LE Bump maps or normal maps

[Cambionn]

I've been wondering for a while, what exactly is the difference between bump maps and normal maps? I know 3dsmax has a tab to add bump maps, but games always use normal maps. Is there an actual difference or are they names for the same thing, because adding normalmaps to the bumpmap tab in 3dsmax works just fine.

 

Also parallax are advanced normalmaps as far as I'm aware, what are the differences? Are they also bump maps?

I'm getting a bit confused by these terms now. I'm not working that much in 3D, or digital art in general, I mainly program, I just find it fun to play around with sometimes, but I really wonder now.

[Arisen1]

Bump maps are usually a solid color. Normal maps are newer and more advanced, because they have about three colors on them, and you can only use software to create them.

[baduk]

Hi.

 

Theres supposed to be different types of bumpo maps but the ones i used are the tangent space and object space normalmaps.

Those 2 are in skyrim but in skyrim they call the object space model space, its same thing tho they just switched some channels.

 

Normal map is rgb image and each of 3 channels is showing illumination from one direction of each xyz axes. For tangent space type the axes are oriented differently for each face of the model. Object space one is the whole model is having one 3d axes for this measurement nof illumination. This causes the object space one to have more extreme coloration.

 

U can make the object space normalmap with a camera and a flashlight. but if the scene is too complicated u get bugs.

 

I dont know why skyrim is using the object space one for the skin shader meshes. It makes u have artifacts when u go into poses.

 

The parallax map is from a heightmap. so its one channel greyscale, the parallax mods i downloaded have rgb but its mostly black and white . its probably caused by saving as dxt compression dds file that all have 3or 4 channels. parallax calculates displacement of the uv mapping depending on the heightmap. It just makes the texture muddy when viewing the surface from a more oblique angle. I dont think parallax terrain is a good idea cause u are always going to have an oblique view of the ground no matter where ur standing at..

 

I always really like programmers who are into the 3d art cause they are the ones who make all the great tools.