Normal map conversion (OpenGL to DirectX)

[fabs79]

Hi, I was wondering if there is an easy way to convert Normal Maps from OpenGL to Direct-X. I create my models in Blender which uses the OpenGL standarf for normal maps, while MSFS expects Direct X normal maps.

Thanks and cheers, Fabian

 

[Pyscen]

Yes, but not through Blender (unless you bake it). Open GIMP or photoshop and invert or flip the y axis.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Yep, invert the green channel in Photoshop or GIMP. Paint.net has plugins such as ModifyChannel or Curves+ that can do the operation (for Curves+ I added an InvertGreenChannel.xml to do the trick).

 

[fabs79]

Thanks, I had hoped there would be some Kind of one click solution. I never got warm with GIMP, the process of splitting the channels, inverting the Green one and then recomposing the image seemed pretty tedious and time consuming. I'll take a look at Paint.net, never heard of it before.

 

[Lagaffe]

You have also three good tools :
- NormalMap Generator https://github.com/Theverat/NormalmapGenerator/releases
An easy and very quick to create normal maps
in INPUT - you enter a diffuse/albedo
and
in OUTPUT - you can create a normal map DirectX or OpenGl, a specular map and a displacement map as you want.

- Materialize (https://boundingboxsoftware.com/materialize) which is more powerful

- Material Maker (https://www.materialmaker.org/) IMO which is more complicated to use.

 

[fabs79]

You have also three good tools :
- NormalMap Generator https://github.com/Theverat/NormalmapGenerator/releases
An easy and very quick to create normal maps
in INPUT - you enter a diffuse/albedo
and
in OUTPUT - you can create a normal map DirectX or OpenGl, a specular map and a displacement map as you want.

- Materialize (https://boundingboxsoftware.com/materialize) which is more powerful

- Material Maker (https://www.materialmaker.org/) IMO which is more complicated to use.

Thank you for the suggestions, funnily enough I´ve been using Materialize for years and never noticed that it had a "Switch Normal Y" button. I just tried to load in a OpenGL normal map., hit the "Switch Normal Y" button and then saved the project consisting just of this normal map and it created the new normal map with the flipped y axis.

 

[Rotornut44]

For future reference, and for others stumbling upon this topic: I did a short tutorial video for this in both Gimp and Photoshop a while back. It's really not that bad to do in either program.

 

[Pyscen]

8

For future reference, and for others stumbling upon this topic: I did a short tutorial video for this in both Gimp and Photoshop a while back. It's really not that bad to do in either program.

Rotonut44 is right, through GIMP or Photshop it's not hard or bad to do.

Thinking that there is a 1 click wonder is assuming alot., such as everyone, non-MSFS and others, all have a need for such a button. Blender and 3DSMax were not written for MSFS or any other of the flight sims.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

You can do this within Blender:

Save and reload the texture, and you're good to go.

 

[GaryGB]

Yep, invert the green channel in Photoshop or GIMP. Paint.net has plugins such as ModifyChannel or Curves+ that can do the operation (for Curves+ I added an InvertGreenChannel.xml to do the trick).

a quicker option may be using MCX to do this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Mod...CBwgyLTUuMTIuMcgH2wGACAE&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

GaryGB