quizzy Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 So how exactly does this work? And what are the benefits, can I use it in VR for example?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gleggers Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Normal mapping has been developed primarily for the games industry.. however, I'm sure it's a process the architectural / visualisation community could utilise.. VR is a great example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quizzy Posted April 11, 2003 Author Share Posted April 11, 2003 but how does it work then?? I know what normals are but to use mappings based on normals?? don't quite understand.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwright Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 In vague terms, the specularity, bump map shadows, glossiness, diffuse values and surface shadows are recomputed as per a high resolution/detailed normal map that came from a high polygon count object, but the actual raster/render is done is a low resolution polygonal object using the high resolution polygon normals map. In simple terms, the normal maps substitutes the real low polygon normal computation; a very smart cheat. Not only is useful for VR?s, but for cars, 3D people, terrain, grass, complex engravings that do not need to be part of the rendering and the list goes on. The normal map has information on were normals point by a ratio of color coded images, without it, a low polygon object (using the low polygon real normal computation) will have just a few normals pointing out, making rendering less realistic and reliing on smoothness only. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nisus Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Hi David, So is that 'Microwave' an example of normal mapping? rgds nisus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernest Burden III Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 If you use a UV mapping program, you can have it display a color-coded normal map of your object. It is a very clever process to use the map of a high-poly version of an object to shade a lower-poly substitute. I love these workarounds. I remember once excitedly telling a friend who was the head of computers at a big architectural firm about my new 'speed demon' machine--a 386/33 I think it was. He, of course, used mini-computers at work, $50,000 each in 1988 money. He replied dismissively "well, Ernest, there will always be big machines and little machines". Not to be so easily put down I came back with "there will always be big budgets and little budgets, and I bet I can get more out of my little machine proportionally than you get out of yours, because I have to pay for my own machines." In other words, its always great to hear about ways people figure out trick and techniques to produce good work with what they can afford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwright Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 yes, microwave is that. Very usefull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nisus Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Tnx David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now