Big bump here...

Wanted to start testing normal maps...

Tried to load the shader and I get an error for line 54

<flags = tangent | enable_render;>
NM.wdl 54:3 error(0) Flag unknown |

I see this character in 3 locations throughout the script... Is this a proper character to use? I'm suprised noone else got or mentioned) this error

I'm using GS v6.31.4 which may be the problem, as it didn't recognize "time_step" either, which I just changed to "time"

I don't think shader worked in A6.31; Try upgrading....

...the errors were from updated syntax, but you already figured that out

Yea, I have the updates up to 6.6 Pro, but I had my reasons to stick to this version. But I can certainly test higher versions. I'll give it a shot

Ok, with 6.4 it works . Mostly...

How do you keep the sun from affecting the models? I tried everything i could think of... even set the model to 'unlit'.

As it is, I have 2 models inside of a hollow block 'room'

One model has a second skin and the normal mapping applied... the second model is 'plain' and is dark like the NM model should be.

The sun set to '0,0,0,'

Outside the 'room' is a static light so the level will be completely unlit.

No matter what, the NM model is affected by the sun. Meaning it's always lit from the direction of the sun's settings.

Worse yet, if i turn the ambient DOWN, even to -2 the model lights up very bright! But from 0.0 to 100.0 the ambient works like normal.

I have no alpha channels on the diffuse or the normal map skins.

How do I turn off the sun on normal mapping models?

- Jason

Right click on the "NM.fx" script from WED, and go to "customize". I setup a panel for adjusting properties. If you don't have this, I used the specular channel for sun lighting.

Well... I only have the 'customize' option for the NM.wdl but not the NM.fx, and this is what I get, though I don't know if it's the proper panel you mention..




Here I tried to turn the ambient to '0,0,0' (not in the picture)

Now, if this is the wrong customize panel, where in the WDL do I adjust the specular so the sun doesnt effect the model?

I see 3 places where specular is listed in the fx file...

Line 17: float4 vecSpecular;

Line 128: float4 sunOut = (inColor*sunDiff + sunSpec*gloss) * sunShadow * vecSpecular;

Line 252: technique SpecularNormalMapping_20

... and in the NM.wdl in the
"function effect_startup()"
Line 75: vec_set(mat_NM.specular_blue, sun_color);

So I guess the question is, where and what do I adjust for the sun not to affect the model?

Thanks for this awesome shader!

- Jason

EDIT: The reason I think the sun shouldnt always effect a model is using Doom3 as an example. the indoor areas have no sun influence, and is all lit by dynamic lights.

The sun has no place indoors. As for 'some' lighting, you have the fantastic 'fake dynamic' lighting implemented, which is great for indoors.

It would be neat to have a feature implemented to choose between sun influence and no sun influence so if you have both indoor and outdoor portions in a level, you can use the same script.

Just my 2 cents

Yes, this is the panel.

The models "specular" property controls its influence from the suns light.

Adjusting specularity via the panel/material will control sun lighting for all models. Setting it from the models material manager will only control the model (model material settings are dominant over script material settings).

Ok, I'm stupid... I don't see the word specular anywhere on this panel?

I guess i'd rather control each model individually indeed anyway.

I found the material editor in MED.... theres 2 skins (of course) the diffuse and the normal map. I looked at both the normal map and the diffuse skin, but the specular level is at 0 already. By default, everything is set at 0 except alpha which is 100%

How do I make specular less than 0 ? or do I need to raise it to lower the sun's influence?

Oh and which skin do I set the influence?

I guess I left sun light (specular) out of the panel, my mistake. Sorry for the confusion...

When you open the models skin dialog, select the first skin (diffuse) and check it's material flag/checkbox. Then set specular to 0...

I'f you'd like, I can add the sunlight option to the panel (as it should be) and just give you that...

That would be awesome...

I am going to test again in a new room... from scratch
All this testing has confused me lol

This is a great shader, all who contributed, you all should be proud!

I DO ahve a question though...

I havn't yet done any speed tests, and i know so little about shaders, but can the performance be increased in some way?

Is there a 'minimum' number of passes that can be performed for normal mapping?
Does the use of specular decrease the performance as well?

As always, I'm shooting for low end systems, and want normal mapping, but it seems SOME specular is necessary for a great normal map effect...

Or is this shader pretty optimized, and likely to run on lower end machines without much problem?

Sorry for all the newbie questions, and i'll ahve more all the time, i'm dure

Thanks for any input!