Normal maps using MapZone - Revision history

BASys at 23:30, 27 February 2010

2010-02-27T23:30:09Z

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 That's it for now. Look back here for an update on how to setup the texture library of your FS-project for Mapzone to automatically refresh all DDS-textures.
 [[Category:Aircraft Design]]
 [[Category:Scenery Design]]
 [[category:Texturing]]

Captx-6562 at 02:45, 27 February 2010

2010-02-27T02:45:14Z

Captx-6562: /* Generating the normal map */

2010-02-27T02:10:08Z

Generating the normal map

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:10, 26 February 2010
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	[[Image:Normal map mapzone 1.jpg\|Mapzone interface]]		[[Image:Normal map mapzone 1.jpg\|Mapzone interface]]

	Install and fire up MapZone. The interface has two main areas: top is the '''graph view''' (where you place the nodes), bottom is the '''view frame''' (displays result of the selected node).		Install and fire up MapZone. In the library dialog box, select "''New\New''" and hit ''Edit'' (or double-click) to open the editor. The interface has two main areas: top is the '''graph view''' (where you place the nodes), bottom is the '''view frame''' (displays result of the selected node).

	# Right-click somewhere in the graph view. Point and select ->"''New filter''"->"''Bitmap import''". This will add an entry node where we can load our heightmap.		# Right-click somewhere in the graph view. Point and select ->"''New filter''"->"''Bitmap import''". This will add an entry node where we can load our heightmap.

Captx-6562: /* Generating the normal map */

2010-02-27T01:31:34Z

Generating the normal map

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:31, 26 February 2010
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	== Generating the normal map ==		== Generating the normal map ==

	Basically, you build up a flowchart by interconnecting image processing nodes, each one transforming it's input before passing the result to the next one.		Basically, you build up a flowchart by interconnecting image processing nodes, each one transforming it's input before passing the result to the next one. For a quick overview of the tool, take the [http://www.mapzoneeditor.com/?PAGE=DOCUMENTATION.MapZone2Tour tour] on their website.

	[[Image:Normal map mapzone 1.jpg\|Mapzone interface]]		[[Image:Normal map mapzone 1.jpg\|Mapzone interface]]

Captx-6562 at 10:54, 26 February 2010

2010-02-26T10:54:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:54, 26 February 2010
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	}}		}}

	MapZone is a free, powerful texture processing tool from Allegorithmic. This tutorial will show you how to setup MapZone to transform all your greyscale heightmaps in ready-to-use FSX-format "bump" maps (.DDS DXT5). For basic info on FSX bump-mapping, refer to Arno's [~~http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation~~ Normal map creation] page.		MapZone is a free, powerful texture processing tool from Allegorithmic. This tutorial will show you how to setup MapZone to transform all your greyscale heightmaps in ready-to-use FSX-format "bump" maps (.DDS DXT5). For basic info on FSX bump-mapping, refer to Arno's [[Normal map creation]] page.

	== Requirements ==		== Requirements ==

Captx-6562: /* Converting to FSX "bump" map */

2010-02-26T10:53:00Z

Converting to FSX "bump" map

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:53, 26 February 2010
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	# Select the ''Uniform Mix'' and set it's '''Blending Mode''' to ''Sub.'' (subtract).		# Select the ''Uniform Mix'' and set it's '''Blending Mode''' to ''Sub.'' (subtract).
	# Drag a selection marquee around both the "''Uniform''" nodes you just inserted, right-click one of them and ''Clone Selection '''[keep input links]'''''. Arrange the clones somewhere underneath.		# Drag a selection marquee around both the "''Uniform''" nodes you just inserted, right-click one of them and ''Clone Selection '''[keep input links]'''''. Arrange the clones somewhere underneath.
	# Select the upper ''Uniform Color'' node and in the options bar, click the color swatch (default black). ~~Crank up~~ the sliders ~~of green and blue channels~~ to ~~max~~ (R=0, G=255, B=255), so as to subtract these channels from the normal map and isolate ~~its~~ red channel in the upper Mix node.		# Select the upper ''Uniform Color'' node and in the options bar, click the color swatch (default black). Adjust the colour sliders to match ('''R=0, G=255, B=255, A=63'''), so as to subtract these channels from the normal map and isolate the red channel in the upper Mix node.
	# Select the lower ''Uniform Color'' node and set the color to ~~the inverse of the last step~~ (R=255, G=0, B=0).		# Select the lower ''Uniform Color'' node and set the color to ('''R=255, G=0, B=0, A=255''').
	# Add a ''New FX-Map''->''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node right next to the upper ''Uniform Mix'' node and connect the output of the latter to the input of the former.		# Add a ''New FX-Map''->''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node right next to the upper ''Uniform Mix'' node and connect the output of the latter to the input of the former.
	# Right-click the lower ''Mix'' node and ''Connect to new...''->''Alpha''. Join the output of the ''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node to the greyscale (top) input of ''Alpha''.		# Right-click the lower ''Mix'' node and ''Connect to new...''->''Alpha''. Join the output of the ''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node to the greyscale (top) input of ''Alpha''.

Captx-6562: /* Requirements */

2010-02-26T00:00:54Z

Requirements

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:00, 25 February 2010
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	* [http://www.mapzoneeditor.com/?PAGE=DOWNLOAD Mapzone 2.6]		* [http://www.mapzoneeditor.com/?PAGE=DOWNLOAD Mapzone 2.6]
	All you need is your greyscale heightmap, preferably saved in a lossless format (i.e. 24-bit .BMP), and MapZone 2.5 or higher... Since you don't need any NVIDIA or other plugin, nor the SDK's imagetool, to generate the normal map, just save your artwork in it's current state in your favorite photo editing tool in either one of .BMP, .JPG or .PNG formats.		All you need is your greyscale heightmap, preferably saved in a lossless format (i.e. 24-bit .BMP), and MapZone 2.5 or higher... Since you don't need any NVIDIA or other plugin, nor the SDK's imagetool to generate the normal map, just save your artwork in it's current state in your favorite photo editing tool in either one of .BMP, .JPG or .PNG formats.

	== Generating the normal map ==		== Generating the normal map ==

Captx-6562: /* Requirements */

2010-02-26T00:00:30Z

Requirements

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:00, 25 February 2010
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	* [http://www.mapzoneeditor.com/?PAGE=DOWNLOAD Mapzone 2.6]		* [http://www.mapzoneeditor.com/?PAGE=DOWNLOAD Mapzone 2.6]
	All you need is your greyscale heightmap, preferably saved in a lossless format (i.e. 24-bit .BMP), and MapZone 2.5 or higher... Since you don't need any NVIDIA or other plugin to generate the normal map, just save your artwork in it's current state in your favorite photo editing tool in either one of .BMP, .JPG or .PNG formats.		All you need is your greyscale heightmap, preferably saved in a lossless format (i.e. 24-bit .BMP), and MapZone 2.5 or higher... Since you don't need any NVIDIA or other plugin, nor the SDK's imagetool, to generate the normal map, just save your artwork in it's current state in your favorite photo editing tool in either one of .BMP, .JPG or .PNG formats.

	== Generating the normal map ==		== Generating the normal map ==

Captx-6562 at 23:58, 25 February 2010

2010-02-25T23:58:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:58, 25 February 2010
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	}}		}}

	MapZone is a free, powerful texture processing tool from Allegorithmic. This tutorial will show you how to setup MapZone to transform your greyscale ~~heightmap~~ in a ready-to-use FSX-format "bump" ~~map~~. For basic info on FSX bump-mapping, refer to Arno's [http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation Normal map creation] page.		MapZone is a free, powerful texture processing tool from Allegorithmic. This tutorial will show you how to setup MapZone to transform all your greyscale heightmaps in ready-to-use FSX-format "bump" maps (.DDS DXT5). For basic info on FSX bump-mapping, refer to Arno's [http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation Normal map creation] page.

	== Requirements ==		== Requirements ==

Captx-6562: /* Converting to FSX "bump" map */

2010-02-25T22:12:11Z

Converting to FSX "bump" map

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:12, 25 February 2010
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	# Select ''Alpha'' and toggle '''Combine Alpha''' to '''Replace Alpha''' ('''Fig. 3'''). [[Image:Normal map mapzone 4.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 3 - Alpha option settings]] Open the '''Transforms'''-dialog box for ''greyscale input'' and click ''Vertical Mirror'' '''once''' ('''Fig. 4'''), then confirm ''OK''. Repeat this for ''Colour input [1]'' [[Image:Normal map mapzone 5.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 4 - Flipping the map vertically]].		# Select ''Alpha'' and toggle '''Combine Alpha''' to '''Replace Alpha''' ('''Fig. 3'''). [[Image:Normal map mapzone 4.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 3 - Alpha option settings]] Open the '''Transforms'''-dialog box for ''greyscale input'' and click ''Vertical Mirror'' '''once''' ('''Fig. 4'''), then confirm ''OK''. Repeat this for ''Colour input [1]'' [[Image:Normal map mapzone 5.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 4 - Flipping the map vertically]].
	# Right-click the ''Alpha'' node in the graph view and ''Connect to New''->''OUTPUT''. Choose a name for the output node and confirm.		# Right-click the ''Alpha'' node in the graph view and ''Connect to New''->''OUTPUT''. Choose a name for the output node and confirm.
	# Right-click the ''OUTPUT'' node and ''Choose the TEXTURE FORMAT". Check ''Limit mipmap levels'' and ''Compress via D3D functions'' and confirm (Fig. 5)[[Image:Normal map mapzone 6.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 5 - OUTPUT settings]].		# Right-click the ''OUTPUT'' node and ''Choose the TEXTURE FORMAT''. Check ''Limit mipmap levels'' and ''Compress via D3D functions'' and confirm (Fig. 5)[[Image:Normal map mapzone 6.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 5 - OUTPUT settings]].

	Save your progress and you are ready to export your FSX bump map. To do so, Right-click the ''OUTPUT''-node and ''Export bitmap...''		Save your progress and you are ready to export your FSX bump map. To do so, Right-click the ''OUTPUT''-node and ''Export bitmap...''

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:45, 26 February 2010
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	# Right-click somewhere in the graph view. Point and select ->"''New filter''"->"''Bitmap import''". This will add an entry node where we can load our heightmap.		# Right-click somewhere in the graph view. Point and select ->"''New filter''"->"''Bitmap import''". This will add an entry node where we can load our heightmap.
	# Select the node by double-clicking (or right-click->"''Open (Display)''") to display it's '''options''' in a bar beneath the graph view. Click on the "''Size''"-button (256x256) and set to the size of your texture ('''Fig. 1'''). Check the "''default''" box (all the subsequent nodes are created with default size). Click "''OK''" to confirm.~~[[Image:Normal map mapzone 2.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 1 - Bitmap Import options]]~~		# [[Image:Normal map mapzone 2.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 1 - Bitmap Import options]]Select the node by double-clicking (or right-click->"''Open (Display)''") to display it's '''options''' in a bar beneath the graph view. Click on the "''Size''"-button (256x256) and set to the size of your texture ('''Fig. 1'''). Check the "''default''" box (all the subsequent nodes are created with default size). Click "''OK''" to confirm.
	# Now as in step 1., add a ->"''New FX-Map''"->"''FX Filter to FX-Map''" node and connect the output from the first node to its input (drag-drop the small triangle).		# Now as in step 1., add a ->"''New FX-Map''"->"''FX Filter to FX-Map''" node and connect the output from the first node to its input (drag-drop the small triangle).
	# Right-click the new node and point-select "''Connect to new''"->"''Normal Map''". This node generates a "standard" normal map as used by most rendering engines out there. From here on, it's almost all about converting it into the FSX-format "bump" map. You can always rearrange the nodes in the graph view by drag-and-drop. Saving your progress (''File->Save As...'') is a good idea at this point...		# Right-click the new node and point-select "''Connect to new''"->"''Normal Map''". This node generates a "standard" normal map as used by most rendering engines out there. From here on, it's almost all about converting it into the FSX-format "bump" map. You can always rearrange the nodes in the graph view by drag-and-drop. Saving your progress (''File->Save As...'') is a good idea at this point...
	# Let's see what we are doing and load our heightmap into MapZone via the "''Bitmap Import''" node. Click the "''Bitmap File''"-button (options bar, far left) displaying "'''[None...]'''" and browse to your file.		# Let's see what we are doing and load our heightmap into MapZone via the "''Bitmap Import''" node. Click the "''Bitmap File''"-button (options bar, far left) displaying "'''[None...]'''" and browse to your file.

	[[Image:Normal map mapzone 3.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 2 - Normal Map options]]		[[Image:Normal map mapzone 3.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Fig. 2 - Normal Map options]]Next, we can tweak the ''Normal Map''-node's options, meaning '''filter strength''' and '''intensity''' ('''Fig. 2'''). These are displayed in the options bar beneath the graph view when the node is selected (so, select it!). Play around a little and watch the effect in the view frame. ''Depending on the contrast of your heightmap'', you will have to adjust the settings to achieve a very subtle effect. You can still scale the effect in the material settings in max/gmax. Alas, finding suitable personal settings is a matter of trial and error, as with the NVIDIA-plugin.
	Next, we can tweak the ''Normal Map''-node's options, meaning '''filter strength''' and '''intensity''' ('''Fig. 2'''). These are displayed in the options bar beneath the graph view when the node is selected (so, select it!). Play around a little and watch the effect in the view frame. ''Depending on the contrast of your heightmap'', you will have to adjust the settings to achieve a very subtle effect. You can still scale the effect in the material settings in max/gmax. Alas, finding suitable personal settings is a matter of trial and error, as with the NVIDIA-plugin.

	== Converting to FSX "bump" map ==		== Converting to FSX "bump" map ==

	# Next, add a ''Uniform Color'' FX Filter in the graph view, right-click it and ''Connect to new->[Uniform] Mix''. When prompted, choose ''Connect to 'Input [2]' ''; that's the lower input. Connect the output of the ''Normal Map'' node to 'Input [1]' (the upper input).		# [[Image:Normal map mapzone 4.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 3 - Alpha option settings]][[Image:Normal map mapzone 5.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 4 - Flipping the map vertically]][[Image:Normal map mapzone 6.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 5 - OUTPUT settings]]Next, add a ''Uniform Color'' FX Filter in the graph view, right-click it and ''Connect to new->[Uniform] Mix''. When prompted, choose ''Connect to 'Input [2]' ''; that's the lower input. Connect the output of the ''Normal Map'' node to 'Input [1]' (the upper input).
	# Select the ''Uniform Mix'' and set it's '''Blending Mode''' to ''Sub.'' (subtract).		# Select the ''Uniform Mix'' and set it's '''Blending Mode''' to ''Sub.'' (subtract).
	# Drag a selection marquee around both the "''Uniform''" nodes you just inserted, right-click one of them and ''Clone Selection '''[keep input links]'''''. Arrange the clones somewhere underneath.		# Drag a selection marquee around both the "''Uniform''" nodes you just inserted, right-click one of them and ''Clone Selection '''[keep input links]'''''. Arrange the clones somewhere underneath.
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	# Add a ''New FX-Map''->''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node right next to the upper ''Uniform Mix'' node and connect the output of the latter to the input of the former.		# Add a ''New FX-Map''->''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node right next to the upper ''Uniform Mix'' node and connect the output of the latter to the input of the former.
	# Right-click the lower ''Mix'' node and ''Connect to new...''->''Alpha''. Join the output of the ''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node to the greyscale (top) input of ''Alpha''.		# Right-click the lower ''Mix'' node and ''Connect to new...''->''Alpha''. Join the output of the ''FX Filter to FX-Map'' node to the greyscale (top) input of ''Alpha''.
	# Select ''Alpha'' and toggle '''Combine Alpha''' to '''Replace Alpha''' ('''Fig. 3'''). ~~[[Image:Normal map mapzone 4.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 3 - Alpha option settings]]~~ Open the '''Transforms'''-dialog box for ''greyscale input'' and click ''Vertical Mirror'' '''once''' ('''Fig. 4'''), then confirm ''OK''. Repeat this for ''Colour input [1]'' ~~[[Image:Normal map mapzone 5.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 4 - Flipping the map vertically]]~~.		# Select ''Alpha'' and toggle '''Combine Alpha''' to '''Replace Alpha''' ('''Fig. 3'''). Open the '''Transforms'''-dialog box for ''greyscale input'' and click ''Vertical Mirror'' '''once''' ('''Fig. 4'''), then confirm ''OK''. Repeat this for ''Colour input [1]'' .
	# Right-click the ''Alpha'' node in the graph view and ''Connect to New''->''OUTPUT''. Choose a name for the output node and confirm.		# Right-click the ''Alpha'' node in the graph view and ''Connect to New''->''OUTPUT''. Choose a name for the output node and confirm.
	# Right-click the ''OUTPUT'' node and ''Choose the TEXTURE FORMAT''. Check ''Limit mipmap levels'' and ''Compress via D3D functions'' and confirm (Fig. 5)~~[[Image:Normal map mapzone 6.jpg\|thumb\|Fig. 5 - OUTPUT settings]]~~.		# Right-click the ''OUTPUT'' node and ''Choose the TEXTURE FORMAT''. Check ''Limit mipmap levels'' and ''Compress via D3D functions'' and confirm (Fig. 5).

	Save your progress and you are ready to export your FSX bump map. To do so, Right-click the ''OUTPUT''-node and ''Export bitmap...''		Save your progress and you are ready to export your FSX bump map. To do so, Right-click the ''OUTPUT''-node and ''Export bitmap...''