Hello experts,
I have a project where I need to use normal map for good-looking
rendering of the 3D Female model. I have done sufficient reading over
normal maps. I am also interested to post few links for other fellow
developers who may be interested in reading about normal maps. I am
posting the problem I am having just below the links.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping
http://3dtoday.com/post/2009/06/05/Free-3D-Normal-Map-Photoshop-Plug-in.aspx
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/melody_home.html
http://www.game-artist.net/forums/vbarticles.php?do=article&articleid=16
http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=794522
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=2575
http://www.crazybump.com/
https://support.pixologic.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=42
http://www.surlybird.com/tutorials/QuickNormalMaps/index.html
http://learning3dfromscratch.blogspot.com/2009/06/zbrush-to-houdini-texture-and-normal.html
http://www.game-artist.net/forums/support-tech-discussion/4507-zbrush-maya-normal-mapping.html
http://www.xnormal.net/Downloads.aspx
http://sourceforge.net/projects/denormgen/
http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?p=313264
http://www.free3dtutorials.com/texturing/zbrush/hi-poly-model-normal-map-in-zbrush-31.php
After going these, I tried nVidia melody. It generates a normap map as
files with .dds extension. They can be viewed with polygon cruncher.
Not sure if they are plain JPG files. However, it was really strange
than the one genrerated from 3DS Max.
The 3D designer I am working with had tried exporting normal maps for
a simple test model through 3DS Max. It was more intuitive but I am
not sure if I should use it.
I have also tried to install crazybump. Not being a 3D designer, I
could not get exactly what I could do with it.
I also read through forums and few suggested to use zBrush for
"painting" normal maps, they praised it a lot. I do not understand
why it needs to be painted, if it can be generated from geometry of
high-res and low-res models (I am sure this is how it is said it works
theoretically ).
The 3D female model is then going to wear 2 clothes. We will be using
normal maps for them as well.
If somebody can please indicate the workflow/tools we should use for
perfect achievement, I would really be very thankful. Also, if
somebody has encountered any errors/problems while doing similar
things and would like to give any suggestions/cautions we should take
care if before-hand while designing/using/rendering model, it would be
great timesaver and highly appreciated.
BTW, here are another links that I found useful and few tidbits they
did to achieve performance.
http://www.bencloward.com/tutorials_normal_maps11.shtml
http://labs.syerit.com/
We just can't go with high resolution model. I would really be waiting
for somebody expert to comment on this and would be highly thankful to
him/her as normals maps are core of our model rendering.
Sushant
