Editing Textures: *_n.dds files

[mojobechi]

What is the official term for the *_n.dds files called? I think it's the bump map but not sure.

 

Is there an easy way to make one of those from a created texture or am I just gonna have to wing it?

 

 

Details:

 

I'm working on an Archmage version of the Nightingale armor (picture attached). I want to replace the fur with feathers and redo the bottom of the robe to looks similar to the nightingale cape but taking a break to see it in game. I figure I may could make the colorful bump map thingy by mixing two duotone pictures from photoshop to retain the correct colors and give it a emboss look (is there an easier way?).

 

I'm also curious about the black and white versions of some textures, what is their term and function?

 

I have experience with photoshop but none in making game textures. Any tips or links would be awesome.

Edited December 2, 2011 by mojobechi

[Werne]

The _n.dds are called Normal Maps, I generate them from a texture I made with the NormalMap filter in Photoshop, but GIMP can generate them too. Edited December 2, 2011 by Werne

[mojobechi]

Thanks for a fast response.

 

Is that under 'save as' .dds? There are so many options there and I don't know what does what... could you give more details?

[Werne]

It depends, if you are using Photoshop it's under Filter/NVIDIA Tools/NormalMapFilter. And if you are using GIMP it's under Filters/Map/Normalmap.

 

EDIT: I believe you need this plugin for GIMP if you are going to make normal maps there

Edited December 2, 2011 by Werne

[Matth85]

Some more information, for good measure :)

 

A normal map is a map that, oddly enough, calculate normals and is a fake sense of depth. It calculates how the light reacts to the surface, and at a certain angle it will be seen as real depth.

There are 3 ways Normal Maps are made.

 

1) Directly from GImp/Photoshop, or any other softwares. You make a height map, grayscaled, and use a plugin to calculate from that. This is used for less-important models for the normal, or for a normal_detail pass on detailed models. A very common thing to finish your work with!

2) From a High Poly Base model. This is how hard surface models are made, and usually a base for organic models. This will make a model look smother than it actually is, and usually gets stuff added from 1) right after it is made.

3) Sculpting software normal. Very simply a normal map, usually 90% finished, from a sculpting software like Zbrush. This only gets 1) used if the model is very complicated, and usually comes from 2).

 

To alter a normal map you got a few things you can do, without too much hazzle:

 

1. You can overlay new details over. By changing the blue (?) channel, ad overlay it, there will be no change in the originals detail. That way you can add new depth to a texture/odel.

2. You can change it. Usually this means using the clone tool and clone details, and copy/paste some parts. This can be very destructive!

3. Delete normals. By getting the right color, you can delete parts with easy and fairly non-destructive in photoshop.

 

So for your idea: Open both textures. Isolate the area you want, and get rid of the texture. Now get the other texture, copy it over and start cloning the details over, or copy/paste it. Then fix up any oddities, and save it. Fairly quick, but might need some tweaking to avoid getting weird streching or stuff like that.

 

Generally, it isn't too had to do. But you might need to clean up some, after altering a normal map. 1 change in pixel can mean a black spot on your texture. Nobody likes that ;)

 

For the save. You want to save it as DXT5, for quality. The rest should be good on default. You might want to enable MIP maps if they are off. They help with performance in the length!

 

Cheers,

Matth

[mojobechi]

Thank you for responses. I finally made my first textures (since the original Unreal Tournament - man it was a lot easier then). I can make the normal map now, but the whole texture is showing up way too bright. Any suggestions?

[mojobechi]

Here's the finished robe and here is the hood.

[mojobechi]

This is what I'm getting now. It is way too reflective, any suggestions for a fix?

 

I've tried a few different normal maps but even the original archmage normal map seems to be too reflective.

[gechbal]

I can't get the specular map to work either, I've imorted a custom made greatsword and the got the mesh and the diffuse and normal map imported and looking good but all is the shiny, I assumed thet the greatsword_m.dds is the same as a specular map am i right ?

 

If so I cant understad why it wont work when the other maps will ? please help :)

[Ghogiel]

I can't get the specular map to work either, I've imorted a custom made greatsword and the got the mesh and the diffuse and normal map imported and looking good but all is the shiny, I assumed thet the greatsword_m.dds is the same as a specular map am i right ?

 

If so I cant understad why it wont work when the other maps will ? please help :)

`Specular map are located in the normal maps alpha channel. These control specular level.

 

_m maps are environment map mask maps. They mask areas from the environment maps effect. If you do not want to use one, take a shader block from something like the iron weapons, which iirc their shader is set up not to use them. owever if you do want env map effects, go for it, however you wil probably need to mask the env down somewhat. If you don't use a mask or it is too white/bright, and the cube map it uses, the _e texture, is very brightly colored then the thing might be quite bright itself.

 

http://www.thenexusforums.com/index.php?/topic/457148-graphics-modding/page__view__findpost__p__3936796