Direct X problems with 'Dice' Normal map tutorial.
greentooth
...I think.
I've been following Andrei Ichim's normal mapping tutorial over at Game Artist, and While I think I understand the process, I'm not getting the right results. My normal map looks fine, but its not rendering right or showing up in the veiwport. Im fairly sure its a problem whith my Direct X plugin, but I have no idea how to tell or where to begin fixing it. Or I cant find things in max 2009.
Heres my normal map:
Which seems fine to me. But on a side note, can anyone explain why the render in max comes out looking like this?
So I apply this to my low poly model in the bump map slot (with a value of 100) and this is where things go wrong. The tutorial calls for me to check the DX Display of Standard Material option in the DirectX Manager section.
Which isn't there for me. Now my normal map won't show up in the viewport:
Can anyone tell me where this option is located? Has it moved for max 2009? or is my direct X plugin not working?
Any help appreciated, thanks!
I've been following Andrei Ichim's normal mapping tutorial over at Game Artist, and While I think I understand the process, I'm not getting the right results. My normal map looks fine, but its not rendering right or showing up in the veiwport. Im fairly sure its a problem whith my Direct X plugin, but I have no idea how to tell or where to begin fixing it. Or I cant find things in max 2009.
Heres my normal map:
Which seems fine to me. But on a side note, can anyone explain why the render in max comes out looking like this?
So I apply this to my low poly model in the bump map slot (with a value of 100) and this is where things go wrong. The tutorial calls for me to check the DX Display of Standard Material option in the DirectX Manager section.
Which isn't there for me. Now my normal map won't show up in the viewport:
Can anyone tell me where this option is located? Has it moved for max 2009? or is my direct X plugin not working?
Any help appreciated, thanks!
Replies
It should pop out a little sub-menu containing a pink/white checkered cube icon - select this one, then turn it on.
They changed the method of enabling DX material display in recent Max versions, I guess this tutorial is older than that.
Next problem: My normal map renders very oddly in the viewport and when I render, like so:
the dots on the dice look like inset rings rather than soft scoops. You might also notice the edges of the normal maps dont line up, or at least the seams are very very messy. I've unwrapped the low poly cube before hand, so whats the deal?
Heres the normal map as a diffuse to better illustrate the mis-match:
more info?
secondly, try checking the "Flip Y" (or is it "Flip Green Channel" ?) in the Normal Bump map properties - it seems like one or more of your normal-map's channels may be inverted.
edit: lol, looks like everyone clicked post at the same time!
So when you normally click the bump slot and pick "bitmap" and browse to your texture,
click "Normal Bump" then click "normal" and then browse to your texture.
Just sticking a normal map in the bump slot like you would a diffuse will cause 3ds to treat it like a B/W bump map, yuck!
Moose and MoP: yup I thought it might have been inverted but wasn't the issue!
EVERYONE: your all right, I forgot to choose normal bump instead of bitmap/bumpmap. Do'h!
Thanks everyone, I feel like I understand normal maps in max alot more as well as jsut being aple to slap them on now!