Custom bumpmaps won't show

[Lurven]

Did you take a look at it yet? I'm just reminding you if you forgot about it. I appreciate your help, I truly do.

I started to but got distracted and had to stop before I had an answer.

 

I looked at the NIF structure and it seemed correct (did not find anything obvious). The material color settings looked odd but would not cause the issue you described.

 

I looked at the DDS files, converted them to PSD, checked the layers, re-converted back to DDS. Didn't see any problems.

 

I created a plugin, placed it in-game. I loaded up the weapon and it looked a bit odd. I was about to investigate some more but that is when the family called me away.

 

Basically, if the normal map did not work, you would either get an in-game crash (mine does anytime the _n.dds file does not exist) or I would suspect that the texture would not reflect light.

 

LHammonds

The whole skin depends on the reflection map. No reflections, no chrome. The blade is pitch white in the reflection map and should reflect a lot. Isn't it weird that it ain't working as it should? Or have you found the problem yet? Again, I thank you for your help.

[LHammonds]

The whole skin depends on the reflection map. No reflections, no chrome. The blade is pitch white in the reflection map and should reflect a lot. Isn't it weird that it ain't working as it should? Or have you found the problem yet? Again, I thank you for your help.

hehehe....the phrase is "pitch-black" meaning very dark. There is no such thing as pitch-white. ;) Pitch is a black oil goo.

 

You seem to have the settings correct based on the Reflective Metal technique but I have yet to take a closer look at the model. Hopefully, I will have time tonight to finish looking into it...unless somebody else beats me to it.

 

LHammonds

[LHammonds]

Dang, I lost my Internet connection for a while but it is back now. I was hoping I didn't have to wait until tomorrow to let you know how to fix it.

 

Anyway, the solution was indeed in the Reflective Metal tutorial. I was focusing on the correctness of the texture files thinking the problem was there but it was not. The core problem was in the NIF file.

 

Each NiTriStrip that needed to have the reflective property needed to have its material renamed to "EnvMap2" as well as changing the Apply Mode from APPLY_MODULATE to APPLY_HIGHLIGHT. Once that was done, the weapon started to reflect like glass.

 

I would suggest modifying the Normal Map and smoothing out the blade area rather than having it look bumpy which makes the glass effect look...odd.

 

I will attach the files and screenshots shortly.

 

Madness Claymore (with NIF modifications noted above)

 

 

1st Person View

 

 

1st Person View - Another angle

 

 

1st Person View - Notice the light reflection issues (Normal Map)

 

 

1st Person View - Notice the light reflection issues (Normal Map)

 

 

Handle View

 

 

On the back

 

 

Power Swing

 

 

Left View

 

 

Right View

 

 

LHammonds

[Lurven]

Dang, I lost my Internet connection for a while but it is back now. I was hoping I didn't have to wait until tomorrow to let you know how to fix it.

 

Anyway, the solution was indeed in the Reflective Metal tutorial. I was focusing on the correctness of the texture files thinking the problem was there but it was not. The core problem was in the NIF file.

 

Each NiTriStrip that needed to have the reflective property needed to have its material renamed to "EnvMap2" as well as changing the Apply Mode from APPLY_MODULATE to APPLY_HIGHLIGHT. Once that was done, the weapon started to reflect like glass.

 

I would suggest modifying the Normal Map and smoothing out the blade area rather than having it look bumpy which makes the glass effect look...odd.

 

I will attach the files and screenshots shortly.

 

Madness Claymore (with NIF modifications noted above)

 

 

1st Person View

 

 

1st Person View - Another angle

 

 

1st Person View - Notice the light reflection issues (Normal Map)

 

 

1st Person View - Notice the light reflection issues (Normal Map)

 

 

Handle View

 

 

On the back

 

 

Power Swing

 

 

Left View

 

 

Right View

 

 

LHammonds

Thanks for your help! You even included a bunch of screenshots, you were a little bored I guess? :P Many people are even too lazy too bother about screenshots when releasing something.

It ended up looking pretty good imo, I like clean shiny blades. I will smooth up the bumpmap. I was never thinking about releasing any of my work but do you think this is something people would have interest for? Also, it's called pitch black but what is fully white called? :P

[LHammonds]

Thanks for your help!

You are welcome. It's not fun being frustrated and I try to help when I can...There have been plenty of modders that helped me through some frustrating times. I hope you get to repay others this way too with what you've learned.

 

You even included a bunch of screenshots, you were a little bored I guess? :P Many people are even too lazy too bother about screenshots when releasing something.

Screenshots were for illustration of the points I was trying to make about the Normal Map but also to show that it looks pretty-darn-good as is for starters. Ok, it is called anal retentiveness. There...I've acknowledged it and that's the 1st step to recovery. ;D

 

I was never thinking about releasing any of my work but do you think this is something people would have interest for?

There are plenty of weapon collectors out there. :)

 

Also, it's called pitch black but what is fully white called? :P

I suppose pure white.

 

LHammonds

[myrmaad]

Thanks for your help!

You are welcome. It's not fun being frustrated and I try to help when I can...There have been plenty of modders that helped me through some frustrating times. I hope you get to repay others this way too with what you've learned.

 

You even included a bunch of screenshots, you were a little bored I guess? :P Many people are even too lazy too bother about screenshots when releasing something.

Screenshots were for illustration of the points I was trying to make about the Normal Map but also to show that it looks pretty-darn-good as is for starters. Ok, it is called anal retentiveness. There...I've acknowledged it and that's the 1st step to recovery. ;D

 

I was never thinking about releasing any of my work but do you think this is something people would have interest for?

There are plenty of weapon collectors out there. :)

 

Also, it's called pitch black but what is fully white called? :P

I suppose pure white.

 

LHammonds

 

I just wanna shout out a HUGE Thank you for LHammonds, my magebanners have all been missing for about 2 weeks, and this thread helped me figure out that one of my mods had hard-coded the banner directory location. Using Nifskope I successfully pointed them to the correct location and all is well with them again. Now if I could only figure out how to restore the zoom feature in archery (used to be the block key) I'd be perfectly back in business! (I lost that feature after trying out Deadly Reflex, and haven't had time to investigate the trouble fully, I did disable all the deadly reflex esm and esp files..)