Adding a bump mapping to a model?

[Bronami]

Most models in the technical world of Skyrim contain a standard visual texture and a bump mapping( ***_n.dds). If the model, however, does not contain a bump mapping, and I wanted to add a custom one, how would I do that? Would I have to use the Creation Kit, NifScope, or could I just add it to the data files with an appropriate name and have it automatically work?

[Pevey]

This is by no means an advanced tutorial, but this works for me:

 

Step 1) Install Gimp.

 

Step 2) Install the Gimp DDS Plugin so that you can save images as DDS files.

 

Step 3) Install the Gimp Normal Map Plugin

 

Step 4) Open your main texture in Gimp. If it is already a dds file, great. If not, export it as a dds file now. File->Export. In the options, select DXT1 for Compression and Generate mipmaps. I just leave the others as default.

 

Step 5) Create your normal map by going to Filter->Map->Normal Map. Set the scale depending on the bumpiness you want. I usually use 3 or 4 for most things.

 

Step 6) Export as a dds file. This time, select DXT5 for Compression (needed because of the alpha channel) and again Generate Mipmaps. (And yes, it is purple. Don't worry about that.)

 

Step 7) In Nifskope. open your BSShaderTextureSet block. The second texture slot, right under the main one, is the one you use for normal maps. Point it to the dds you just made.

 

Step 8 ) Profit! (Not really, of course)

[Bronami]

Thanks, helps a lot!

[lazyskeever]

Bump/normal maps usually require a good deal of manual work to actually look good though. There are some tutorials I've found here and there by googling, but that's mostly for brick wall textures. I'm having a lot of trouble creating normal maps for rock/cave textures that don't look like crap.

[kyledustin]

I tried adding a normal map to the grass in the "dat grass" mod, but there is no .nif associated with the .dds texture that I can assign the map to. Is it not possible to add a normal map to the grass?