Normal Mapping (Time to unfold this bad boy)

[EPDGaffney]

I wonder do you need to convert that RGB data into greyscale before pasting in that version. I'm using CC from 2014, so I assume that's a difference. In the one I have, I don't think I've tried what you're describing, but if you copy image data, even from RGB, go to the alpha, and actually use the paste command (instead of dragging), it pastes in greyscale.

[Deleted1205226User]

 

 

Btw, you should update your "profile" link in your signature. Remove the games/ in it or it doesn't open.

Thanks a lot for the head-up!

[BBourbon]

I wonder do you need to convert that RGB data into greyscale before pasting in that version. I'm using CC from 2014, so I assume that's a difference. In the one I have, I don't think I've tried what you're describing, but if you copy image data, even from RGB, go to the alpha, and actually use the paste command (instead of dragging), it pastes in greyscale.

 

No, paste command, dragging, nada works. Converting to greyscale also is futile attempt. In some other colour modes you can drag it but it pastes the layer within the layer's channel an not in Alpha. I am very convinced CS2 won't allow it.

 

Edit: Which just gave me the idea to duplicate the Grey channel and name it Alpha 1 and then drag init to the normal map. I'll let you guys know if it works.

Edited June 22, 2018 by BBourbon

[EPDGaffney]

Could be. That's a shame. If you want to try Gimp, I hear it's better than PhotoShop but with a steeper learning curve. And it's free. Then there's Paint.Net, free as well. I have never had to use either one, so that's just what I've heard.

[BBourbon]

I tested my theory, it works.

 

Could be. That's a shame. If you want to try Gimp, I hear it's better than PhotoShop but with a steeper learning curve. And it's free. Then there's Paint.Net, free as well. I have never had to use either one, so that's just what I've heard.

 

 

I had the same problem with CS2.

So in order to add your image to nomal map's alpha channel in CS2; flatten your image by converting it to Greyscale, duplicate the Grey channel, name it Alpha 1, remove the original Alpha 1 channel in your normal map, and then drag the Alpha 1 channel you've just created into your normal map.

Edited June 22, 2018 by BBourbon

[Deleted1205226User]

Thanks for sharing your solution.

I was quite satisfied with the DXTBmp workaround because I could come back to the Specular map I created and modify it after testing, everything being present in the .psd file.

 

Here's how I was working; exporting the Spec map in .bmp, opening the .dds Normal Map in DXTBmp, importing the Spec map into the Alpha channel, saving.

 

I don't have any working computer now, it died two weeks ago (hence the use of past tense).

[EPDGaffney]

Wow, glad you found some way to do it without external tools. Weird that they don't let you paste into the alpha channel directly if they let you draw on it and make a new one like this, but whatever works I suppose.

 

Sorry about your computer, Pix. How did it die?

[Deleted1205226User]

Old age and intense use, I guess. https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/images/45273

 

(Let's not hijack BBourbon's thread)

[madmongo]

Could be. That's a shame. If you want to try Gimp, I hear it's better than PhotoShop but with a steeper learning curve. And it's free. Then there's Paint.Net, free as well. I have never had to use either one, so that's just what I've heard.

 

I have never used photoshop so I can't compare with that.

 

I have used both GIMP and Paint.Net. I found GIMP to be less intuitive so there is a bit of a steeper learning curve with it. Paint.Net seems more intuitive and easier to use to me. I personally tend to use Paint.Net for most FNV stuff. Most other modders prefer GIMP. I think GIMP is a bit more powerful, though Paint.Net usually does everything that I need it to do.

 

Paint.Net includes dds support right out of the box. With GIMP you need a plugin. GIMP and Paint.Net both require a plugins to make normal maps.

 

Paint.Net doesn't treat alpha channel as a different layer, so it's more difficult to work with. If you are messing around with alpha channel stuff, GIMP is the better choice, IMHO.

[EPDGaffney]

Good to know. I thought GIMP did come with .dds support, but the person I was helping may have already downloaded the plug-in and not told me. I like open-source software, so when my Photoshop upsets me enough (most things about it are amazing, but here and there it feels as if it were coded in 1995), I'll probably use GIMP, assuming people have been correcting the problems I have with Photoshop diligently enough to have taken care of my problems with Photoshop for when I switch to GIMP.

 

For me personally, normal map generation isn't a problem as I use MindTex2 to generate my various maps from a diffuse or height map. I'll keep it in mind for others, though.