there must be something incredible hard betweem me and shaders.
in my life, only one has worked. but yes, a lot of examples (for nothing understandable) the all worked making my mind wondering.
now i'm going to try to simply use a normal map shader.
i've the object, i've the diffuse, i've the normal map.
with a simple example, i changed the texture of the example, ok good. really not, example are often too much flaunty, they are always top end of what you can do.
used the .fx file, copyed the example, used the vector4 for the light direction, and tada! the object is totally black. about the 50th attemp.
i'm the maker of ESF... i'm not so green, but shaders make me sick. hopelessy sick. some built in shaders with some flag to trim? no no no, too easy. i've dark shaders, used the normal shader, it says it need lights. but what lights damn the hell! the lights of my car? the lights of this lamp outside the window?
as ever, read a tutorial, need to read another tutorial on how use the previous tutorial, find the magic key under the stone near the dragon nest, then go to the magic forum when you learn how to fly on a broom, how to pass north cape with a dinghy but not how to use a simple shader, read tons of example writted in an incredible code (maybe a little more basic will be better for everyone, examples are for people who haven't understand how it work,not for an "A" on your report.) and again here, to try to use a simple, normal shader. hopeles.
again.... a simple normal shader with only diffuse and normal, plus a vector for light direction. and i think these shaders must be DBPRO builted in.
Ciao facce da sedere!