Converting Worldspace normal map to a Tangent space normal map

[SmallPoly]

I don't know of a direct way to do it, but if memory serves me correctly then NVidia's normal map photoshop plugin can convert a tangent space map into a height map. Don't expect good results though.

Anything done with a world space map would need to be done in a 3d app, since it is dependent on being on a model.

One thing -- are you sure you mean world space and not object space? How did this situation come about where you'd need to be using world space maps?

[Gísli]

Hi.

I may have mixed up the names, the thing is that my 3d software (Modo) outputs a normal map like this one:

http://www.online3d.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/gol_normal_map.jpg

But what I need is a normal map like this one:

http://www.bitmanagement.com/developer/contact/examples/textures/FieldstoneBumpDOT3.jpg


I´ve been playing around with the photoshop normalmap filter and so far have not been able to convert it successfully

and thank you for replying

[j83]

I suggest using xNormal,
http://www.xnormal.net/
;)

[Marcel]

As far as I know you cannot convert between the two. The world space normalmap simply encodes a normal direction. The object space normalmap encodes the direction of the normal relative to the normal of the faces (in 'tangent' space). You need to generate the normalmap in combination with the low poly surface for this to be possible.

[copain]

hi, have you tried crazybump?

If modo can generate displacement maps,then you can open it up in crazybump and it will generate a tangentspace normalmap for you.

[Gísli]

Thanks for all the answers,

I´ll probably end up just baking the normal maps in either Maya or Xnormal, I was just wondering if it were possible :)

guess not :p

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