Basic questions about Normal Maps

[braknar]

1. are normal maps the new 'bump' maps? do they provide the appearance of highly defined meshes like subtle muscle structure and veins?

 

2. are normal maps the ones that are all rainbowy colorful ones when viewed in their .dds files?

 

3. if so why are they all rainbowy colourful? just looking at them I think the colors tell the game where the seams meet, but why don't all the colours interfere with the surface data and ruin the normal map?

 

Thanks!

 

after googling I found some info

 

Is a normal map different from a bump map in that its extracted from a high res model vs drawing a bump map on a low res model, skipping the high polygon mesh?

Edited April 30, 2013 by braknar

[Amasido]

1: No , bump maps and normal maps may look like they achieve the same thing but there is a different method to each, A bump map is black and white imaging that provides the "illusion" that a surface has been sculpted wherein reality the surface is unchanged. A normal map retrieves the lighting detail of a sculpted mesh and transfers it into a 2 dimensional image also allowing you to add detail to your mesh without the need for a high number of polygons.

 

2: Yes, normal maps contain these "rainbowy colours"

3: I think the colors represent the different heights of the surfaces and also the lighting this is how a game engine reads and renders the appropriate detail.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Amasido

[braknar]

Thanks for the response!