Whats the differance between normal map and...

[BazC]

A displacement map is a greyscale image which is used to move the surface of your model at rendertime.

A normal map is more like a bump map except it is coloured and therefore contains much more information. When applied at rendertime it creates light and shadow on the surface of the model just like a bump map but is much more convincing, it does not involve actually moving the surface of the model

A rather simplistic explanation but I hope it helps! - Baz

[MRAY]

Thanks!

[BazC]

You're welcome!

[BobbyKarate]

where can I find a tutorial on normal mapping? By my little knowledge it seems that you have to create a higpoly version of the lowpoly object and then try to unwrap the highpoly to fit the lowpoly coordinates you have already unwrapped?? seems like a lot of work am I missing somthing?

[MRAY]

I believe what happens is the map (normal map) takes all the information from the high poly normals and stores it in a texture file called a normal map then that map is used on a low poly version.

the normal map containing all the information from the high poly version making the low poly one look high poly.

kinda confusing huh?

i think thats pretty much what a normal map is.
i could be wrong i'm just learning this stuff too :)

-Mray-

[Gremlin]

i'd be interested in a tutorial as well...

[MovieRelics]

For those looking for Normal Map Tutorials, here are a couple that I have found.

http://www.drone.org/tutorials/normal_maps.html

http://www.drone.org/tutorials/displacement_maps.html

Also, here is a website with about a few hundred other Maya tutorials.

http://www.learning-maya.com/


Have fun.

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