Normal Map issues in 3ds Max 2008

Valkier · Mar 2008

I am somewhat of a newbie when it comes to normal maps, so please be gentle.

I use 3Ds Max 2008, and the scene is rendered with mr daylight lighting. I made my high poly and got a normal map made and ready to be used on my low poly model. There was no red or anything. All the details of the high poly are plainly seen on the map.

I applied the normal map to the texture ala Normal Bump in the bump slot. It's not showing any of the details however. I made little bolts and rivets on the high poly and there is not a trace of them coming up on the low poly render.

I'm not certain if I'm missing something in the process, but I'm almost positive it has to be something else. Again, the normal map looks fine, it's just not visibly applying anything.

Slainean · Mar 2008

Did you check "DX display of Standard Material" under DirectX Manager in the material window?

Valkier · Mar 2008

Only thing under my DirectX Manager is a greyed out option to enable plugin material.

Slainean · Mar 2008

Sorry I use Max 8, so maybe the interface has change since.

By default the Bump is set to 30 under Maps, did you make sure to increase that value?

Snowfly · Mar 2008

It's the pink checkerbox in the material editor. Also, I don't think mental ray lights affect anything in the viewport, so are you trying to do a software render?

Valkier · Mar 2008

Yeah, it's up to 100 right now. I've even thrown it up to 300 just to see if that would have an effect and nothing. I may just try bringing the model into a new scene, loading up the UVW and see if that has any change. Seems like Max is just being picky for no good reason right now.

Edit: Gah! you posted as I was posting mine, Snowfly! I don't think the mental ray lights would be an issue as I did it a few times when I was still in college with no negative effects.

Anyways, it looks like bringing the mesh and reapplying everything has worked for whatever reason. I couldn't begin to guess as to why it didn't work the first time, but I suppose I should be thankful. Thank you everyone who gave me suggestions.

stop619 · Jan 2009

sorry to resurrect this guy, but i'm having a related...er, similar issue with viewing normal maps in the viewport.

i've enabled "Show hardware map in viewport", however, i am not able to see my normal map (dice) in the VP. I've verified that the Direct3D 9.0 drivers are running (Radeon X700).

As you can see, the normals show fine in the material sample and when the VP is rendered.

i'm beginning to think its a video card issue. I'll look into updating the drivers, but I wanted to check here and see if anyone had additional suggestions.

btw, i'm using 3ds max 2009

thanks, much.

Marc

gamedev · Jan 2009

Guessing by the bright white mesh in the viewport, do you have a skylight in the scene? DX won't play nice w/ them. Try deleting it, and toggling DX display off then on again.

stop619 · Jan 2009

thanks. i double checked the lighting and it's default (new scene).

i turned on "Show standard map in viewport" which takes away the blown out effect.

omw to update video drivers...

anoon · Jan 2009

What are you expecting? If it is to see a realtime render of your dice that looks like your offline render, then you are using the wrong material type. You want a Direct X shader material with the RTTnormal map .fx file.

If you are you using a NormalBump Map in the Bump map slot of a default material and want to see how your purple normal map looks mapped on the thing the viewport, then I suspect that you need to go one level deeper into the NormalBump Map to the actual map level and click "show map in viewport."

gamedev · Jan 2009

Alright, create a new material, under maps find bump, click on 'None' and from the dialog select 'Normal Bump'. In the Normal slot, click 'None' and select your normal map. Click on the 'Go to Parent' button (the black arrow just above the Standad button). Once you're at the top of the material, left click and hold down on the blue cube, 'Show Map in Viewport' button. Its a flyout and from it, select the pink cube. This will enable a DX view. Apply this mat to your dice and you're done.

stop619 · Jan 2009

anoon:

I've gone down to the map level, and there doesn't seem to be a "show map in viewport" option. however, i see that option at the top of my material (the blue box).

gamedev: thanks, again. these are the exact steps that i followed in the first screen grab.

i also updated my video drivers...same result.

not sure...

Marc

alexk · Jan 2009

stop619, are you trying to show normal maps in the viewport? if so, you'll need a hlsl shader which you can get at http://www.bencloward.com/resources_shaders.shtml or use Max's DirectX included one called "metalbump", to access it go like this:

1) open material editor
2) scroll down to "DirectX Manager"
3) in the scroll list, pick "Metal Bump9" or whatever Metal Bump you have
4) check the box for "Enable Plugin Material" that is next the scroll list
5) now you will have a new options underneath for Metal Bump, where you can select your normal map and also other maps. however, it really sucks if you use anything other than normal map and diffuse map
6) if it looks really white in your viewport, delete any skylights in your scene, or change any lights to something simple like omni

ricolas71 · Mar 2009

Hello everyone.

I've got a slightly different problems with metal bump. I know how to use it but haven't the directx panel on my material editor. I'm using max 2009 design but I changed the texture interface to the classic one. I'm under directx 9c and max is correctly using it and not opengl.

Is anyone have an idea about how I could make this menu appears?

Thanks in advance.

MoP · Mar 2009

Having a skylight in the scene causes DX materials to fail to display, if I remember right.

Edit: Whoa, just realised this is a pretty old thread.
In response to the bump question: Does Max 2009 Design even have the DirectX Material Display feature? Isn't the Design edition one for architectural visualisation and stuff?

ricolas71 · Mar 2009

Yes it's the one focused on architecture. That's what I was wondering, like you said, if I've got all the same tools than the classic one. Seems the most possible explanation. I will try to find a review about both version to check it.
so, i guess there is no way to download it somewhere isn't it? is it built into max?

thanks!

Normal Map issues in 3ds Max 2008

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