[Half Life]

What is the optimal Maxwell Normal format (for normal map)?

I think it's R:X l G:Y(inv) l B:Z l A:H

is that correct?

Best,
Jason.

[m-Que]

This might be useful:
http://liman3d.com/tutorial_normalmaps.html

[Half Life]

I understand how a normal map works -- I'm asking what is the best format for Maxwell.

Best,
Jason.

[Half Life]

My tests seem to lead me to:

R:X | G:Y | B:Z | A:H and set "wide" to enabled in MXED... but that is just based on visual feedback.

I'm not sure why flipping a channel would matter when outputting (it's easy enough to flip back), but then I'm not really able to understand why some software do it one way and others do it another... seems like it should be irrelevant.

Best,
Jason.

[m-Que]

The manual says:
"When loading a normal map in the texture picker,
the options Flip X, Flip Y, and Wide specify how the normal map was created. The most
common standard is ‘Flip Y’, so this is selected by default. Consult the application you use
to create normal maps to find out which of these options it uses to generate the maps."

And pretty much the same thing is written in earlier version of manual (1.6&1.7):
"...depending on how the normal maps was created."

I guess it's just about values of a specific normal map you've got...

[Half Life]

That's what I thought too, but I see very different results (better depth/detail/lighting) in Maxwell and my application can export normal maps in a about a dozen configurations... so since Maxwell can handle just about any configuration and my app can export just about any configuration it was a bit puzzling as to which would be the best on both ends.

I like bump and displacement maps because they are so simple

Best,
Jason.

[Half Life]

OK, here's something odd -- with interpolation enabled the lighting gets much crisper... I would have assumed the opposite (that it would be softer).

Best,
Jason.

[tom]

This could be a painkiller
http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... 57#p167857

[Half Life]

Thanks Tom, actually yeah that really helped -- the explanation of the "Blender Nomalmap = Wide = 0.0 to 1.0" was particularly useful as I've never so much as even looked at Blenders website... that extra set of normal mapping output options was really confusing me.

I'm still not clear on why there isn't just one industry standard format, but at least I can get predictable results from my new toy

Best,
Jason.

[tom]

I'm still not clear on why there isn't just one industry standard format

Indeed. It's one of the questions I beg an answer for several other standards as well.

[Hervé]

btw, if you are using 3D coat.. uncheck X Y Z