I'm still a noob to shaders. Mostly because I hate having to create small test levels and set up all those scripts and stuff. Too much hassle for me. Never goes right. Anywho, I need two questions answered:

1) Is there anyway to create a normal map, (I think that's what it's called) or if not then the image that is used for the second skin in a model that looks weird that shows how high and deep the model needs to be bumpmapped, or whatever, from an image? Everywhere I see how to do it, you need a high poly model and a low poly model. How come I can't just make it from an image, because a lot of image programs have a button called "Bumpmap" where it raises the surfaces on the picture like a bumpmap was applied. So then why can't I do that with a model's skin?

2) How do I go about making a model look shiny with a shader? With a little bit of reflectiveness in it, or do I just use environment mapping for that? And if so, then how do I do that?


Sorry for the questions. Just a shader noob...


-Dan