will MMORPG's be using normal maps any time soon?

Justin Meisse · Aug 2005

Would it be correct to guess that MMORPG's won't be using normal maps for at least a couple more years?

I'm trying to build up an environmental model portfolio to show off to some different mmo developers and was wondering what I should shoot for, I'm kind of aiming for Mythic's Warhammer Online team

Neo_God · Aug 2005

Um...they already are, Everquest 2 uses them.

sinistergfx · Aug 2005

Imperator did use them.

Justin Meisse · Aug 2005

argh!

KMan · Aug 2005

City of Heroes uses them too

snemmy · Aug 2005

and Star Wars Galaxies

thomasp · Aug 2005

but... do they derive detail from hipoly in doom3-style or do they just use normal maps as a (painted) replacement for "classic" bumpmaps? 'cause some project's i've worked on did exactly that - s/w bumpmaps were converted to normalmaps for performance optimizations. hipoly just didn't fit into the budgets.

Rhinokey · Aug 2005

i would guess most mmo normal maps are converted from greyscale maps, painted by artists, tho on imperator we were using a mixture, depending on what was easier at the time.

Renaud Galand · Aug 2005

even the new extension packs of EQ1 use normal map

thomasp · Aug 2005

per: sure, but the hipoly approach requires hipoly modelling skills

cholden · Aug 2005

Yes, Per's right, everyone needs to learn this. That's why you should all enter the September Challenge
http://boards.polycount.net/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=65795&an=0&page=0#65795
Lots of room for creativity, and the skills you need to know now.

thomasp · Aug 2005

well, i didn't want to imply that i am not working with hipoly stuff, infact i do, although there for sure is lot's of room for improvement in my work.
i just guessed the thread starter wasn't so happy to hear that this kind of skills are in demand at a lot of places now.

Justin Meisse · Aug 2005

yeah, not happy to hear it, I felt like I was starting from scratch doing environments, needing highpoly skills is like lemon juice on a paper cut. Oh well, I'll just keep trudging along.

KDR_11k · Aug 2005

I felt like I was starting from scratch doing environments

Which is probably why there's so few environment modelers.

will MMORPG's be using normal maps any time soon?

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