Bump Map Debacle

[falcon409]

I use Paint Shop Pro, but for plug-ins I have to rely on the NVidia versions for Photoshop since PSP doesn't have anything comparable. That's fine, I can live with that. Anyway I decided to try my hand at making "a" bump map. . .can't do that with PSP, gotta have GIMP, so I install the latest GIMP. . . .and you'll also need "ImageMagick". . .installed that. Back to GIMP, gotta download the "normal Map" plugin. . .okie dokie. . .got it. 5 files in that download, 3dll's, the "normal map.exe" and a readme. Readme says place the normalmap.exe file in the Plugins folder and extract the 3dll files to your "bin" folder. Nothing said about the 3dll files I already have in the unzipped download. . .soooo I run the executable and immediately start getting messages that this file and that file are not in my system . . .can't continue.

After 4 of those messages (and no end in sight) I have put this on hold. Yea, I really don't need a bump map this bad, lol

[Duckie]

Hello Ed, I feel your pain. I tried the gimp route with pretty much the same result as you. It had the potential to turn something I really enjoyed to something I truly dreaded.

PSP 9 and X6 and later do use the Nvidia bump plugins. I currently us PSP X6 and prior to that PSP 9, and both used the plugin. Don't know your version but bith of the ones listed above are very reasonably priced for the download versions. If you can find a PSP 9 version you could probably pick it for less than $20.00.

Steve

[falcon409]

Steve, I have PSP 8.1. I installed the NVidia Plugins but the normal map plugin doesn't show up in the plugins drop down menu and the dds menu I get in PSP isn't anything like the one that shows in Photoshop. . .using the same plugin.

[Bjoern]

I've just downloaded and installed version 1.2.3* of the normal map plugin into GIMP as specified in the Readme and ran into zero issues whatsoever.

Note, however, that you can't export a FSX-compliant bump map without some manual intervention**. Personally, I export the normal map in *.psd format and let ImageTool do the conversion into a working *.dds file***.




* https://code.google.com/archive/p/gimp-normalmap/downloads
** http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation
*** http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/bump-texture-problem.51193/#post-192285

[Dimus]

Arno's MCX also includes a handy tool for converting normal maps created by the Nvidia plugin into FSX compatible dds format. I've used it and I'm very happy with it.

[TeiscoDelRay]

I have made my own bump maps using Paint Shop Pro 7's Neon Glow effect.

[falcon409]

I have made my own bump maps using Paint Shop Pro 7's Neon Glow effect.
Can you expand on that?

[Jafo]

I only use PSP [6] to do my painting....including bump maps.

Lines, rivets etc are simply coloured the 2 tones on 2 layers and each displaced [offset] to provide the bumps.

Never used a 'plugin'....
...ever....;)

[Duckie]

Steve, I have PSP 8.1. I installed the NVidia Plugins but the normal map plugin doesn't show up in the plugins drop down menu and the dds menu I get in PSP isn't anything like the one that shows in Photoshop. . .using the same plugin.


Ed, been a while sine I installed these tools but I had to also install a couple dll files so PSP could read the PS .8bf files. I downloaded the plug-ins placed them in the plug-ins folder then activated them in the PSP file preferences.

Here's a note from one of the tutorial sites I used.

Important DLL Files
To enable most third-party Plugins to be compatible with Paint Shop Pro 7 8 9 X XI X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 you will need to download and install the following DLL files.

Plugin Commander Light - may not be required; e-mail address required.
MSVCRCT10 (91.9KB)
Plugin (15.6 KB)

Here are some screen shots of my set up.

My 32bit PSP X6
49107




64bit
49108

Effects Menu
49109

Normal Map Filter Drop Down
49110

[TeiscoDelRay]

Can you expand on that?

If you have PSP7 start with the original bump map (you cannot just makeup a bump map if the model does not have one), so start with an original. Open that original bump map in your paint program (PSP7). Next make a plain texture sheet the same size as your original in white and draw your new panel lines and rivets and whatever on to the white sheet in black for contrast. Keep both the original and your new texture sheet open in PSP7 for comparison and to merge with your new version later.

Go to PSP7's "effects/artistic effects/neon glow" and adjust until you get a reasonable 3d bump map look to the black lines on your new texture sheet (neon effect will change the lines color but we will fix that next). When satisfied go to "colors/colorize" and adjust for "0" "0" color (gray) Next go into "color/adjust/hue saturation lightness" and check "colorize" and adjust to match the blue or other hue of your original bump map. Take that new texture sheet you just made and copy/paste it over your original bump map and select "layers/merge" and then hit save.

[falcon409]

I've just downloaded and installed version 1.2.3* of the normal map plugin into GIMP as specified in the Readme and ran into zero issues whatsoever.

Note, however, that you can't export a FSX-compliant bump map without some manual intervention**. Personally, I export the normal map in *.psd format and let ImageTool do the conversion into a working *.dds file***.




* https://code.google.com/archive/p/gimp-normalmap/downloads
** http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation
*** http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/bump-texture-problem.51193/#post-192285
I went back and read the directions. Prior to, I installed the latest GIMP (V2.8). I installed the 3 dll files into the "bin" folder. Clicked on the normalmap.exe file which I had placed in the "Plugins" folder and immediately start getting messages saying specific dll files are missing from my computer and to reinstall the program to correct the problem. The list of dll files it says are missing appear to be "every single dll file" located in the bin folder.

So it may have worked for you, but it failed miserably for me. I also went to the bottom link you posted (I already had the correct normalmap plugin downloaded) and read the tutorial posted there for creating a bump map and his explanation for installing the normalmap plugin is the same.

As a final attempt, I also set the normalmap.exe file to run as administrator which had no effect.

[Bjoern]

I went back and read the directions. Prior to, I installed the latest GIMP (V2.8). I installed the 3 dll files into the "bin" folder. Clicked on the normalmap.exe file which I had placed in the "Plugins" folder and immediately start getting messages saying specific dll files are missing from my computer and to reinstall the program to correct the problem. The list of dll files it says are missing appear to be "every single dll file" located in the bin folder.

So it may have worked for you, but it failed miserably for me. I also went to the bottom link you posted (I already had the correct normalmap plugin downloaded) and read the tutorial posted there for creating a bump map and his explanation for installing the normalmap plugin is the same.

As a final attempt, I also set the normalmap.exe file to run as administrator which had no effect.

No administrator rights needed to run the plugin.

And the plugin is called from the "Filters -> Map -> Normalmap" menu in GIMP, not by starting it in Windows.