Graphic Artistry: General Questions

[InsanitySorrow]

As you make your way through the Graphic Artistry classes you may have some questions about what's being presented that need answering. Post your questions here and the Scholar will answer as soon as possible to get you back on track.

Have questions not related to the Graphic Artistry course? Scholar offline? Post a thread in the Study Hall for some peer to peer support!

[Arion]

Okay I'm stuck and don't know what to do.

Lesson 2 Part 4: Normal Map

Open up the SteelArmor.dds you just saved, copy it CTRL+C then in your Layer list add a new channel and paste in the texture. You should now have a greyscale version of the armor texture in a channel called Alpha 1. And then Copy the Alpha Channel make a new image and paste it in, we'll be using that later on.

I'm having to use both Paint.net and Gimp to do the lesson because neither one can do everything. In gimp I already have an Alpha Channel and ctrl+c doesn't do anything. In paint.net I have to add a new layer but don't know what to do with it. Needless to say when I get here :

Part Five: Environment Mask/Map

Remember what said about copying the Alpha channel and placing it in a new image?, Well we're going to use this now.

I have nothing to work with. I have been beating my head against the wall trying to get through this for better than 6 hours last night. I dont' have PS and without explict directions for either Paint.net or Gimp I'm having to try to figure out what is the same as what you are using. And I am NOT very intuitive with graphics programs so ....

As a side note I used the _m file that was the default and have done the rest of the lesson and I can see it in game. Other than my chainmail is dark - not grey - and the links are pretty large its working.

[InsanitySorrow]

I'm not a GIMP user myself and assumed they work in a similar way to PS, you will have to follow some additional steps to create an Alpha channel in GIMP. This should help.

[Arion]

I already have an alpha channel in Gimp. When I try adding a second one and naming it alpha1 as per the lessons its all weirded out and is blank. I can't paste the image to it.

I'll try workign with it later this afternoon and will post back here with the results after reading through the link you provided.

[Arion]

I attached my work and sent it in a PM to you.I don't know if its right, but somehow I got a greyscale (sort of image) and I saved it as a _m file. Probably not right but maybe you can figure out what I'm doing wrong

[Arion]

Can we turn in the homework and see if its correct before we attempt the extra credit? I've followed everything so far and it looks correct except the world model still shows the fur? Laying on the ground and in the inventory has fur.....

[InsanitySorrow]

Yeah you can do that

There is another model that controls that, usually has the suffix _GO. You'll need to edit that to make the texture display correctly.

[Tamira]

I worked through the second lesson and managed all that is required, even included the world-model, but I cannot reproduce the steps Alpha Channel and Environment Map with Gimp.

I made a normal map using the tutorial on the CS wiki but do not know how to make a m_.dds

So I am stuck.

[InsanitySorrow]

If you take a look at lesson #2, I posted an answer that should help you make an Environment Map in GIMP

[McSquirmie]

I had a question regarding brushes, which ones are used frequently for weapon design? I have tried downloading a lot of different brushes but none of them really work for a weapon. Thanks in advance

[InsanitySorrow]

Depends what you're trying to do, different brushes are used for different things. I've used scratch, grunge, oil, painting and smudge brushes to name a few.

[McSquirmie]

Depends what you're trying to do, different brushes are used for different things. I've used scratch, grunge, oil, painting and smudge brushes to name a few.

Cool, thanks for the list. I was just looking for some brushes that you might use frequently.

[aurora]

Yeah you can do that

There is another model that controls that, usually has the suffix _GO. You'll need to edit that to make the texture display correctly.

I have been trying to fix this so I can see my new chainmail armor in preview and in the world but I must be screwing something up. Can you please provide a little more info on updating the \SteelCuirassGo.nif for the World model (both male and female). Everything I have tried has given me the chainmail on a character standin.

Thanks

[Arion]

I'm working on a new house and furniture. I'm using the mesh nobledoublebedo2.nif. I'm trying to keep the cloth and replace the wood. I followed out lesson two and this is the result.

Master Bed

I got the wood where I'm almost satisfied, but would really rather have the rough texture I have in this one

Upperclass with definetion

The problem is that in order to get the gloss to a manageable level for the wood, I've lost the defination of the wood and the cloth is still shiny. When I did the normal map I did the contrast at 120/90

I think I can live with the toned down wood texture but concerned about the glossy cloth and pillows.

This is hte texture that I was trying to accoplish My link

Edited March 26, 2012 by Arion

[InsanitySorrow]

What you'll need to do is select the cloth part of the texture with a selection tool, then you'll need to make the selected part of the alpha channel black. This will stop the pillows ect having a nice shine.

Things would be easier if the bed used two separate textures.

[Tamira]

I have two questions:

1) What is the difference between saving a dds as DTX1, DTX3 and DTX5?

2) When I look at the folder of armor, there are always two pieces of each: for example cuirass_0.nif and cuirass_01.nif; gauntlets_0.nif and gauntlets_1.nif; etc. In NifSkope they look the same. What do these two different meshes mean?

Sorry if this already has been mentioned somewhere else, I searched the threads here but could not find answers.

[InsanitySorrow]

1) What is the difference between saving a dds as DTX1, DTX3 and DTX5?

DXT1 saves with no Alpha channel, DXT3/DXT5 both save with Alpha channels, difference between the two is small, DXT3 saves sharper alpha channels and DXT5 saves smoother ones (Better for gradients)

2) When I look at the folder of armor, there are always two pieces of each: for example cuirass_0.nif and cuirass_01.nif; gauntlets_0.nif and gauntlets_1.nif; etc. In NifSkope they look the same. What do these two different meshes mean?

Those are for the two different body types, though I can't recall which one is for which body type atm.

[WillieSea]

I believe '0' is for very 'thin/weak' body weights, where '1' is for 'thicker/stronger' body weights.

[Arion]

IS.. Got a question on lesson 3 dealing with the numbered blocks. If we replace one of the layers with one of our own that contains the numbers already attached, what layer is it supposed to replace?

I think I have it figured out and submitted for class work.

Edited May 23, 2012 by Arion

[Arion]

I've been having a time trying to make sure I got the right parts textured on the boots. These two images are where I am at this point and want to know if they are even close. I'm getting pretty tired of guessing on my own at this point.

I've resolved this issue.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Arion

[Arion]

On the above post I knew I still needed to fix the side flaps on the back tops and was more concerned about what was showing. The following picture is what I'm submitting as my final picture. If there is something that you see wrong - please point it out as I have about lost it trying to find the parts of the boot. BTW, the light color on the left boot toe is from the light. Its the same color as the otehr when the lights hitting the same way.

Resolved - removed images for neatness

Edited June 1, 2012 by Arion

[camaro_69_327]

Having Problems with Gimp...everything i get into the game is way to shinny.

Following the classes and saving the "_n" map and the "_m" as we have done in the past . but everything is always shinny.

Took the _m map to nearly all Black and still shiny as all get out. One thing I notice in Nifscope with this NIF. there is a "Cubemap gright shnny_e.dds. going to remove and see if it helps..cant hurt at this point...

Let me know if you want to see shots of settings of what ever....at a loss.

Normal Map

Enviro map

.....

Any help with this is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

....

[WillieSea]

Use this cubemap instead, see if it helps.

shinydull_e.dds

[Arion]

Camaro.... On your normal map settings box there is a preview box... click on that and it will open a preview window... There'll be like a white sheet of paper standingup straight. Grab it at the bottom and pull it up so that it is almost flat. Maybe 25 or 30 from flat. You should have a dark color texture and you should be able to see the bumps and ridges of your texture. Then hit okay. That is the easiest way to control your normal map

This is my environment map

Edited June 1, 2012 by Arion

[camaro_69_327]

i dont get that in Gimp...IF I were to click 3 d prewiew (as in every time) the program (Gimp) crashes......?