Bump maps and textures

[MajorMagee]

For the _s files sometimes I can simplify the process considerably. For a plane that's painted all over, and doesn't have paint chips or worn spots showing bare metal, I just create a texture that a solid 6% grey. AnKor's shaders use the base color's brightness to vary the reflectivity, so you will get some specular variations over the surface from that. Additionally you'll still see the specular highlights bring out the shape of the curved surfaces even when the _s is a solid shade. This actually is better than artificially forcing the upper curved surfaces to have lighter highlights, because it won't look wrong when the aircraft tilts or rolls inverted.

[Foute Man]

thanks, this is just what i needed to know as most tutorials were for other games with different format. the whole subject of bumb mapping is actually new for me. so enough homework to do for tonight

some weeks of experiments ahead, updating some old techniques :}

[mongoose]

OK so with Ton testing the bump maps for his 109, we get these results. IOH, the shine is excessive (? I am again assuming specular setting??). Also I imagine the height setting of the bump map could be less?? Comments welcome.

[MajorMagee]

Yes, that looks overbaked. Start with darkening the _s.dds file so you can see the bump mapping without the exaggerated effect. Then you will know how much to reduce the contrast when you create the bump file.

[Foute Man]

Yes, that looks overbaked. Start with darkening the _s.dds file so you can see the bump mapping without the exaggerated effect. Then you will know how much to reduce the contrast when you create the bump file.

ok, with a solid black (rbg 0,0,0) _s.dds file the flooding has disappeared but the diffuse map (_t.dds file) still looks horrible.
as i've been out of cfs 3 for a while, i used the tutorial on the groundcrew website for the configuration settings.
in my eto 1.5 install, with the january 2018 ankor shaders the diffuse map looks horrible (see the logo on the cowling, or the id number)

i've also installed pat pattle's bob without the ankor shaders and then the aircraft looks fine to me, see attached pics (same aircraft, copied and pasted directly from my eto install, so with solid black _s.dds file (specualar map?)

so something wrong with my eto configuration? also attached the config file

[BorekS]

OK so with Ton testing the bump maps for his 109, we get these results.

I can see there a very high bumpmap level mainly, which takes also effect on the specularity.

Ive noticed some people generates their +nm dds textures which are almost black images, if you look inside. thats unusable for later edits. in such case you have to recompute the normal map again with lover depth values - as the export procedure offers and try it ingame again.

but if you have the "blue" images, you can try to decrease the level of "bumpness" manually there. the main blue color is the neutral 0 height. add a new leayer up in your bitmap editor, fill it fully the same blue color and set it, lets say, 50% transparency and save it as the final dds again. this way you should got 50% smaller bumpness result basically. its not the ideal way, but for some quick tests it is good enough. from my own experience the blue normal map bumpness level for CSF3 Ankor Shaders 2018 is visually almost unnoticable at firts look - I mean the +nm texture paint, but it is getting fine result in the game.

I cant resist to not mention the Paint.NET editor again. its a lot simpler user interface (UI) comparing to GIMP or PhotoShop, which are not too much usable tools for beginners because of this, for our specular and bumpmap work, at least. I was a big fan of Paint Shop Pro by past, up to 7 series, but since it is not Jasc company product anymore, it become same UI muddle as the PhotoShop or similar monsters.