ZBrushCentral

Displacement and Normal Mapping Together?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

First off, I understand what a normal map is, and what a displacement map is.

Knowing a normal map gives no height info, only normal directions based on color, and a displacement gives values to how much displacement happens along a normal.

My questions are as follows:

#1 Can you combine the two? In essence having a low res base, displacing at render time to give correct silhouette and have a normal map for the details and creases?

#2 Displacements need more geometry at render time (unless using v-ray) If you were animating the character would it be best to animate the low res and use heavy displacement at render time? Or would it be better to use a mid level mesh and use only normal maps? I am wondering if displacement will cause problems in deformed areas.

It seems possible to use both since one is height and the other is normal direction, but then of course this would mean the displacement is processed before the normal.

#2

Question 1: Yes. This is actually pretty common and gives great results.
Question 2: The answer to 1 should make the answer here pretty obvious. :slight_smile:

#3

Thanks for the reply. So now i know its fairly common, do you know of any links for tutorials on how to combine them?

#4

it’s all relative to the software you’re using… the workflow is literally the same in each package though: #1) slap the displacement map on, #2) slap the normal map on.

there’s no ‘trick’ to it :smiley:

#5

Im using 3DS Max and Vray to render. I guess im having some problems getting a clean displacement map. I tried Xnormal and using Zbrush’s Displacement exporter. All of which show some distortion and noise. Anyway thanks for the reply’s