial *cough* DJ so we dont have cob job mappings

[Mona]

I thought about it, and i know what you mean by the displacement map. With normal maps, you're only going to be able to make things like bumps or cuts, extruded out, or engraved into the model. You arent going to be able to make the elevation change shadow on the side of a front fender for example, or the shadows on a shroud. I made a picture to give a better understanding of this, haha.

And im thinking that specular maps make those shadows and highlights that normal maps can't make..?

[Garasaki]

There's no real tutorial to making a disp map in photoshop. There dosent really need to be one.

White is high, black is low.

Then use the nvidia filter - been discussed ad naseum.

Here is a disp map for a jersey to give you a visual. You take this, run the nvidia filter on it, and it becomes a normal map.

[Garasaki]

I thought about it, and i know what you mean by the displacement map. With normal maps, you're only going to be able to make things like bumps or cuts, extruded out, or engraved into the model. You arent going to be able to make the elevation change shadow on the side of a front fender for example, or the shadows on a shroud. I made a picture to give a better understanding of this, haha.
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr31 ... almaps.png
And im thinking that specular maps make those shadows and highlights that normal maps can't make..?

You're basically, not right at all.

Normal maps main purpose is to help with bumps and cuts etc that aren't modelled. Like the ripples on a jersey - they don't appear on a model. The normal map puts them in.

The sides of the front fender you mentioned, are there in the model. They don't need help to get proper shading applied to them, because the geometry exists in the model.

Normal maps allow you to basically add new edges/vortexs to a model without using up additional polygons.

Specular maps control the color and focus of a reflection. This allows you to add neat details and control things, ie allowing you to make the seat reflect different then the plastic sidepanels.

[Mona]

You're basically, not right at all.

Normal maps main purpose is to help with bumps and cuts etc that aren't modelled. Like the ripples on a jersey - they don't appear on a model. The normal map puts them in.

The sides of the front fender you mentioned, are there in the model. They don't need help to get proper shading applied to them, because the geometry exists in the model.

Normal maps allow you to basically add new edges/vortexs to a model without using up additional polygons.

Specular maps control the color and focus of a reflection. This allows you to add neat details and control things, ie allowing you to make the seat reflect different then the plastic sidepanels.

Thats exactly what i meant! ha.
The normal map is to make the model look like they have the bumps and cuts, when really they don't. The normal map isnt capable of making those shadows. I know that.
The specular map information was a bit useful, so thank you.

[Garasaki]

I thought about it, and i know what you mean by the displacement map. With normal maps, you're only going to be able to make things like bumps or cuts, extruded out, or engraved into the model. You arent going to be able to make the elevation change shadow on the side of a front fender for example, or the shadows on a shroud.

I guess one of my points was that no one needs to artificially provide shadows on the actual skin anymore (ie the fender side or shroud) because the game's shaders will do it, either because the model actually changes direction (in the case of the fender or shroud) or because someone has developed a normal map to do it.

There may be some things that dosent work as well for and people may still want to do by hand - I don't know for sure. But it seems like the best approach is always to rely on the game's shader's if possible.

[hvpunk62]

i think i understand how to do it now
thanks guys!

[DJ99X]

The normal map isnt capable of making those shadows. I know that.

False. You could make the normal map do it. But I think splitting the edges on that fender would be the easier option. Thats why the yamaha front fender looks so good

[hvpunk62]

i believe jonthe has made a fantastic new front fender along with a ton of other parts so i wouldn't bother anyways

[DJ99X]

Why would he do that for Wilsons model

[Jonathan]

ye why?

[Wilson]

It funny how that model is like a year old and people are just now using it.

[DJ99X]

You should put a 250f motor in your crf450, and let them skin that

[hvpunk62]

Why would he do that for Wilsons model

im pretty sure hes making his own