RickyT17 Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 Hey everyone. So I'm having a problem with my normal files that I'm saving out of Photoshop. I'm using PS CC to create the normal files and regardless if I save them via PS or the Intel Texture Works plugin, the color shifts a little. Notice in the screenshot the color shift above the thighs. I've looked at normal files from mods that don't create this shift and I can't see a difference between those normal files and mine. But mine are doing something to screw it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehtyeci Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Could be many things. Compression format, non-normalized normal maps, wrong color space, etc. But most probably because it's a UV seam that was there even in vanilla. You just couldn't see it unless you nudified him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyT17 Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 Thanks, ehtyeci. I appreciate the reply. I don't know what the cause is but I think I found a workaround (I've only done a few tests). Normal maps saved out of GIMP appear to display properly. I prefer to work in Photoshop so I can create the normal in Photoshop then open and resave out of GIMP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyT17 Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 Unfortunately my workaround wasn't really. :sad: I'm not sure what I did differently this afternoon that everything was displaying correctly when saved out of GIMP. But now even that's not "always" fixing the issue. It seems to be random. *sigh* I'd sure to learn if anyone else has had this happen to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perraine Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Are you also changing the Specular Map? Because it looks to me like the mesh is still displaying the specularity from the vanilla underwear. My guess would be that the specular is coloured to be "dull" around the area the underwear normally covers and slightly "glossier" on the bare skin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyT17 Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 It looks like it was a combination of things. The lack of a spectral map was a problem to be sure (Thanks, Perraine!). I guess if one isn't present then the default which includes the underwear is used. In addition, it looks like Photoshop CC is also a culprit. I was originally creating the files in PS CC on a Mac (using it's default DDS plugin) then transferring them over to my PC to test in-game. So I thought maybe that was the problem -- Mac -> PC. However, even if I create the normal and specular maps in Photoshop CC on the PC (using the Intel Texture Workshop plugin) I still see the problem. However, if I create the normal and specular maps in GIMP and/or Paint.net, they look beautiful in-game. So I don't know if it's the newer versions of Photoshop or what, but it's definitely been creating my problem. It kind of sucks that I can't use PS as I know it pretty well. Anyway, thanks so much for the replies and the help! If I learn any more I'll be sure to post it here for any help it might give someone in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyT17 Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 I guess I'll revive this thread and hope others might still have an idea about what's going on. I can't consistently recreate the problem. I'm pretty sure Photoshop CC (2018) definitely creates that color shift seam. I thought GIMP, with the Normalmap plugin, was safe. But it seems that if I work the file too much, to get a deep normal map, the resulting file creates that color seam. I'm starting with the file from EVB (Thanks for allowing us to use your work!). And although it looks like the body is created from one flat, single, image, I wonder if it's not divided into 3 separate parts: Head to Waist, Waist to Thighs, Thighs to Feet. And for some reason I'm getting a different middle (or top and bottom) depending on something I'm doing wrong. I'm 99% sure the problem arises in the normal map. If I create my Diffuse and Specular files and use someone else's Normal, it works without a problem. It's when I create my own normal, using the Diffuse as a starting point, that I end up having trouble. I've literally spent the last 3 days troubleshooting... trying to find a workflow that will consistently create a good set of files before I jump into creating my mod. So I'm just throwing this back out on the stoop to see if the cat licks it up. Any help or suggestions would be so appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehtyeci Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Use the color picker and drag around the seam areas on your normal map, then reference it with the one that works. They need to be identical at the seams. Also, when you add your own normals, are you updating the tangent space in nifskope? I don't know what else without having a look myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyT17 Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Thanks, ehtyecl. I haven't even opened nifskope, let alone updated the tangent space. So, obviously I need to learn a little more about what I'm trying to do. I have no experience at all and my only education has been what I've read here on Nexusmods. I think I may have jumped into the deep end when I should be up in the wading pool. I'm going to go learn about updating the tangent space now. Thank you so much for the replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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