Question on how to make textures

[patzy]

Heyho,

 

I'd like to know how to create the normal (..._n.dds) files for textures?

[EvenstarGW]

There are plugins that will generate them for you. Personally I use gimp with a normalmap plugin I found without having to look too hard. An important part to remember is that the glossyness of the texture is saved in the alpha channel of the normalmap, so it's usually best to save them as dxt5.

[patzy]

Thank you, can you explain this glossyness thing a little closer? How should I create the file to actually work well?

[Siouliusn]

A good link that explain a lot and that teach'd me how to make _n.dds : http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/Creating_detailed_Normal_Maps

http://cs.elderscrolls.com/constwiki/index.php/GIMP:_Quality_Normal_Maps

((( http://bbs.3dmgame.com/showtopic-1318468.html)) not so related but interesting)

 

And for the glossiness it works like that : on the alpha channel of the _n.dds, the brighter it is the more it shine.

A black alpha channel won't have any gloss while a withe will have max gloss.

It's the same that for the transparency and the alpha channel in the texture.dds.