nDo toning down some normal maps

JoshWilkinson

I am currently using nDo and I dig it, but I am running into an issue with the software subduing my baked normal maps. My general work flow is that I bake out a normal map from a hi poly model and then bring that map into photoshop and carve out a little more detail using nDo.

The problem with nDo 1 is that the normal maps it creates are photoshop layers applied as overlays. The new layers' overlays then wash out some of the greens and reds of the original map, causing the mesh to have sometimes harsher edges than original. The trade off seeming to be either allow nDo to subdue the original maps a bit or spend a lot more time on the hi poly model.

My question is this: 1) is there a better alternative to combining the two maps and if not 2) does nDo2 have a better solution for normal layers?

DeadlyFreeze

I only played with the demo and noticed this also, not really sure if I was just missing a setting or that was just how it worked. I just went back to using rod green's PS script for combining normals.

http://www.rodgreen.com/?p=4

JoshWilkinson

Thanks a lot for the link, Freeze. I tried following his tutorial but kept screwing up a step somewhere. Then I noticed he had that super handy script and after the first try I got it working, no problem. What a cool script, and excellent find.

Cheers dude

cptSwing

maybe work on the detail normals seperately, obtain final result, then overlay over your baked out normal map?