[Resolved!] UT3 and normal map problems
polycounter lvl 17
So I feel somewhat dumb.
I just bought the collector's edition of UT3 in hopes of importing some static meshes/characters. I stayed up pretty late last night trying to figure your basic importing and I got somewhat far using these forums as reference.
Before I go too far into detail I'll list my tools:
ZBrush 3
Maya 7.0
ActorX plugin for maya 7.0
My problem as of the momment is when I make a material, all of my textures seem to blend well together, except for my normal maps. When I preview them using hardware rendering in Maya they look just fine.
However, as soon as I load one up in the material editor using texture sample, and apply the color information to the normal channel. It's almost as if my normal map just isn't popping up enough.
Perhaps its a problem with how I create my normal maps. Today I decided to start from scratch and just use a basic bust from ZBrush. I took the max subdivided model, and a lower polymodel.
Then I took them both into Maya. I then did a basic cylindrical map on the bust, not really caring too much for the UVs for times sake, it works pretty well. I then do a surface sample with the following settings:
I then clear the history of the lower res model, and apply a new blinn material.
To preview my normal map, I go to the hypershade and make a new node that loads the outcolor of the normal map, into the camera normal of the material
I then load up actorx typing "axmesh" and export to an ase just using the "export selected mesh" check box.
In the editor, I import my ASE to a new package. I also import all of my bitmaps with the default settings that came with the editor (I don't change ANY settings when I import)
I then create a new material, and plug in all of my textures using texture sample. I make a diffuse, a normal, a glowmap (emission), a spec map, a constant value for spec power, and my normal map for normal.
And this is the result I get:
Box in the editor on the left, box in maya on the right
Unreal on the left with a flat diffuse and normal map applied to the material, maya on the right:
And one more example with a different model:
It looks like the normal map isn't being applied at all, But when I switch into the material editor, I can definantly see the changes
Does anyone have any ideas. I feel somewhat dumb right now because I have a feeling there's just some fundamental thing I'm missing, either its in how I make my normals, or how I'm plugging them into my texture, and help is greatly appreciated.
I just bought the collector's edition of UT3 in hopes of importing some static meshes/characters. I stayed up pretty late last night trying to figure your basic importing and I got somewhat far using these forums as reference.
Before I go too far into detail I'll list my tools:
ZBrush 3
Maya 7.0
ActorX plugin for maya 7.0
My problem as of the momment is when I make a material, all of my textures seem to blend well together, except for my normal maps. When I preview them using hardware rendering in Maya they look just fine.
However, as soon as I load one up in the material editor using texture sample, and apply the color information to the normal channel. It's almost as if my normal map just isn't popping up enough.
Perhaps its a problem with how I create my normal maps. Today I decided to start from scratch and just use a basic bust from ZBrush. I took the max subdivided model, and a lower polymodel.
Then I took them both into Maya. I then did a basic cylindrical map on the bust, not really caring too much for the UVs for times sake, it works pretty well. I then do a surface sample with the following settings:
I then clear the history of the lower res model, and apply a new blinn material.
To preview my normal map, I go to the hypershade and make a new node that loads the outcolor of the normal map, into the camera normal of the material
I then load up actorx typing "axmesh" and export to an ase just using the "export selected mesh" check box.
In the editor, I import my ASE to a new package. I also import all of my bitmaps with the default settings that came with the editor (I don't change ANY settings when I import)
I then create a new material, and plug in all of my textures using texture sample. I make a diffuse, a normal, a glowmap (emission), a spec map, a constant value for spec power, and my normal map for normal.
And this is the result I get:
Box in the editor on the left, box in maya on the right
Unreal on the left with a flat diffuse and normal map applied to the material, maya on the right:
And one more example with a different model:
It looks like the normal map isn't being applied at all, But when I switch into the material editor, I can definantly see the changes
Does anyone have any ideas. I feel somewhat dumb right now because I have a feeling there's just some fundamental thing I'm missing, either its in how I make my normals, or how I'm plugging them into my texture, and help is greatly appreciated.
Replies
If you dont, the extents are not set properly, and it will look washed out when applied to your mesh.
also, check your X and Y channels. if the Y channel (G) does not have white details at the top, and black on the bottom, invert it, and reimport. Likewise with X (r), whites should be on left, blacks on right.
Think its a maya issue when rendering normal maps.