Texture Fail

[spnphoenix92]

I'm new to modding the textures to objects, so I read the begginers guide on the wiki for the vonstruction set. it said to download texture replacer and a couple other programs, so I did and they ran well. I've been trying to make a recolor of one of the robes, and I made the texture file already on gimp. But when I added it to the mesh and put it on oblivion and try to wear it, my body turns inisible and the robe is like sticking out of my chest with a bunch of random colors. How do I fix it?

[The_Vyper]

I'm new to modding the textures to objects, so I read the beginners guide on the wiki for the construction set. it said to download texture replacer and a couple other programs, so I did and they ran well. I've been trying to make a recolor of one of the robes, and I made the texture file already on gimp. But when I added it to the mesh and put it on oblivion and try to wear it, my body turns invisible and the robe is like sticking out of my chest with a bunch of random colors. How do I fix it?

That is due to a missing NormalMap. NormalMaps basically tell textures how to fit on a mesh and they have the same name as the related texture, but with _n at the end. Example:

 

Robe.dds <---- The main texture for a robe

Robe_n.dds <---- The NormalMap for the texture

 

There are two ways to use the original NormalMap for your new robe texture:

 

1. Copy the original normalmap ot a temporary location, rename it to match your new robe texture (remember to put _n at the end) and move it to the same folder as your new texture. Example:

NewRobeTexture.dds

NewRobeTexture_n.dds

 

2. Put your new robe texture in the same folder as the original and change your texture's name to match, but with a description after a _. Example:

 

Robe.dds <---- The original robe texture

Robe_MyRetex.dds <---- Your custom texture made from the original

 

The advantage of method 2 is that your new texture will use the same NormalMap as the original. It will also use the original texture's GlowMap (if it has one).

[Matth85]

Good reply, but one thing:

 

NormalMaps basically tell textures how to fit on a mesh

Isn't quite right. Basically a normal map itself is used to fake lightning and depth. Simplified it makes an object look better than it is. Older games didn't use normal map, and it was barely getting standarized when Oblivion hit. Many modders never dabbled with it before Oblivion.

However, in Oblivion they tried to save space by turning the normal map into specularity map, by using the alpha. This is means the normal map Oblivion uses is both lightning and depth, and how shiny the object is.

 

So, a normal map itself is a simple image that is calculated to fake depth and lightning. No models needs a normal map, in itself, but it is used to greatly increase the quality of a model. However, a model needs a specularity map, else the game engine does not know how to calculate the lightning that hits it. And since these 2 maps are combined, you need a normal map. Even a non-detailed Normal Map with a all white Alpha is good enough, since now the game knows how to calculate the reflections and the shine.

 

 

 

Cheers,

Matth

[spnphoenix92]

I keep trying everything but they still don't work.