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Evolution of a bump map...

Steve,

You are right about the nvidia tool - but...

...it doesn't work in Corel (which I use). OTOH, the Corel's emboss function - hold on - it isn't emboss, it is a proper "height map" function - does exactly the same as the nvidia tool - it is just a bit more time consuming.

Excellent work on the Bell there! Love it!
 
Hey Chris

Aha its been a while since i took a lookie at corel,glad to know there an alternative out there

The HD bell package is coming on quit nicely now all the normals are inplace just got to add a bit of ware and tear and a few other details + sort out final specs/reflection lvl and frm with the other guys work we should have 6 totally remade HD schemes for the Bell206 and we my also release a HD repaint kit later on so other repainters can use the remade normals

(thumb link to 1920x1200 WIP image stright from fsx)



if your in the mood for some Australian based repainting pop over to Ozx site and take a lookie at the painter forum there as they have a great little freeware community thats growing by the day and im sure everyone there would value your input

All the best
Steve
 
Link linked and visited - interesting! Registered and posted already - thanks for the HU...

That 206 is definitely coming along nicely. I do like so far.
 
Chris, I am most impressed, have noted everything down like Caz, now I'm off for a handfull of Tylenol and a good long nap!
This will take some absorbing for my overworked neurones!!!!!!
Confusion reigns!
:faint:
 
wombat666 said:
Chris, I am most impressed, have noted everything down like Caz, now I'm off for a handfull of Tylenol and a good long nap!
This will take some absorbing for my overworked neurones!!!!!!
Confusion reigns!
:faint:
Click to expand...


I couldnt have said it better myself..


I was wondering how you got the fatiqued aluminum skin appearence.. Water!!! lolol.. Brilliant and simple! lol..


Many thanks Chris and Gizmo.

:ernae:



Bill
 
I've been watching Gizmo and friends over at "their place"...

All I can say is "It is time for me to retire!" Boysoboys! Are they coming up with some cool stuff! I need to go away and practice - a lot! They have overtaken me as if I were standing still.:faint:

Ah but I have a few tricks up my sleeves yet. Just let me get settled in to the new job and home and get my PC online in the new place - wherever that is going to be (still house hunting)
 
Hey Chris and all,


I thought I would add a bit.

I model in Gmax and come accross alot of parts that reverse the bump mapping. This is a known bug with Gmax (and maybe Max as well, but not sure) in which opposite sides and Mirrored sides, such as half a fuselage that is created, then cloaned and mirrored to create the other side.

A simple work around I discovered is to simply reverse the grays. Whites become dark grays, and vice versa.

Bumps are usually white-ish and depressions are dark-ish, (for those that dont know. I know you know this Chris).

Another tip for the guys that are new to all of this. If you are good and organized about using your PSD files, keeping layers labeled and organized, you can take a regular PSD master file and rename it to 'blahblah_bump' and make that into a bump map in quick order.

* Rename the master PSD file to _bump
* At the top most layer, add a layer, call it Bump Map Barrier (or the like)
* Make a copy (duplicate) of the rivets layer
* Send (Arrange) the layer to the top 'above' the gray barrier
* Do the same for all bump layers such as panel lines, fuel caps with bolts, etc, moving them to the top, all duplicates.
* Turn off their shading and effects (usually people have shading effects and things on rivets, panel lines, etc.. turn that off so you have pure graphics only)
* Now Desaturate all of those top layers that are above the gray barrier
* Adjust the grays of the layers (lessen the brights and darks to milder tones)
* If using PS, download the nVidia tools for PS that Steve talked about
* Burn a BMP from your master PSD
* Flip verticle
* Go to Filters/nVidia tools/Bump map creator (what ever its called.. arrghh.. forgot), and burn the art into a bumpie.
* Copy Red Alpha (channels tab/section in RH menu in PS)
* Click 'Add Layer' button at bottom and add a layer which now becomes your Alpha channel
* Paste Red Alpha to new 'Alpha' channel
* Fill the Red Alpha with pure black (0,0,0)
* Make sure all layers of Alphas are 'on' (checked)
* Burn as a DDS DXT5 or tripple 8.

Done..

:d

A bump map created from an existing PSD file and done in perhaps 3 or 5 min's, if that.




Chris,

Thanks so much for showing how you did the awesome waves in the surface of that bump map. I havent been that amazed in quite a while. Getting such information is like being blessed with a jig saw for cutting holes in plywood when before all you had was a steak knife. :d

Pictures are indeed worth a thousand words.


Bill
 
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