Attention all skinners!

[gecko]

Bump mapping is coming to CFS3, courtesy of Ankor! Bump mapping can be added to any aircraft by simply creating a new bump map texture and using the existing naming convention for that aircraft's files to associate it with that particular aircraft.

He has asked me to see if anyone would be interested in working up a quick one for any aircraft for initial testing. Any takers?

Also, this serves as a heads up that all your past and present projects would benefit immensely from going back and making bump maps to match the skins you've created.

For those who don't know what bump mapping is, it allows small details like rivets, panel lines, dents or places where metal skins flex between stringers to have the appearance of being 3D. We could also have awesome looking corrugated skin on the Ju 52 for instance.

[HouseHobbit]

WOW!! This is amazing!!
Too Cool!!!!

[Pat Pattle]

That's very interesting news indeed Daniel!

At this point do you know if the bump map will be the same type used in fsx? There's an explanation of the different map types here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/inde...l_map_creation

Although in this case it needs to be assigned through the gmax material editor which it sounds like Ankor has cunningly side stepped for cfs3 :0)

[Pat Pattle]

...and thinking about it, would it work on all dds textures, thinking building and terrain types?

[Steven190]

This is good news, I have a couple aircraft which would be great to try this on.

Thanks

[AnKor]

Hi!
Thanks gecko for posting it here.

Sorry, I'm too busy today to explain all details.
FSX format is supported - it is common format for storing normals. For this test though a simple grayscale height map saved as bmp will do (I will convert it as needed).

You will be able to attach new texture to any model without editing its m3d by following a naming convention:
If main texture is called "spitfire_ixc_t.dds" the FSX style normal map should be called "spitfire_ixc_t.+nm2.dds". I will explain these codes later.
Additional texture can be applied to any m3d model, but NOT to the terrain or auto-generated scenery.