Normal maps from ZBrush

Jerky · Post by **Jerky** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:14 am

Hi all, I have been paying attention to Ogre for the past couple of months because of a project that I am working on. We have just recently decided to go with Ogre for our Rendering engine. I am a 3d artist for my project and currently use ZBrush to create my high and low poly models for characters. I do this because of its ease and because it lets me go from high to low poly in just seconds. The main feature that I am concerned about is normal maps. So here is my question:

Does Ogre currently support the normal maps that are outputted from a high poly ZBrush model? How about 3dstudio? Blender?

I have done some searching, but there does not seem to be a definitive answer. I know that it depends on the card, so I am assuming that the card has support for it. I know that Ogre supports 8 textures (if the card can) etc. What I want to know is if anyone has actually done this(ie. straight from ZBrush to .mesh). Any thoughts, ideas, comments are welcome. I want to be able to make good looking stuff for my project, so any information regarding normal maps, displacement maps, bump maps, parallex maps, etc is welcome.

PeterNewman · Post by **PeterNewman** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:58 am

While not authoritive, I think Ogre can handle the normal maps from ZBrush, although I don't know the workflow involved. Since normal-maps are pretty simple (data wise), they are generally pretty portable, just depends how hard it will be to get it in or out.

Post by **nfz** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:34 am

Its not a matter of Ogre handling the normal map since it can handle any format that you want. Its the vertex and pixel shader that you use that must understand the normal map format that you use.

RyanN · Post by **RyanN** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 11:13 pm

Ogre has a normal map shader and a parallex shader. They both use a normal map (purple, blue, pink etc) kind of texture to do the effect but i don't think the shaders use a bump map (black and white) texture. It think a bump map however can be used a displacement map for terrain. The detail put into a normal map doesn't really matter, its more a case of optimisation and speed, large, high-detailed normal maps would hit the performance a little but otherwise ogre is extremly fast when it comes to its shader effects compared to some well known game engines. *cough* unreal 2.5 engine. *choke*

Jerky · Post by **Jerky** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 4:31 am

Thanks for the information guys. That is good to know. My understanding was that there is no 'standard' when it comes to normal mapping, so every program generates them differently (and consequently, not all engine can use them as-is). For example, CryTek (the FarCry engine) does handle normal maps, but not as they come from ZBrush. Beause this is a fairly new tech, there has not been a standard form created (unfortunately) than is universal. This is the reason why I asked my question.

Any more information, suggestions, ideas are welcome.

Here is my first piece of work that I hope to create normals for the low poly version. (It is a WIP (Work in progress))

High poly(for making normal map):
http://www.jerkycomputers.com/PW/hp_Horse.jpg
Low Poly (for use in the project):
http://www.jerkycomputers.com/PW/lp_Horse.jpg

biteme · Post by **biteme** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:56 am

If you use any of the ogre demo shaders that use normal maps shaders push the tanget button in the normal map menu.

Im perty sure they use that format

Sputnick · Post by **Sputnick** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:21 am

Nice horse.
Congratulation.

-Sput

Jerky · Post by **Jerky** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 3:03 am

Looks like I got it! Here is a couple of shots:

Cheers.