Normal Maps

[multalan111]

I'm working on a retexture for a certain armor. Everything is fine except for the Normal Maps. Can anyone show me the steps or give me a link on how to make them properly? I'm using Adobe Photoshop CS 5 and tried downloading a normal map plugin but it's not giving me the results i need.

 

http://i.imgur.com/acyKjG7.jpg

This is the vanilla Normal Map

 

http://i.imgur.com/WDLOmAx.jpg

When i try to do mine

 

Whatever method they use for the vanilla somehow ignores the unnecessary details so mine ends up looking messed up and doesn't shine much ingame.

 

This is my first topic so go easy on me. Any help or suggestions is MUCH appreciated. I'd love to see my texture working properly and hopefully posted on the New Vegas Nexus soon!

[KiCHo666]

That's expected since you're making it from the finished texture.

I'm pretty sure developers either made it from the simple texture then added additional details later or they baked it from hi-poly model.

Edited April 27, 2016 by KiCHo666

[madmongo]

It looks like your normal map isn't substantially different than the existing normal map. Why are you generating a new one? You can probably just use the existing normal map.

 

Normal maps are used to generate extra detail that isn't in the mesh and texture. I am assuming that Bethesda makes theirs using what KiCHOo666 posted, either baking it from a higher poly model or mucking with it by hand. It's almost impossible to generate a decent normal map using your finished texture. You can create a simplified texture that highlights the details that you are trying to bring out in the normal map (like the square bits in your example) but in the finished texture, the normal map generator can't tell what is supposed to be a bump and what is supposed to be just a different color marking.

Edited April 27, 2016 by madmongo

[multalan111]

It looks like your normal map isn't substantially different than the existing normal map. Why are you generating a new one? You can probably just use the existing normal map.

 

Normal maps are used to generate extra detail that isn't in the mesh and texture. I am assuming that Bethesda makes theirs using what KiCHOo666 posted, either baking it from a higher poly model or mucking with it by hand. It's almost impossible to generate a decent normal map using your finished texture. You can create a simplified texture that highlights the details that you are trying to bring out in the normal map (like the square bits in your example) but in the finished texture, the normal map generator can't tell what is supposed to be a bump and what is supposed to be just a different color marking.

 

I've added new details and thought a new normal map is needed but now i know it's not necessary. Also kind of interested on how modders make their own normal maps for armor mods. Anyways thanks :)

[hagyjalbeken]

It is indeed almost impossible to do decent normal maps with the generator.

It only does acceptable job on almost flat and simple surfaces, like a wall.

What i do is sharpen and smooth custom textures where necessary and run the generator on the edited version, and mix them with vanilla normal maps where possible, and they are still crappy.

I've figured that in the game it is not so noticeable.

Also you can try to play around with the alpha channel, it edits how much certain parts shine.

However, i very welcome any good advices in this topic too.