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So, what are you working on right now?


Springheel

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@Bikerdude: Give Crazy Bump a try for normalmaps. Just create a greyscale image in Photoshop first, then use it in Crazy Bump.

Try out nDo2 instead, it'll give you even better results and more control as well as the ability to paint normalmaps directly in Photoshop with a live 3D viewer.

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In fact, I have to find time to come up with a A-Z step by step on making new materials and putting them in your mission, as it is quite rare to find TDM mappers going beyond the base assets (= clearly there's a difficulty there).

There are actually quite a few tutorials on our wiki dealing with texture creation. There is a basic tutorial with links to advanced techniques (also listed here). The thing is, it takes some experience to create good textures and I guess most people don't want to spend that time... And what is even harder is creating textures that go well together, like in the shot above.

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Try out nDo2 instead, it'll give you even better results and more control as well as the ability to paint normalmaps directly in Photoshop with a live 3D viewer.

I don't have PS and the thing with SSBg is its a free stand alone app thats very simple to use. It can create a normal direct from the original image, but of course the image has to be tile-able from the start.

 

Here is a basic test I just did with a low res plaster texture from CGtextures -

 

post-496-0-69598500-1349449256_thumb.jpg

 

There are actually quite a few tutorials on our wiki dealing with texture creation. There is a basic tutorial with links to advanced techniques (also listed here).

Ah yes I forgot about that, will go and look now.

 

[update] All the GIMP plug-in links on the wiki entry are broken, correcting...

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There are actually quite a few tutorials on our wiki dealing with texture creation. There is a basic tutorial with links to advanced techniques (also listed here). The thing is, it takes some experience to create good textures and I guess most people don't want to spend that time... And what is even harder is creating textures that go well together, like in the shot above.

 

Those articles always miss the step on how to actually place the files in the darkmod folder (or your project's), so it will appear in DR/your map. Maybe that could also be an issue (I know it took me a while to get it, and only because I had already done a full mission and worked with the folder structure before). Anyway, lets see if I have the time.

 

There's a very simple filter for GIMP called "normal map" which is also very handy to just take a diffuse and put a simple bumpmap there. But one thing to keep in mind: make it as subtle as possible, a lot of the existing material go really heavy on the normal intensity and it is really distracting and visually unappealing.

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Those articles always miss the step on how to actually place the files in the darkmod folder

http://wiki.thedarkm...to_The_Dark_Mod ^^

 

It's always good to have a more tutorials though, so knock yourself out! ;)

 

There's a very simple filter for GIMP called "normal map" which is also very handy to just take a diffuse and put a simple bumpmap there. But one thing to keep in mind: make it as subtle as possible, a lot of the existing material go really heavy on the normal intensity and it is really distracting and visually unappealing.

That might be true if you use crappy normalmap filters to create normals, but I completely disagree if you actually model or draw the 3d structures properly. If it looks right, it may also be strong. It's all a question of proportions...

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Well after as few hours of learning the basic and mostly trial and error, here is my first attempt at converting plaster texture from cgtextures (the original image was 1024*512) this one is at the same res. and horizontally tillable -

There's really not much you can do wrong with a plaster wall texture, so it's basically ready for inclusion. :) Although it does look a bit lowres on a wall of that scale...

 

If you really want to learn texturing, I'd go ahead and do something with a little more structure now, like a brick wall or something like that. Something regular but structured is good for practicing. I'd suggest to follow this tutorial for that...

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Here is a basic test I just did with a low res plaster texture from CGtextures -

 

post-496-0-69598500-1349449256_thumb.jpg

Is that use ao combined with normals? If so you shouldn't use that to control the diffuse light, only the ambient and/or specular, otherwise it'll look very dirty. You can read about it here:

http://wiki.polycoun...to_a_Normal_Map

I think it'd be a suitable effect to use between planks in a wall texture, but not for a concrete wall.

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  • Although it does look a bit lowres on a wall of that scale...
  • I'd suggest to follow this tutorial for that...

 

Its actually the same res and higher than someone of the ones we already have, but in my case I think the normal is too 'low' res.

will have a look.

 

 

 

You shouldn't use ao combined with normals to control the diffuse light, only the ambient

I didnt, I was just saying that app is capable of doing that etc.

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http://wiki.thedarkm...to_The_Dark_Mod ^^

 

It's always good to have a more tutorials though, so knock yourself out! ;)

 

 

That might be true if you use crappy normalmap filters to create normals, but I completely disagree if you actually model or draw the 3d structures properly. If it looks right, it may also be strong. It's all a question of proportions...

 

Nice one, that should do it. ;)

 

PS: I used that crappy filter to create the normal maps for all my models so far (besides the ones done from highpoly references)... :(

 

Oh, cool experiments biker, with use of new materials, your maps will become even more richly detailed! Only thing I would add, is that the diffuse itself could probably use more contrast between the stucco and grime areas. It seems to have a bit too much of a blue tone. Another cool experiment would be to give the stucco area a slight "shine" (nothing too plastic, a very very dark grey) while the grime is completely matte (black) in a specular map, that could work.

Edited by RPGista
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Is that the diffuse itself could probably use more contrast between the stucco and grime areas. It seems to have a bit too much of a blue tone. Another cool experiment would be to give the stucco area a slight "shine" (nothing too plastic, a very very dark grey) while the grime is completely matte (black) in a specular map, that could work.

That's because there was a seperate diffuse/specular image, I either need a gimp plugin or stand alone app that will do the job.

 

nb. I still have to read through the wiki...

 

Just stopping by to say something..Great textures in that scene, Biker!

Ta, but Im still a nube at this texture biz compared to you chaps, but its something I've been meaning to learn for a while now.

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That's Shadowhide's Youtube channel. Nothing looks broken, it is just a darker than usual mission recored at darker than usual settings.

 

One day, I would like to do a really dark dark mission, though, like The Broadsword of Sheol.

Come the time of peril, did the ground gape, and did the dead rest unquiet 'gainst us. Our bands of iron and hammers of stone prevailed not, and some did doubt the Builder's plan. But the seals held strong, and the few did triumph, and the doubters were lain into the foundations of the new sanctum. -- Collected letters of the Smith-in-Exile, Civitas Approved

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Biker, are you using gimp? I'm pretty sure it has a height to normal plugin, like nvidia's plugin for ps.

I am using Gimp, its ok but a big of a PITA to work with. I may try and find a s/h copy of PS so my workflow is less impeded etc.

 

What's the oldest recommended version of PS I can look for btw? will it have to be Creative Suite 1 or can I go older than that...?

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Yes, take CS 1 or 2, because many brushes didn't work with PS 7 and most tutorials are focused on CS versions. Within the CS family nothing changed that much, in terms of file compatibility or "really, really necessary features". The menu was changed in CS 4, but the switch between the versions is easy, because the new menu layout is totally adjustable to your needs.

The "new" features in CS 2 are mainly improvements in details, such as selection of multiple layers. (So you don't have to select and apply a filter to layer after layer.

CS 3 was a big package with a lot of unnecessary crap in it in my opinion... it needed gigabytes of size. So don't get this one. CS 4 could be named 3.5. A lot of this unnecessary things had been tidied up in there and the menu had been changed, as I said. In addition the whole appereance is hardware accelerated, so you can smooth zoom in and out and rotate your image.

Btw.: I think that most people are reaching boundaries in Gimp after some time. (It begins with sharpening a picture in small sections with a brush or putting in sunlightfilters. [Did they have implemented this after years yet?]) These boundaries aren't there in PS and you will feel it. It will take ages, before you will reach a boundarie in CS 2 again. (In CS 1 you still have got this stupid "one layer selection at a time thing".)

Edited by Radiant
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I am using Gimp, its ok but a big of a PITA to work with. I may try and find a s/h copy of PS so my workflow is less impeded etc.

 

I fully agree. I switched back to my ancient copy of Photoshop 6 because Gimp completely breaks my workflow. Even simple things like copying a portion of a picture to the clipboard and creating a new picture that has the same dimensions as the clipboard picture don't work. For god's sake, even PS4 could do simple things like that.

 

@Radiant, so you are basically suggesting to get CS2 because overall, it's the best version of the bunch? What can be considered good prices for that version? I don't want to pay too much on eBay.

My Eigenvalue is bigger than your Eigenvalue.

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@Radiant, so you are basically suggesting to get CS2 because overall, it's the best version of the bunch? What can be considered good prices for that version? I don't want to pay too much on eBay.

Yes. (If money matters CS2, otherwise the newest version available.)

 

Maybe you can get Photoshop with a students or academic benefit?

If yes, this one is a good price (199€): http://www.redcoon.d...?refId=94511215

But it seems like you can only get the newest version as a student.

You can also save a little bit, when you order a copy in english if thats no problem: http://www.amazon.co...e+photoshop+cs6

 

It will also be very tough to find a copy of CS 2 in these times. They wanna sell the new stuff. So I can't really recommend a good price for a normal version.

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Shadowhide has released his Slenderman map as a demo:

 

okay,made a playable first version of TDM slender demo map

 

(remember,it makes no sense and made only for fun,though there is objectives and ending)

download : http://www.sendspace.com/file/68r7zi

 

clearing's mirror: darkfate.org/view/details/files/projects/darkmod/fm/slender/slender.pk4

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What do you see when you turn out the light? I can't tell you but I know that it's mine.

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