Cell shading on a normal mapped character

mastershokhan

I hope this is not a dumb question...Is it possible to have Cell shading on a normal mapped character or object? Has anyone tried it?

AnimeAngel

Haven't actually tried, but I would think that you would lose a lot if not all the normal map details to the shading.
Which cell shader are you using? Does it even support a normal map?

sprunghunt

yes it is possible. Normal map input can be added to the shading network quite easily.

EarthQuake

AnimeAngel wrote: »

Haven't actually tried, but I would think that you would lose a lot if not all the normal map details to the shading.
Which cell shader are you using? Does it even support a normal map?

A normal map drives the forms and basic shading of a model, not just fine greeble detail. Your concern has more to do with texture resolution than anything related to a normal map. IE: you could probably use a lower res normal map with a cell shader. Even then, getting sharp details and such, not high-frequency but like sharp folds on cloth, the fold over an eyelid etc, you'll want decent resolution for.

If you want accurate per pixel lighting, you're going to need a normal map. Without a normal map all you have is poorly approximated per-vertex lighting.

Just look at TF2, very stylized game with a cartoony shader, but all of the characters and many of the assets in general have normal maps. It seems people still have the misconception that if you're using normal maps, your game/asset has to look a certain specific way(like doom3 lol). But in reality, a normal map is just a dataset to improve your shading, with higher quality and more detailed per-pixel lighting, and you can process that data however you like.

mastershokhan

Thanks fellas! I goggled this to no avail. Now that I know it can and has been done...... I'll try it.

Why is it that we haven't seen people play around with this more?

Eric Chadwick

Your google fu is weak my son!
http://images.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q="normal+map"+cartoon+shader

Not the greatest example, but ...
http://www.moddb.com/mods/naruto-ninja-densetsu/images/normal-mapcel-shading-test

Neox

there have been plenty of approaches of stylized characters with stylized shading, cell shading isn't the only thing you could do with normalmaps, it's totally possible i guess it depends on where you want to do it, are you just asking in general or do you want to apply it in a given engine/3dtool?

mastershokhan

I was asking in general. Unfortunately I suffer from "doom misconception" When I do try it, it will be in Maya/UDK first