[MISC] nDo2 assistance needed

[DanielCoffey]

Having just swapped from OSX back to WIndows I have had to alter the tools I am using to create my normal maps and I need help getting the best out of the nDo2 tool from Quixel.

 

I am using nDo2 to create my normal and specular maps for new Book Covers Skyrim artwork. I am not using nDo2 to help with the modelling, nor am I using it to help with baking normals from high-poly models. I am simply using it to create the _n.dds files from height map versions of my textures.

 

I am having a spot of bother understanding one or two specific parts of the tool that are not covered in much detail in the tutorials I have seen online. There are plenty of resources showing you how to prepare high-poly models for baking. There are tutorials showing how to create amazing depth and cavity maps. There are plenty of tutorials showing how to edit the normal map directly to generate new details on models. What I am finding hard to get help with is how a height map can effectively be translated into a good normal and good specular to use in my mod.

 

My previous Mac tools were Photoshop CS6 to create the height map, CrazyBump to create the normal and specular, CS6 again to merge the normal and specular and finally GIMP to turn them into DDS files.

 

Now I am on Windows and have the NVidia DDS utility, it is a lot simpler but I don't think I am using nDo2 correctly.

 

I create my height map in CS6, start nDo2 and choose the Small Details preset which seems to give the fine detail I want on the majority of the covers. I can't find an overall Strength slider like I used to have on CrazyBump so I have to make my height map quite high contrast in order to get a good depth to the normal.

 

When I then choose Convert - Normal - Specular I get a very bright specular with a lot of strong highlights and a 50% grey base background. If I tone down the Cavity, Volume or Volume Contrast I end up with a very flat mid-toned specular with little detail but still tending to 50% grey which is far too reflective for the materials I am using in my books. I have to use CS6 to adjust the specular Base Color layer to give me a darker base and since there is no slider in nDo2 for that specific purpose it makes me think I am not using it correctly.

 

If I tone down the height map so that the specular is reasonable, the normal map ends up looking flat and mushy.

 

Since I have spent a lot of time struggling with this, I figured it was time to ask. I have a fair few book covers piling up ready to pass through nDo2 and I want to get them correct first time.