Normal Maps and Reflection

[Vraciu]

Well, I was trying to figure out why the reflections on my newer skins don't look the same as my older ones from the same angle.   I compared every single map (diffuse, E, S, and P).   Even when they were identical brightness the shine was different.  That led me to look at my Normal Maps.    Well, go figure, they had different levels of brightness.

So...   Messing around with the brightness levels on the Normal map literally SHIFTS the way the light strikes the surface.  It's essentially changing the angle that light is hitting the object.

This leads to the question, is there a "neutral" value for the Normal map that the base background should have? 

[oboe]

After looking at a Normal map for one of my skins, it looks to me like the base color is 128/128/255.

[Vraciu]

Thank you. 

My original was 127/127/254

My newer stuff is two percentage points darker overall.   125/125/252.   Just that tiny little change makes a heck of a difference.

I need to noodle on this one a bit...   

[oboe]

Actually, I don’t control directly the shade in the Normal map.  The nVidia plugin for Photoshop does it all, based on the light/dark areas in the diffuse file.   

[Vraciu]

Yes, but somehow I did something to the brightness level on mine.   

[oboe]

Is the file format still 32bit RGB? 

[Vraciu]

Is the file format still 32bit RGB?

Yeah.  Some of my skins have one color and the rest another.   

[oboe]

Well, since the N-map has nothing but overall shape information - its not tied to a particular skin.  All of the P-51D Normal maps are basically interchangeable with each other, unless you've changed rivet patterns or panel line locations, etc.   

Hey did you get the new skins OK?    All of mine are screwed up.  The P-51D seems to have avoided most of the trouble, except it won't recognize my new P-51D skins, even though I downloaded them manually.    Shawnee Princess came through and looks good though.

None of the new B-17G skins show, and neither do the redone P-38Ls.   I've lost all the P-38J skins, all the Spit V skins, etc.

[Vraciu]

Thanks, bro.   Shawnee looks sorta okay from the cockpit but I think I have a setting wrong somewhere maybe or accidentally did something to a layer somewhere.   It almost looks fuzzy.

I went in to download your new stuff and fly it around but none of them showed on the list.   All my downloaded skins got wiped out.   I was gonna message you about it.   

[whiteman]

Check general discussion, seems to be a bug a few are having with skins.

[Vraciu]

Yeah, Dale can't blame Skuzzy for this one.  Heh heh heh.