Normal Map.bmp's

[Erwin]

What are "normal map.bmps"?  I see a lot of them in my uniforms mod folders and wondered what they do. 

I like to combine mod folders that have the same type of mod eg: to create a definitive folder full of all the helmet mods rather than have several helmet mod folders.  When one combines folders that contain both graphic mod bmp's and "uniform map.bmp's" should one copy all the "uniform map.bmp's" as well?  Or, can safely I delete them? 

[mjkerner]

I’m no expert, but from what I can tell, they map the contours of the texture bmp, and do help make the model “pop” a bit in-game by adding a little depth. When someone mods a generic helmet, say, or a uniform, if you change nothing but the color, a normal map won’t be needed because the game is default normal map will still follow the contours of the model. But if you mod a helmet by putting a camo net on it, and use the game’s normal, that netting is going to look very flat and odd in the game because the netting contours aren’t there. If you make a normal map (many programs free on the Interwebs, and they are very easy to make) of that helmet-with-netting bmp, then in game it will look better. Depending on what you added to the original bmp, normals don’t always make that big a deal, IMHO. But when I make new faces, and don’t make a corresponding n-map, you can really tell the difference.

Best  I can come up with, hope it helps.

[Erwin]

Thanks.  It sounds like one should keep the normal maps when consolidating folders.

 

[mjkerner]

I agree.

[A Canadian Cat]

@mjkerner has it right. I think that was added in engine 2.0 update - there is a thread from back then that explains it more fully.

Yes you want to keep them.

[Erwin]

Thanks for all the help...  Is there any list of old mods that will work if renamed, or... will never work even if renamed and so can be permanently deleted?

[MikeyD]

Here's a very simple-to-master Nvidia normal map filter for Photoshop. I can't vouch for the website but you can probably find the same tool on multiple sites. 

http://3dg.me/2d-graphics/nvidia-plug-ins-for-adobe-photoshop-x64-64bit

[Erwin]

No worries.  Am not trying to make new mods, just getting as much mileage as possible out of the thousands already in my folders lol.

[BamaMatt]

Has anyone noticed that in Shock Force 2 almost all the building and wall textures have 12kb blank normal maps? A few doors have actual normal maps, but they don't match up. I wonder if the correct normal maps were made but wound up not getting put in place on accident and no one noticed. Or was it decided that it was just not worth the effort.