Guest Workshop: Shared normalmaps By: StarX

[StarX]

Shared normalmaps

This tutorial requires some basic understanding about normalmaps.

Description:

This is some general and in my opinion very useful information on how to use the same normalmap for different textures. This goes mainly for textures that make color variations of the same item (for example a bronze colored steel cuirass). I know from experience that many beginning and even some more experienced texturers aren't aware of the possibility to let the bronze version use the same normalmap as the vanilla steel cuirass texture. This means a great reduction in filesize, which is always a good thing.

How does it work?

As we know most textures (DDS files) have their own normalmap. If we take a look at the steel armor texture folder (textures\armor\steel\m) for example we see a cuirass.dds and a cuirass_n.dds. As we know the "_n" suffix stands for the normalmap.

Now let's say that we have created our bronze colored version of the steel cuirass: everything is the same except for the color.

To make our bronze version use the same normalmap as the vanilla steel cuirass we need to put it in the same folder as the steel cuirass: textures\armor\steel\m. We also need to name our bronze version properly: we use the vanilla name and add an underscore to it, followed by a name we choose. So it would be something like: cuirass_bronze.

The files in our folder should look something like this:

By using this method you can create as many color variations as you want without having to make a normalmap for each single version. Easy isn't it?

Example

Here's an example of how I made use of this method for two of my katanas:

I made a Red Dragon texture:

And a Green Dragon texture:

And of course the normalmap:

And this shows how they share the same normalmap:

Note that in this case both textures have an underscore with their colortone behind it.

I hope this little tutorial was useful. As I'm not a native English speaker there could be some grammar mistakes, but I think that most people will understand the above.

Cheers,

StarX

[Mannimagnus]

Excellent tutorial StarX! This will save a lot of time when it comes to retextures. (And here I was making various copies of normal maps )

[StarX]

Glad you found it helpful, Manni!

[garnet18]

I saw shared normal maps and try to do them without success. It's all about this little underscore.

Thanks for the explanation.

[greenwarden]

StarX, thank you for this! This is great stuff to know.

[StarX]

I saw shared normal maps and try to do them without success. It's all about this little underscore.

Thanks for the explanation.

Yup, never underestimate the power of the mighty underscore!

StarX, thank you for this! This is great stuff to know.

You're welcome, Greenie! This is one of the neat tricks that makes things easier for modders, mod users and for internet connections and harddrives.

My next small tutorial will be about using actions in Photoshop, which can be a real timesaver for mass texturework.

[InsanitySorrow]

Very Good Star

Though I still prefer the old way, does that make me odd?

[StarX]

Very Good Star

Though I still prefer the old way, does that make me odd?

Yes it does!

[BadCompany]

wow how did i never know this? it was always the damn underscore! so simple!!

...well, thnx StarX (as usual )

[WillieSea]

Though I still prefer the old way, does that make me odd?

I have been using this for years, it is the 'old way'.

[StarX]

wow how did i never know this? it was always the damn underscore! so simple!!

...well, thnx StarX (as usual )

You're welcome, BC!

I have been using this for years, it is the 'old way'.

[ZuTheSkunk]

It works for me in-game (), but for some reason, objects with colour (I mean, retexture) different than original are totally black in CS. It happens also for others? If yes, then maybe it's worth of mentioning, to avoid confusion.

[StarX]

It works for me in-game (), but for some reason, objects with colour (I mean, retexture) different than original are totally black in CS. It happens also for others? If yes, then maybe it's worth of mentioning, to avoid confusion.

Nope, never happened to me. The textures show perfectly fine in the CS. I believe this happens when there are no MIP maps for the textures. Had that happen once with one of Sinblood's armor textures for SVVR, they showed fine ingame but were black in the CS. As soon as I resaved the files with MIP maps all was fine again in the CS.