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FPSC Classic Models and Media / Bond1 Normal Mapping shader for segments, free room segment, and tutorial

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Nomad Soul
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Posted: 3rd Jun 2010 16:38
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Here is another example.

Notice the normal map from the segment wall being used on the static entity.

I've got the D2, D, N, I textures for the entity all in the same folder and tried adding these to the .fpe but it still ends up using the segment normal map.

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SOLO DESIGN
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Posted: 3rd Jun 2010 16:42
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Nomad Soul - I think this shader is for segments only, you would need to use one of the other shaders in bond1 metro pack for entities.

But I maybe wrong.........
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bond1
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Posted: 4th Jun 2010 00:58 Edited at: 4th Jun 2010 01:00
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Quote: "If I create a room segment with Signs or FPSC toolbox the shader doesn't work. I also tried applying the shader to a custom tunnel segment without success. It only seems to work on the segment template bond1 provided."


I'm not sure how Signs or FPSC Toolbox outputs a .fps file. For my segments, I always use the OFFICIAL segment editor that TGC provides for free, and it works fine.


For static entities, I'm not so sure. Entities have a bit different requirements than segments, so it will likely need a slightly different shader. I'm knee deep in a fairly large commission right now, but I'll take a look at making a static entity shader when the project is over. For now, you can use normal mapping on dynamic entities with the Metro Theater shaders.

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Fuzz
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Posted: 4th Jun 2010 09:22
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Looks great! Thanks Bond1

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Nomad Soul
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Posted: 5th Jun 2010 00:44
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Quote: "I'm not sure how Signs or FPSC Toolbox outputs a .fps file. For my segments, I always use the OFFICIAL segment editor that TGC provides for free, and it works fine."


I eventually realised how to get the shader to work for any segment so thats all working just fine now. Even for irregular segment meshes.

Quote: "For static entities, I'm not so sure. Entities have a bit different requirements than segments, so it will likely need a slightly different shader. I'm knee deep in a fairly large commission right now, but I'll take a look at making a static entity shader when the project is over. For now, you can use normal mapping on dynamic entities with the Metro Theater shaders.
"


Thanks Bond1. A normal map shader for static entities will really complete the FPSC graphics tools with your other shaders.

I need to find out how much it costs to hire you for a piece of work. I'll email you directly about my requirement to see if you think it might be possible.

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bond1
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Posted: 5th Jun 2010 05:39
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Quote: "My question is do you think I should get Dark Shader as another DEV TOOL or is Crazybump sufficient?"


I HIGHLY recommend Dark Shader for any FPSC developer. It provides an extremely easy way to preview models and textures without having to test a game each and every time. It gives you a WYSIWYG interface for previewing your model, with the EXACT shader effect you're using in FPSC.

Crazybump is a different beast altogether. It's great for generating "noisy" normal maps from photos. It works great for things like stone, plaster, gravel - anything random and organic. It is NOT good, however for generating normal maps for manmade objects with hard edges like tiles, bricks, bolts, plating, etc. You're better off making those types of normal maps as grayscale images FIRST as I outlined on the first page of this thread, before running them through Crazybump.

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Nomad Soul
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Posted: 7th Jun 2010 22:16
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Hi bond1

Please can you drop a note to Lee about the FPSC shader system to ensure dynamic light information is passed to it for v117.

It would be really cool if we had muzzle flash and dynamic light effects working with segments using your normal map shader.

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veer
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Posted: 11th Jun 2010 23:34
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i am getting low frame rate
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JLMoondog
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Posted: 14th Jun 2010 07:46
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For the life of me I can't get Static lights to work...if I have a dynamic light in scene, then the level renders with all shader effects, but it's too dark because there is no light map data. If I add a static light, I'm shot outside the level, and it's nearly black...

yarp...need sleep. Maybe try again tomorrow.


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Nilloc
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Posted: 14th Jun 2010 08:07
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Bond1 i was wondering is there any shaders you have released that can be used comercialy?

Who da man?!
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Nbt
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Posted: 14th Jun 2010 17:32
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@ Josh Mooney Remember that the light originates from the very top of the little lightbulb markers and not the bulb part. Just in case your maybe raising your light markers into the ceilings etc?

Your signature has been erased by a mod. The sig needs to be 600 width maximum (x 120 height) for all of it.
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Nilloc
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Posted: 14th Jun 2010 21:05
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May i use this shader comercialy on this segment of mine?PICTURE ATTATCHED

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bond1
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Posted: 14th Jun 2010 23:22
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Yes, you may use the shader in your GAMES, commercially.

You can't SELL the segment itself with the shader included however.

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leebo
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Posted: 14th Jun 2010 23:40 Edited at: 14th Jun 2010 23:43
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Just wanted to drop a line and say thanks for the shader. I am beginning to transform Cosmic Prophet's textures into the right formats.

As I am new to doing specular maps the wood is off...... way off

Attached is a screen

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Nilloc
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Posted: 15th Jun 2010 00:02
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What if i sell the segment WITHOUt the shader but make it so they have to download your shader for it to work will that be ok?if not do you have any shaders i may use to sell my segment with?

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burneriza
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Posted: 15th Jun 2010 00:23
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Quote: "Bond1 Wrote: Yes, you may use the shader in your GAMES, commercially.

You can't SELL the segment itself with the shader included however."
Why not its a free shader, i understand you have full rights to it and everything.

-Burneriza Free Web Hosting http://www.000webhost.com/310439.html
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Dark Jaguar Flame
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Posted: 17th Jun 2010 16:46 Edited at: 17th Jun 2010 17:01
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Thank you bond, but the , and . keys should make the whole level brighter and darker. But it doesn't work with shaded segments?

And it seems the reflecting always follow me. ( Always dynamic light because static doesn't work ) I cant make a light stay on the same position. So it looks like it has no source. Is that normal?
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bond1
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Posted: 18th Jun 2010 02:12 Edited at: 18th Jun 2010 02:13
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You need to use static lights with this shader, dynamic light info isn't passed to the shader.

Quote: ", and . keys should make the whole level brighter and darker"


They do for me.

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charger bandit
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Posted: 18th Jun 2010 13:51 Edited at: 19th Jun 2010 11:12
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Hey bond,the segment shader is awesome,I love to use it. But I have a question about doors. I applied a dynamic shader from Metro Theater to some doors and they turn up with normalmap applied as texture. What is the problem?

SOLVED: Just had to place the door again lol.


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Huncut1
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Posted: 30th Jun 2010 21:31
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Hello!
How can I contact you bond1?
I need certain things(of course for money), but I could not get in touch with you via e-mail.
Thanks!
Zoli
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Nilloc
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Posted: 1st Jul 2010 22:34
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Hello bond1

I am creating a giant segment pack and you said you may not sell this shader with the segment alone so an idea came in my head and I want to see if this is ok.

After they purchase the pack there will be a readme inside that readme it will suplly a link for this thread for them to download the shaders to make the segments compatibale and work.

please reply as soon as possible


Nilloc

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SOLO DESIGN
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2010 12:16
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bond1 - Can you give a tutorial on how to make a normal from a diffuse texture in PHOTOSHOP using the plugin, I know how to use the plugin but would be greatly appreciated if you could show how you alter the diffuse using photoshop tools ready to make into a normal.

Your right about Crazybump it adds too much noise and creates plastic/spongelike normals.

Thanks

Solo
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charger bandit
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2010 12:56
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SOLO DESIGN: Just go to Filter-NVIDIA Tools-Normalmap then use these settings,adjust the scale and inverting axis like you want it.


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SOLO DESIGN
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Posted: 2nd Jul 2010 16:57
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CHARGER BANDIT - I do not think it is as easy as that to get a good normal map, you need to do some per-works on the diffuse texture first - See bond1 example on 1st page, I want to know how to easily convert a detailed difuse map into a pre-nrmal black and white map.

Thanks anyway.
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defiler
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2010 00:55
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you cant do that, you would have to make a seperate layer, then get a solid painbrush with black colour, go overtop the ariers you want to be coming out or in, blur it a bit, then do that filter thing. If you want i can make a tutorial, but bond1 pretty much did it.

Limitless Box studios current project: Lost Contact
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bond1
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Posted: 3rd Jul 2010 02:36 Edited at: 3rd Jul 2010 02:37
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Yeah there's really no magic universal setting that generates a normal map from a diffuse. Look at the diffuse texture and think about what areas are raised and which areas are recessed, then make a black and white mask (see my tutorial on first page as defiler said).

Crazybump is good for generating noisy/random normal maps, but doesn't work well for most manmade objects or architectural well defined forms like bricks and tiles.

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Turtle Productions
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Posted: 4th Jul 2010 17:53 Edited at: 4th Jul 2010 22:23
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This is awesome Bond1! Finally easier way to create realistic textures to FPSC!! (But the download link is broken, plz get it work or upload here!)->EDIT Sorry, the website was some time down, now downloading worked!
Thanks
TP
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DonWON
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Posted: 5th Jul 2010 03:11
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As before my question was unanswered so here it goes again... I spawn outside the map when full shaders are on but when they are off I spawn normally where I put my player start. I spawn inside when dynamic light is on scene and full shaders on but not with static or both static and dynamic lights. I would love to get a segment thrown together with this shader but without the proper spawn its hard to even tell if its working properly at all. Seems as tho there are only two of us with this problem but its still a problem.


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bond1
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Posted: 5th Jul 2010 06:24
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I can't reproduce it on any of my computers so I don't know. The shader pulls STATIC light info from FPSC, so you need at least one static light in your scene.


Troubleshooting tips:

1. Clear out your old bin and dbo files
2. Make sure you are using the latest graphics drivers for your GTS 250 and also the latest directx from microsoft
3. Make sure you are using v1.16 of FPSC (mods should work too, but for troubleshooting, stick with the official version)
4. Download the files.
5. Turn on shader effects, build a small square room with the included segment, place one STATIC light, and a player start marker. Test game.

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DonWON
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Posted: 5th Jul 2010 08:29
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I have done all the above and even reinstalled fpsc with 1.16 update and no mod without any luck. I have tried this on both my desktop and laptop and nothing seems to work. I am running win7 but I dont see why that would effect this and only this shader.


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bond1
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Posted: 5th Jul 2010 09:38
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I'm running windows 7 as well. If you have it, does it work for you in Dark Shader?

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DonWON
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Posted: 5th Jul 2010 20:00 Edited at: 5th Jul 2010 22:11
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Works perfect in Dark Shader. I know its just my setup and not your shader but I just cant seam to figure it out.

edit: I pretty much reinstalled Win7 trying to get this to work and still spits me outside the map with static light. Dynamic light shows everything just fine even the normals that are not suppose to work but static just will not work. I even went without a player start and switched to multi player and it still spit me out of the map. Nice try but obviously it just dont work for me. Sad because your shader looks to be very useful. I might have just been shipped a bad version of FPSC or something which might be the case since it wont even uninstall itself.

edit the edit..lol: I put ANY static object on scene and it works without a problem but without a static object on scene it will spit you into holycowland. Dynamic objects only on the scene will not save you but static ones will. Thanks for the shader and will have tons of fun with it.


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SOLO DESIGN
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Posted: 14th Jul 2010 12:31
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Hi,
bond1 I am following your Dark Shader tutorial which shows entities with a shader and x3 textures that are needed in Dark Shader. But I want to check segments with this great shader and it needs x4 textures.........what is the lightmap texture that Dark Shader is asking for?

I have loaded a mesh, loaded N,D2,I textures against shader norm_spec_tagentbasis.fx, just need the lightmap.map

Many thanks
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bond1
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Posted: 15th Jul 2010 01:26
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The lightmap texture is normally generated by FPSC, but to preview the model in Dark Shader you just need a plain white texture to use as a placeholder dummy texture.

I've included one in the download. It's in the "Dark Shader Files" folder and is called "lightmapdummy.dds"

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SOLO DESIGN
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Posted: 15th Jul 2010 12:56
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Thanks bond1 Great utility!
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SikaSina Games
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Posted: 15th Jul 2010 21:40
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Bond1,

Firstly yay . I finally got X9 working again by installing it to my seconds HDD. But there's a problem. This happens in V1.16 and V1.17b4, but when I use the segment you included, nothing shows. Just a wall a few metres away, and I never placed any there. As you can see, your Lobotomy guy works so my GPU is PS3 supportable (it supports up to 4.1) so that can't be the problem. I attached an image of the problem. Any ideas? My specs are:

Windows 7 HP
3GB RAM
nVidia GeForce GT 240 1GB (2GB reported on system and graphics settings)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Dual Core 2.3GHz
FPS Creator installed on 320 GB Internal HDD (separated from 160GB initial HDD)

FPS Creator version: V1.17 b4

-SSG

--=. ,=--
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DonWON
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Posted: 16th Jul 2010 02:55
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Same thing happened to me and I got no answer but I did find a work around. Place a static entity in the room an you will be fine.


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bond1
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Posted: 16th Jul 2010 06:13
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I must have the best PC configuration on the earth because I have none of these problems even with just an empty room. It seems to affect just a small number of users for whatever reason. But glad you figured it out anyway.

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DonWON
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Short of my dual core being a 4.9 rating my other ratings are above 6.5. Not sure why it happens but there is a work around it like most problems. I dont see my GTS 250 having a problem with the shader but who knows.

Thanks for the shader by the way even tho I have yet to fully figure out the fpe I am still trying. Would be nice to have a tutorial on how others are changing it up to get the proper stuff where it belongs. I am barely a 3d artist so scripting is WAY over my head even as easy as it looks.


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bond1
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Posted: 16th Jul 2010 07:21
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All my segments are created from the official FPSC segment maker, which can be downloaded from the FPSC website. There's a video tutorial included. That way you don't even need to touch the .fps file, the segment maker takes care of it for you.

One thing to keep in mind for this shader is that the textures MUST reside in the texturebank folder, which is where they should be kept anyway for best practices...

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DonWON
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Posted: 16th Jul 2010 07:26
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I have segment maker so... I guess I should learn to use it properly.

Have yet to play with stuff like this I have always used Magic FPS or Firma but I hate the fpe files they make so I will get to learning that asap to make use of your awesome shader. Thanks.


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Badger Gamer
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I like it,it rocks.
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Plystire
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Wow, where have I been for the past two months? I never knew you let it go for free!

Excellent work. I have been oggling over your screenshots and vids of this shader in action and have been dying to put relief mapping and other effects into it.


The one and only,


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bond1
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Posted: 16th Jul 2010 10:52
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Thanks Plystire. I also have a parallax offset version of this shader too, which is especially cool for well defined surfaces like tile and brick walls. But that will be for a future model pack.

Like my other segment shaders, lighting calculations are done from the player position, since FPSC doesn't pass lighting position to segments. But it's a very forgiving way to do it and never really looks wrong, especially since it also uses the lightmap to cast shadows properly.

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SikaSina Games
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Thanks DonWON, that worked . Great shader Bond1, but I have to ask: are the MP38 shaders along the lines of the quality of this? I may buy it today .

-SSG

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Nomad Soul
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Posted: 17th Jul 2010 00:54
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@bond1

Will you be releasing a normal map shader for static entitites in the next model pack?

That would be really useful

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Plystire
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Quote: "Thanks Plystire. I also have a parallax offset version of this shader too, which is especially cool for well defined surfaces like tile and brick walls. But that will be for a future model pack"


Yeah, parallax or relief maps work best with a texture that needs that much depth to it. Cobblestones is an excellent example of this. They appear to be so much more "real" with that 3D appearance.

And, if I do add in relief mapping to your shader, I'll try not to throw it at the community so you can release your better version (no doubt about that, I may beg you for HLSL lessons one of these days, lol) when you see fit.


The one and only,


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Wraith Staff
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Posted: 31st Jul 2010 22:46
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Is there a way to rig the shader to the stock scifi segments and have all the little glowing parts that they have in the Migration still work? I really like the look of them in the Migration, but I want to add even more "oomph" to them.

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Nbt
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Quote: "................a future model pack."


Music to my ears ^_^

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Wraith Staff
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Oi! I should have waited to ask that on Monday

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