nividia plugin normal maps & dds files

[sparky84]

what settings are the best to use for resaving a DDS there is allot of options. also how do you export a normal filter map after using the filter.

[neunen]

ive been using dxt3 for most textures and dxt5 (explicit alpha) for normal maps

after you apply the normal filtering you just save as a .dds.

 

hope that helps

cheers

[sparky84]

ive been using dxt3 for most textures and dxt5 (explicit alpha) for normal maps

after you apply the normal filtering you just save as a .dds.

 

hope that helps

cheers

 

cheers it did. except my normal maps make the models really shiny

[neunen]

i think lowering the alpha on textures then saving as dxt5 brings down the shininess. for some reason the photohsop plugins dont like to save the alpha for me though and i find myself having to make normal maps with the gimp dds plugins.

 

basically i just load the normal map in gimp, bring the opacity down to about 20% depending on the material and then save as dxt5

[sparky84]

i think lowering the alpha on textures then saving as dxt5 brings down the shininess. for some reason the photohsop plugins dont like to save the alpha for me though and i find myself having to make normal maps with the gimp dds plugins.

 

basically i just load the normal map in gimp, bring the opacity down to about 20% depending on the material and then save as dxt5

 

cheers I'm going to try gimp. how do I lower the alpha? I cant seem to get my normal maps right in photoshop. thanks for your help given you a kudos

[neunen]

if you just lower the opacity of the layer in gimp it will darken the alpha channel.

 

just for good measure try adding a second blank layer, lower the opacity of the normal map layer, then right click on one of the layers and merge all, expand as necessary. that way the alpha isnt dependent on the opacity slider anymore.. im not sure if it makes a difference or not, but i usually have multiple layers with different opacity settings for normals maps, then merge them into one before saving.

[cj577]

i think lowering the alpha on textures then saving as dxt5 brings down the shininess. for some reason the photohsop plugins dont like to save the alpha for me though and i find myself having to make normal maps with the gimp dds plugins.

 

basically i just load the normal map in gimp, bring the opacity down to about 20% depending on the material and then save as dxt5

 

cheers I'm going to try gimp. how do I lower the alpha? I cant seem to get my normal maps right in photoshop. thanks for your help given you a kudos

 

 

Or try using the Compressanator compression tool very nice does it all dds, norm maps even Mip's and it's free.