11 réponses à ce sujet

[Mscheveous]

Hey all,
   I am trying to save a DDS file in Photoshop for facial skin, I have the Nvidia Plugin...what should I save the file as when the nvidia plugin popup comes up?

I've been trying to just test it out but no matter what I do I can only seem to get one map, I notice that most of my skin files have 2, an 0d.dds and an 0n.dds, also, when I put the file in my override folder and put it on my head morph in the toolset, I just get funky looking either grey maps, or 'normal maps?' the rainbow/purpleish looking ones..

So, curious as to what I am doing wrong that I cant seem to figure out with trial and error and figured I'd come and ask on the boards...I checked the Wiki but didnt see anything that I'd think would answer it, so I appologize if the answer is actually there, I just didnt know it.

Modifié par Mscheveous, 12 mai 2010 - 02:16 .

[Nattfodd]

The Nvidia plugin for Photoshop let you save images in .DDS format, so when you select "Save as.." from the menu File, in the dropdown selection list you should be able to select the .DDS extension (other than .JPG, .BPM, GIF an so on). The only choice you can make when saving and after the popup comes up, is what type of compression you want to use to save the image. Generally for DAO, the DX5 ARGB format works fine. But this choice do not let you to create a diffuse or a normal map, you must create them by "manually" painting by yourself.

In the wiki you can find the article about the texture format files, that explain you what does the _d and _n suffix mean.

However the _d suffix identify the diffuse map, that is the main texture of a model while the _n suffix identify the normal map that is, at first look, a greyscale rapresentation of the diffuse texture (but maybe you already know this if you opened one of these textures in photoshop).

[Mscheveous]

Ahh wonderful, thank you Natt..Im such a tool, I had thought one save would of generated both the normal and diffuse maps at the same time so I was rather confused why I was only getting one. I must of only been getting the normal map.



Thank you so much, I'll dig deaper into that wiki link you posted..not sure why I couldnt get it to pull up anything when I checked...I must be search challenged.

[Mscheveous]

Hrm, here is another question...How come everything keeps generating normal maps...The image is just a plain texture of a face..I guess it would be considered the 'diffuse'..everytime I save it to get the diffuse file it keeps coming out as a normal map?



That happen to make sense?

[tmp7704]

What compression format are you using to save the image? Regular diffuse textures seems to use DXT5 format, it's possible you're saving your image in format designed specifically for normal maps instead, or something similar.

Modifié par tmp7704, 10 mai 2010 - 11:41 .

[Nattfodd]

Generally, you need to modify only the diffuse map. If i understood well, you want to make some new face textures (new makeups, maybe? ;P). So for the elf female (that seems to be your avatar), the best way to work is to open the elf female face diffuse texture that is the "ef_uhm_basa_0d.dds" file (if i remember well).

Do your job with photoshop and save it. Then you only need to put the new .dds file into the override directory and start the game to see the changes.

The next step is: do you know how the normal map affect the visual of the diffuse texture on the models, do you really need to modify it?

[Mscheveous]

Thanks for the replys guys...



@tmp7704 - I am saving it under the DXT5 format, I keep getting pointed to the Wiki and people also have suggested that format as well, so thats definatly the one I've been using.



@Nattfodd - Yeah, Im attempting to try and learn to make my own makeups. I hope I dont confuse to much here..

Basically I took an existing facial skin file to edit, the diffuse one (Which is the file that looks like the normal face with makeup, if Im correct)

I brought that into Photoshop and did my edits to it - I saved first as a psd so I could keep my layers intact, then I flattened my image (I read to do that somewhere, just cant remeber where) then I went to save the file as a DDS.

The plugin popup window opens, I choose the DXT5 format, generate mipmaps, 2D texture then clicked save. All this does is gives me a Rainbow/Purple looking file, which I believe is called the normal map, I believe thats what the Wiki called it..Im not getting greyscale normal maps Im getting colored ones, but sense the Wiki showed them I figured that was ok..



Now, a long while back (Probably over a year) I used to use this plugin to generate the colored style normal maps, so I could bring them into Lightwave. Not the same thing as I am trying to do here but my point is...The settings in all the other functions like, 'Normal Map Settings', or 'Image Options', if they dont reset each time you close it out then perhaps one of the settings is off? It's been a long time sense I've used it last and even then I was below the rank of amature using it. So I couldnt even tell you what they might of been. If that even has anything to do with it.



On the other hand, it might be a user error - everyone keeps saying the same thing, the wiki said the same thing kind of, save it as DXT5, and I keep trying that, heck I even tried DXT3, yet all I keep getting the same type of file (Normal Maps) and not the one I need (Diffuse Maps - Which is the file that looks like the skin/face with the makeup on it). I have to be doing something wrong then, which is really just fustrating me to no end..One big fustrating circle *screams*

[tmp7704]

Mscheveous wrote...

The settings in all the other functions like, 'Normal Map Settings', or 'Image Options', if they dont reset each time you close it out then perhaps one of the settings is off?

The switch which control conversion is in the "Normal Map Settings" panel, on top of the window: "Convert to tangent space normal map", You wouldn't have it enabled, would you? 

edit: and no, these settings don't reset. They remain in the last state you left them in.

Modifié par tmp7704, 11 mai 2010 - 09:53 .

[Mscheveous]

Thanks Tmp....actually it was clicked, and I unclicked it..though at first that did not help. What did help was me resetting my values, then I had to uncheck the convert to tangent space, also had to make sure color map was an option under the image option.



Now, I get the diffuse texture, looks great. Put that file in my override folder. Open the Toolset and place it on a new Morph and..Wierd, half is white/blue some is normal but dark...*laugh*



So, at least I am getting closer, just have to figure out whats causing that now. I have to say thank you to you, Natt and everyone else who is continuously helping me with this, I really do apprecite it very much!

[Mscheveous]

Found out what was wrong (Thanks Vorna!) apparently the settings in the Nvidia Plugin dont reset, and when I was using it a long time ago it was for normal mapping, it had retained the settings I had needed for them. Sense it was a long long time sense I used the plugin, and I didnt even know much about it when I was using it, it never occured to me. Resetting all the values fixed the problem and now I am able to save the dds files as the diffuse maps I need.



Thank you tmp and natt, I really apprecite your help, and thank you Vorna for sitting patiently through 900 screen shots to figure out what was wrong..*laugh*

[Nattfodd]

To complete the facial skins editing: regarding the makeups (that affects the lips, the cheecks and eyebrow, if i remember well), keep in mind that this is handled by the game, with the Tint System. The base face skin texture is the starting point for all morphs and makeups too. So, for example during chargen, when you change the makeups options, the ending result is made by the starting diffuse texture plus additional textures that rapresent the makeup intensity (as you can see here). This could be the reason for your strange colors in the toolset (if you haven't solved it yet). Try to see other existing elven's faces and how they appear after you copied your new diffuse texture into the override directory.

Modifié par Nattfodd, 12 mai 2010 - 03:09 .

[Mscheveous]

I certainly did. I found the problem. I had to use a different normal map then the one I had to go with the file. Once I changed that out it appeared normal, I think I just renamed the uh_hed_fema normal map to match that of my file and placed it in my directory and that solved the problem. (Thanks Vorna)

A very patient person..teehee...figured out why I wasnt getting diffuse maps to generate, then once that was fixed she figured out why the texture was odd looking..which is what I explained above.



Thankfully, now Im able to get my skin texture in and showing as I want it! *Happy Snoopy Dance*