Need help with texturing/normals in Sims 4 Studio

[WyIdfyre]

Hey all, I'm trying to port some models into custom content and I feel like I've hit a wall. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure this problem out but gotten nowhere.

 

The gist of it is that I have the model and normal map from a webGL environment. I don't really know enough about making my own normal map, so I'm just using the one associated with the .obj.

But when the normal map is applied to the model in S4S, it makes it look really weird, either like the lighting/shading is all wrong or not showing at all, depending on where I import the normal. e.g: the bump details appear on the model but the whole left side of the model is lit up and the right side is all shaded or the model just looks like a blob of colour.

 

Here's the normal I'm using: 

Does this look right? How do I add this to a model and get the lighting/shading balance looking right with all the surface details? Does the texture file in the Texture tab (S4S) need to include this or just the flat colours I want to overlay?

 

Sorry if I didn't explain myself well, I'm not very experienced at this.

[Vthena]

The Sims 4 doesn't support this kind of normal map, you need to convert it . Try to follow this tutorial :

 

http://sims4studio.com/thread/861/normal-maps-bump-editing-creating

[WyIdfyre]

15 hours ago, LittleDoxy said:

The Sims 4 doesn't support this kind of normal map, you need to convert it . Try to follow this tutorial :

 

http://sims4studio.com/thread/861/normal-maps-bump-editing-creating

I did try that, but this is what it comes out like and the resulting image still gives the same effect:

 

[Vthena]

Could you send your .package ?

[Elsalovescocaine]

14 hours ago, WyIdfyre said:

I did try that, but this is what it comes out like and the resulting image still gives the same effect:

 

Follow tutorial that  littledoxy  told you, but add that you  need to reduce normal map force, create a new layer and fill with gray color, combine your normal map and gray layer. Obviously let normal map as upper layer. Then reduce layer opacity to 30% or 40%, for normal details. If you want higher details opacity upto 60% . Save it as dds and add it to your package.

sims4 game have problems with oversaturated normal map, if the map is too dark, gonna corrupt your skin or body part textures  in game. With an ugly semi green gray colour. If you see that, you need to reduce normal map force.

[WyIdfyre]

8 hours ago, Elsalovescocaine said:

Follow tutorial that  littledoxy  told you, but add that you  need to reduce normal map force, create a new layer and fill with gray color, combine your normal map and gray layer. Obviously let normal map as upper layer. Then reduce layer opacity to 30% or 40%, for normal details. If you want higher details opacity upto 60% . Save it as dds and add it to your package.

sims4 game have problems with oversaturated normal map, if the map is too dark, gonna corrupt your skin or body part textures  in game. With an ugly semi green gray colour. If you see that, you need to reduce normal map force.

Okay, I'll try that thanks. It needs to be saved with DXT5, right? And just so I'm sure I'm putting it in the right place, it should replace one of the DST Images in the Warehouse tab? Do normal map effects show in the model preview window when done correctly?

 

23 hours ago, LittleDoxy said:

Could you send your .package ?

I will if I still have trouble with it after following the above advice.

[Elsalovescocaine]

16 hours ago, WyIdfyre said:

Okay, I'll try that thanks. It needs to be saved with DXT5, right? And just so I'm sure I'm putting it in the right place, it should replace one of the DST Images in the Warehouse tab? Do normal map effects show in the model preview window when done correctly?

 

I will if I still have trouble with it after following the above advice.

Yep, nvidia photoshop plugin or intel texture works do an excellent job creating DDS , but normal map only works in game properly,  sims4 studio previewer cannot display light positions or intensity, normal maps or glass shader, you need to test it in game.

 When is an object if you want to see  if map are working properly for extra details, set your game on epic settings to see normal map effects. As example the rottomdildo that I;ve created. I put a old rough metal normal map. That’s a 30% opacity over gray layer, after I did the tutorial that you already followed. Intensity on sims 4 normal maps is controlled vía layer opacity.

[WyIdfyre]

Ah, thank you both.

 

I baked a new normal map in Blender for the model and it appears to be working in game now with a more balanced light/shadow distribution. I'm still struggling with rough UV seams, but everything else is looking good.

[Elsalovescocaine]

On 5/23/2020 at 9:57 AM, WyIdfyre said:

Ah, thank you both.

 

I baked a new normal map in Blender for the model and it appears to be working in game now with a more balanced light/shadow distribution. I'm still struggling with rough UV seams, but everything else is looking good.

I forgot something super important, bake normal map as tangent,  not as object. Baked object method  normal maps don’t work for sims 4. if you see an ugly dark gray colour is a bad normal one.