Sorry... But what is the differnces between Bump maps and Normal maps....

#1

Hi…
I use 3ds max 2011 x64 and Photoshop Cs5 x64

      I experimented a lot with both Bump maps and normal maps and all I can c is that normal bump maps sometimes give higher or stronger bumpiness... and when I really need higher values like some i c made by normal maps i don't get it , I just get blackness over my texture...  and still don't know what is the actual real difference between them if it's the height .. what is displacement for.. I mean what difference ...... and why Normal map in blue ... Why the machine understand this kind of weird blue?? I understand that bumpiness understood by black and white maps.... why this exception......

all the time when i need real heights either i cancel it or waste a huge time modeling every single thing…although i know that normal map can solve it in minutes .

I really need to know what is Normal map… How to use it… is it for just bumpiness ???
I am really trapped into this…
thanks for ur time…

#2

I experimented a lot with both Bump maps and normal maps and all I can c is that normal bump maps sometimes give higher or stronger bumpiness… and when I really need higher values like some i c made by normal maps i don’t get it , I just get blackness over my texture… and still don’t know what is the actual real difference between them if it’s the height

Post your settings, maps and results.

Google is your (and your manual is your friend too) :slight_smile:

Normal mapping
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_mapping
Bump mapping
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_mapping
http://download.autodesk.com/us/3dsmax/2012help/index.html?url=files/GUID-2818B285-15A3-4E7F-8E0F-8C00B37D0FA-2056.htm,topicNumber=d28e398703

what is displacement for… I mean what difference ?

Both fake heights/low while displacements actually create a different geometry.
http://download.autodesk.com/us/3dsmax/2012help/index.html?url=files/GUID-14B36287-F9FB-4D92-98D3-A95D100DA29-2057.htm,topicNumber=d28e398866

I understand that bumpiness understood by black and white maps… why this exception.

The software understands that kind of map because it’s programmed to do so.
Normal maps ain’t an exception, it’s something completely different.

If you need more bump then increase the bump map amount or add more contrast to your bump maps.

all the time when i need real heights either i cancel it or waste a huge time modeling every single thing
If you need real heights you’ll have to model them or use displacements.
As said both normal and bump mappings only fake those.

#3

You just answered your own question. Normal maps use a range greater than 256 gray scale offers. Normal maps use the RGB channel to store its relief depth. When viewed in a photo editor, it has the pink/purple/greenish-cyan look to it. I think normal maps are generated by the z-depth from renders, or at least gets its info from the same source that z-depth gets its info.

Rendering a hi-res object as a normal map allows you to apply that normal map onto a lo-res object. Using the same camera rendering angle will trick the viewer’s eye into thinking the lo-res object is a hi-res object. But the illusion soon vanishes when the camera shifts its viewing angle. But by then, the player has run down the hall and is shooting at something else.

Yes, normal maps are used in video games to make less polygons look like more.

#4

Thanks a lot guys… that was very helpful… just one thing … Should i use render to texture to get Normal maps… all the time i paint it in Ps which Nividea plugin which converts the image to normal map…
and Should i learn how to use render to texture anyway… I feel like it’s old thing and i can use PS instead… Or i miss something here…

#5

I will suggest you to at least try out render to texture too to learn more about how normal map works

Also, do note that you can use sculpting tool (mudbox etc) to generate normal map as well. It works great for generating organic details like a scar, or the creases in fabric etc which I feel is harder to create through hand-painting in photoshop.

Whereas painting in photoshop is faster and better for stuffs like a fabric surface, hard surfaces like a brick wall etc where you can simply convert from photos (with fine-tuning of cause).

and then you can go ahead and combine both methods to create a better normal map in photoshop in a shorter time

btw, there are some other tools beside Nvidia plugin for normal maps. I’ll suggest you to explore using crazybump and xnormal too

#6

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