[tom]

i dont how they apply texture onto the surface.

Well, what's the point of this discussion?
You want the following and we don't want to understand you?
- Maxwell should give up UVW mapping with standalone.
- Maxwell should be able to generate normal maps.

[MetinSeven_com]

Ahh, good to see you're back in town Tom. I missed your temperament!

[Mihai]

Creating normal maps is a process that can be done by a renderer, you import two meshes and the renderer renders out a normal map based on the differences. Just as if you would use the renderer to do a colormap render to texture, ie baking.

There was a post a while ago on CG talk about someone who wrote a free application for normal map creation which took advantage of the AGEIA physics engine to speed up the normal map rendering. Do a search for it, it could be quite useful. The developer said he rendered huge normal maps with it.

[aitraaz]

can it do what? i cant read your mind.. .

Err sorry i meant instant coffee ...

Anyway was just wondering if Blender's normal maps were any good...

[Becco_UK]

I wouldn't expect Maxwell to be able able to produce normal maps - only the ability to use them properly matters for the Maxwell render engine.

Also, it is not necessary to have a low res and high res model to generate normal maps. Software such as Cinema4D can generate normal maps from the displacement channel.

If some peoples software doesn't make normal maps then isn't this down to that company to sort out and not Next Limit.

This thread starts to read like some people want everything in Maxwell to avoid having to buy more expensive modelling software?

Maxwell is essentially a Render Engine - I hope Next Limit keep it that way.

[MetinSeven_com]

it is not necessary to have a low res and high res model to generate normal maps. Software such as Cinema4D can generate normal maps from the displacement channel.

That's exactly what I meant.

Cheers,

Metin

[Micha]

Question:
Why do we need normal maps, if it is possible to convert a bump map to normal map? Or is it not the real normal map quality than?

Idea:
I think, if we can make normal maps from planar structures photos ( http://66.70.170.53/Ryan/nrmphoto/nrmphoto.html ), than we can render it at the same way. Maybe, if we use four colored lights, than we need only one shoot. Maybe, the OpenGL preview is enough.

[tom]

Creating normal maps is a process that can be done by a renderer, you import two meshes and the renderer renders out a normal map based on the differences. Just as if you would use the renderer to do a colormap render to texture, ie baking.

There was a post a while ago on CG talk about someone who wrote a free application for normal map creation which took advantage of the AGEIA physics engine to speed up the normal map rendering. Do a search for it, it could be quite useful. The developer said he rendered huge normal maps with it.

Yes, applying a filter in photoshop can also be treated as "rendering" technically. Here the subject is different. There are 3 steps:
1-Modeling hires mesh with subdividing loweres mesh
2-Comparing and generating (you call rendering) a normal map
3-Rendering lowres object with normal map
Do you all think should maxwell also deal with step 2 and can you please put the name of the engine which does this already, I'm very curious.

[Thomas An.]

Rhino is used for complex product design, can the standalone address this issue complex mesh with the UVW mapping? Also are you saying they(the users) have to do all their materail surfacing in the standalone, but can not do this thru the plugins ?

3dsMax is not the only thing around. Maxwell plugs to 18 architectures some have good UV tools some don't. Having to code plugins several times over in order to make all architerures consistent would be much more consuming than implementing UV and materials in a central location.

The coding time of several plugins to patch the limitations of various architectures is a cost for NextLimit.

BTW i thought Rhino uses nurbs, so why would UVW help? that was a serious question since im not a NURBS/RHINO, i dont how they apply texture onto the surface.

Yes Rhino uses NURBS. They are converted to render meshes. Maxwell uses the render meshes.

[tom]

it is not necessary to have a low res and high res model to generate normal maps. Software such as Cinema4D can generate normal maps from the displacement channel.

That's exactly what I meant.
Cheers,
Metin

C'mon... then displacement maps generated from the same comparison I would say. Can't you see you're discussing a chicken-egg issue. I'm really impressed by the wishes about this.

If some peoples software doesn't make normal maps then isn't this down to that company to sort out and not Next Limit.

This thread starts to read like some people want everything in Maxwell to avoid having to buy more expensive modelling software?

Exactly Becco_UK, thanks!

[tom]

lol trying to force tom to answer that question, instead of dodging it. what makes it so specail? does it unwrap complex mesh with no distortion?

loool ... ok it gives you the meaning of life
well i won't answer on this topic anymore... seems like makes no sense.

[Thomas An.]

... i assume ....

That can be a problem
How about waiting a few more days ?

[tom]

I think the confusion comes from different meanings of the word "rendering".
We are talking about rendering scenes from a viewpoint.
You can see the "rendering" of normal maps in the following example:
(...and this is not the duty of a render engine)
http://www.poopinmymouth.com/process/no ... rkflow.pdf

fine tom, run away

What kind of information you expect from me about this subject?

[campomanes]

I think some people here are overreacting.
I dont expect maxwell to do things that other apps do.
For example i have photoshop to edit photos. I dont think you should expect maxwell to do that stuff!!!

I think there are more important issues that tom can spend some time answering.

For example,

1) Will we have the programmable materials now or later?
2) Will the sdk provide editing functions (and not just creating funtions as now)? ( i dont know if you can answer that)

The most dissapointing thing is that because we wont have displacement, it will be hard to simulate grass. And grass is very important in all architectural environment.

[tom]

Hi Campomanes!

First of all, thank you for bringing here resonable questions and respecting the time I spend.
1) The programmable materials will be later.
2) Can you give an example please?