Normal creation
Hi all,
I've been wondering, what is the best way to make normal from a diffuse?
For example I was looking at how clean and accurate the normal map from this diffuse looks:
Theres accurate variation in height while my own normal maps usually look flat and ugly like this:
Been playing with levels, etc. but just can't get a nice result as this one.
If it was displacement mapping the answer most probably would be hand painting, but as for the normal map I don't think it's possible with this amount of detail.
Any tips would be appreciated.
I've been wondering, what is the best way to make normal from a diffuse?
For example I was looking at how clean and accurate the normal map from this diffuse looks:
Theres accurate variation in height while my own normal maps usually look flat and ugly like this:
Been playing with levels, etc. but just can't get a nice result as this one.
If it was displacement mapping the answer most probably would be hand painting, but as for the normal map I don't think it's possible with this amount of detail.
Any tips would be appreciated.
Replies
My way of making normal sucks anyway
in terms of what YOU can do about this? there are a couple of things. firstly, create a hightmap, and then paint in some manual hight differences, you'll need to think about it fairly logically, and do it "per leaf", but it can be done. secondly, check out Scott Homer's (who works at Crytek Nottingham) artical in Vertex 2 (just released), it shows how you can add some normal differentiation to a scene quite easily and effectively.
link to vertex 2 here: http://www.artbypapercut.com/
Scott's article starts on page 46.
@almighty_gir, I read Scot's article at Vertex 2 launch day. Thanks anyway