Game Art Mini Challenge #1 - Normal Mapped Props

#1

THEME: Create a prop or other simple object using Normal Maps

This is just a quick (and fun) challenge to eat up a bit of time while we all wait for the next challenge! Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to learn a bit while we’re at it. The challenge - to make an incredibly low poly prop, add a normal map, and end up with, hopefully, something really nice! The general plan is to keep this low key, so we’ll post only in this thread, and keep the image sizes low too.

RULES/GUIDELINES:

Your base mesh must be no more than 100 triangles. It is of course, only 1 prop, so this should be easy to manage. The mesh you use for creating the normal map has no limits.

Colour maps are not nessessary, but you can include them if you want. The normal map’s maximum resolution is be 512X512.

ONLY post in this thread. WIPs are fine. Posted images must be no larger than 700x700

For any submissions, you must include the following, but can include more if you want to:

[ul]
[li]Screenshot of base mesh without maps
[/li][li]Screenshot of Base mesh with Normal Map applied
[/li][li]Triangle count of base mesh
[/li][li]How long it took you to complete
[/li][li] Which Software(s) you used
[/li][/ul]

No prize, no voting, but hopefully we can get some learning outa this!! Feel free to post any questions here too!

[b]NORMAL MAPPING REFERENCE/RESOURCES/THREAD !!!

click HERE
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V[/b]

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=129627

#2

To get the ball rolling, I’ll start!

96 triangles
1.5 hours total
Maya to model, ATI’s NormalMapper to generate the normals.

#3

Wow Dargon, great idea! I really love it! I would definatly participate if i knew how to deal with normal maps, if i can find a tutorial sometime this week, i’ll definatly make something for friday… Great gun too! With the normal map, it looks atleast 6 times more then it’s real polycount! I love it!

#4

Yeah…could you post up a few relevant links for normal mapping in Maya? Maybe I’ll give this a try, but I don’t know where to start. Thanks!

=Zack

#5

Heya, this is my first post on these forums with this account, my last one, it kept screwing up when I tried to register…anyhoo, this is the first time Ive used normal maps, I think I did aight:D But I had to get the map with the Nvidia Normal Map filter, which sucks heaps, where can I get a tool that allows you to get good ones? Or is it in that link…ill go there now.

64 Triangles
1 256 x 256.tga Normal Map
1 64x64.tga Opacity Map

Pic:

Peace ez.
:beer:

#6

How did you view normal mapped models inside of maya? :slight_smile:
Looks great btw :slight_smile:

#7

Cheers!

I didn’t - I used the Normal Mapper view program from ATI, and printed screen. But there is a shader that is available - see the normal mapping thread to render with a Normal Map, and if you have a brand spanking new video card, you can use the CG plugins from NVidia’s website!

#8

you can always use the crytek previewer ( http://www.crytek.de/downloads/index.php?sx=polybump ), which will also show the difuse and specular on top if need be, unlike their normal genorator is free and works perfectly with ati geneated mas too :slight_smile: but does not work insie of any other apps :(.

tpe

#9

Hi there,

i dont have access to a suitable viewer here but this should give an idea of the outcome.
Just remember the silhuette should be pointy and edgy like the original low-poly model.

Here comes pumpkin

#10

Bigglzee -> Great work! Funny, it seems your post didn’t appear for me until much after all the other ones here… Looks really good, but I think since you had nearly 40 triangles to play with, I might of put a bit more into that crosspiece. Also, I think that normal maps work a bit better on contiguous surfaces…

mmhnemo -> Fun! You could perhaps exagerate a bit more the normal map, to pick up deeper holes in the eyes and mouth, and add some more bumpyness, particularily around the stem to take advantage of the technology.

Keep 'em coming!!

And thanks to Bent for making this a sticky! Next could we get a plug? hint hint

#11

had to learn the basics of normal maps, how to make them, how to use zbrush and how to put it all together…
I followed bens’ tutorial http://www.monitorstudios.com/bcloward/tutorials_normal_maps1.html (very good ;)) but I can’t see the results in max :confused:

anyways, here’s my first normal map :wip:

edit: used max 5.1 and zbrush 2

#12

you better believe ill be making an appearance here:)

#13

the ati viewer can preview bump, spec and diffuse maps with the normal map but i just cant figure out how to do it. the are suposed to export with the nmf. file some how. if any one figures it out let me know.

thanks

#14

Originally posted by mmhnemo
[B]

Just remember the silhuette should be pointy and edgy like the original low-poly model.

[/B]

Maybe next generation normal mapping shader can expose this to the artist:

http://www.flipcode.com/cgi-bin/msg.cgi?showThread=09-04-2003&forum=iotd&id=-1

yo dur23, hope you can make it for the next contest, create your own fighting character :thumbsup:

#15

Gave another go, to try to lure more folks in…

It’s a door knocker - minus the handle - couldn’t fit it in with the poly limits - oh well.

98 triangles
Too much time
Maya, ATI NormalMapper

kotter -> Great stuff for your first try, keep it up! Practice is definately the key when it comes to normal mapping!

Dur! Looking forward to what you come up with!!

#16

Great stuff!!

:beer:

Ill try to think something up and make it as well, i need to learn this :slight_smile:

#17

Thanks:beer:

And great work, I especially like the second of Dargon’s thats incredible :buttrock: btw, my posts will appear later becuase they have to be verified.

#18

I’ve been trying to make a head for a while now, but I’m having some trouble.

I start out with a low poly head and subdivide it with meshsmooth, but that makes the high res head smaller then the low res one. If I understand it correctly the high res have to overlap the low res att all times for the normal map to work?

the problem is that I can’t resize or use the push modifier on the high res to get it bigger then the low res.
Do I have to start out with a high res and optimize it?
pretty hard to get a good 250 tri head from a 100 000 tri head…

any tips on normalmapping a head?

#19

this is not for the challange, i just though i would show you guys the normal mapping i’ve been working on.

this is for a half life 2 mod called “jungle mist” www.junglemistmod.com

the third image is the low poly pants and the same lowpoly mesh with a normal map.

the high resolution ref’s are as follows:
pants 380,000 polys
jacket 600,000 polys

the low res models are as follows:
pants 760 triangles
jacket n/a

#20

Wow man, thats excellent:beer: