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Exporting normal maps from ZBrush

ZBrush Usage Questions
#41

Normalmaps are used as bumpmaps but its not the same … a greyscaled bumpmap is getting the information over the brightness value. A normal map uses xyz coordinates with the rgb channe. Lets take a look for one coordinate: x axis is in red channel (left/right), red has a max value of 255 that would be x = +1 so the vector is maxed an heading to the right.
The lowest value is 0 that would be x =-1 that means full left. a medium value like 127 means x=0 so the vector looks towards you…

Okay so this need to be interpreted by the software, and actually not all software is capable to do this.
All Directx8 and 9 cards are able to to calculate this in realtime over pixelshader.
Max has a plugin called “Kaldera” that is capable of baking and rendering normalmaps… im sure you will find some freeware max plugins

And you are on the right way about the displacementmaps method… ist a pretty new way of creating highresmodels with a low res cage.
There is a similiar thread here in this forum but also here http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?threadid=77779

And yeah, Zbrush rocks as i found out too !!

#42

Iory:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>You described a way to get the model into crytek’s polybump viewer. I got that viewer too, but dunno how to bind my normalmap to the .obj so i can see it in the polybumpviewer… what about this .mtl stuff ?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The ready setups I made, were made for previewing planar surfaces, so there was one 1x1 tiling plane, and one 4x4 tiling plane. They will work if you just export the color map and the normal map from ZBrush as the appropriate colormap.bmp and normalmap.bmp files.

However, if you want to create objects of your own or use different file names, you can do so, then open the .mtl file into a text editor and edit the object and texture file names yourself. The file is in simple text format.

Remember that the CryTek PolyBump previewer uses a slightly different normal map, where the vertical (green) channel is inverted. You can download a modifiable normal map bitmap and .PSD file to use in ZBrush from the earlier post I made.

#43

Joshua … I know that function included in Final render (for 3dsmax)

#44

Would it be possible to convert the normal map into a mesh at some point? I realize it would be very polygon-heavy. But a brute-force modeler for detail would be handy in industrial design, say.

E

#45

Hi everyone, I’m new here and trying to get my head round this subject!
Can anyone one clear up some queries I have about using Normal maps?
I’ve gained the impression from several threads, here and on other sites, that it’s necessary to use a displacement map and a normal map in combination to get the best results, Displacement to alter outline and create the larger shapes and a normal map to give fine detail.
I’ve also been told privately (by a very knowledgable programmer) that Renderman compliant renderers like 3Delight use sub pixel displacement which can create very fine detail so that a normal map isn’t needed to sharpen the detail in the render.
Can anyone tell me which is correct?
After all you need a micropolygon renderer to make use of detailed displacement so is there any need of normal maps outside of game engines? - Baz

#46

Using a sub pixel renderer should generally remove the need for the Normal map. But with more extreme Displacement maps it can help to use the Normal map in conjunction with the Displacement map to smooth out any faceting. But that depends on the renderer and its settings. So your friend is right.

Normal maps are still very useful IMO, even if not used in a game/realtime engine. You could use them instead of bump maps on walls, floors, distant objects (waste of render time using displacements) etc. And if you use Zbrush to create them you have a much more visual approach to creating your surface bumps.

#47

Of course Doom 3 is changing all of that game/displacement/normal mapping stuff.

#48

Thanks a lot for the info! Once I invest in Z-Brush and DazStudio comes out (uses 3Delight as it’s renderer - no editing of .ribs!)I’m looking forward to playing with this! - Baz

#49

Skaven252, how do I use the normal map bmps with Photoshop or Zbrush? I don’t get it…

Oh, and how do I replace all textures with that normal map texture? I don’t want to ruin it by painting over it.
:frowning:

#50

I think I need help… Here is what my texture looks like:

[img]http://www.driftray.net/upload/420/bkt.gif[/img]

and here is what it looks like after I use the NormalMaterial:

[img]http://www.driftray.net/upload/420/bkm.gif[/img]

So do I just use the bottom image as the bump map? Or do I gotta do something to the texture?

EDIT: I’m still confused, but how do I take the first image and preserve the tiny bumps that the material made when I apply the normalmaterial? Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I’m completely lost, I just need the base texture and then the normal map, how do I do this? Please help.

EDIT EDIT EDIT: BASICALLY, what I’m trying to do is take all the tiny bumps the material makes and make the normal map texture include them. So every tiny detail is lit dynamically.

#51

Ok, I sorta get it now, but I think I need to flip my NormalMap material or something…

because in the engine it looks like this when I have a simple circle brush bumpmap texture:

The lighting on the bump is wrong. The actual lighting is like so:

Top right: Red
Top left: Blue
Bottom right: Yellow
Bottom left: Green

But, the blue and green are flipped while the other 2 are fine. Can someone tell me how to fix the material for the engine I’m using? Thank you.

EDIT: I GOT IT! The engine I’m using is only supposed to have purple and blue shades, but the material uses green and reddish colors.

I need a material that looks like this:

With no green, can someone make a material that will do that for me? Thank you in advance very much.

#52

Hi Stickfigs,

I have a zscript coming that will allow you to define the color for each axis and also put a range(or clamp) on the Z axis. It adjusts the existing texture of the NormalRGBmat.zmt material.

In the last picture there is red and green included however the blue channel (Z axis in this case) is fixed at 255.

You can create your own bitmap which you can insert into the NormalRGBmat materials texture slot. Examine Pixolators picture on page 2 and you can see the color gradients used for each axis. Using photoshop you can create a new normal shading map by overlaying the color gradients.

Or you can wait for the script. :rolleyes:

#53

NVidia seems to have finally released the free normal-mapping tool they’ve been showing at various tradeshows for over two years now. I haven’t had a chance to try it with ZBrush 2 models yet, but I was definely impressed with what I’ve seen it do in the past.

Give it a whirl and report back?

#54

Thanks for the link Ctrl-Z :+1: But Melody is used, amongst other things, to create normal maps from a lowres and a hires model. That is not what this thread is about :slight_smile:

#55

I wante to take the little bumps that oatmeal 2 makes and texture them with the Normal map I mean.

#56

Just to make some things clear.

The normalRGB material only shades pixols. That is to say any effects you get from standard material modifiers is not transferable to a normal map. In other words you must create the normal mapping details through variations in pixol depth not material effects. The NormalRGBmat material only considers pixols.

Second, the colors do not matter. It all depends on what your application uses for input. Apart from knowing which color is used for each axis you must also know which direction the color gradates. There is no standard coloring set for games or 3D renderers.

I will see what time I have this week. Check back to this thread next monday.

#57

I already figured it out, Now I just need to know how to make materials details still visible and textures when I render it in flat mode. Now the basic textures are basically a solid color.

#58

This is what I mean, I want the wood texture you see here to show up in flat render with the colors and all.

I want it to all go flat, but the wood pattern to stay there in the position it’s in and the colors of the wood to stay. You know what I mean?

Thanks in advance. :smiley:

#59

Material effects are only visible in Preview or Best Render mode. If you want flat shading you must eliminate the materials modifiers that cause shading.

In most cases you would want to set Diffuse, Specular, Reflectivity and Noise to 0. Then set Ambient to 100, that will give the same effect as flat shading. There is also a global ambient in the Light palette, adjust that if needed.

So what you want to do is:

  1. Adjust material modifiers to remove shading.
  2. If needed do a best render to add material effects such as cavity shading.
  3. Export the flat shaded canvas.
  4. Apply the NormalRGBmat.zmt material.
  5. Export the Normal shaded canvas.

Just wondering, what game engine are you making assets for?

#60

Thank you very much. :smiley:

One more question, how do I select a texture and then simple have it replace all materials on the canvas? Thank you ina dvance.

Also, I’m not putting these textures into the engine, I’m just making them. It’s for making models for when Half-Life 2 comes out in XSI’s Half-Life 2 EXP modeling tool prereleased software thing. I’m just making the textures, but if you need more details I can ask the modeler.

EDIT: Also, is there a way to make textures seamless? Thank you very much in advance again.
:smiley: