Normal Map (with specular?) textures too shiny. : V - Skyrim

» Sat May 19, 2012 6:17 pm

Well, check the normal map alpha1 channel (like in all of the other normals...the 5th channel). It has a specular map in it.

» Sat May 19, 2012 5:39 pm

how are you generating the normal map? i generally tend to grey-scale by desaturating the image then i darken or lighten depending on how the desatuation made it appear. sometimes i isolate separate sections while i adjust.
once happy i then generate the normal map from the height-map. i too was having shininess issues when i first started modding skyrim but since i started doing that it has helped. i also save the heightmap as the alpha and save as dxt5 when saving. when testing i then adjust both and try again

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:57 pm

No matter what I do with the maps, it's always the same amount of shine. I'm thinking it has to do with the mesh? Nifskope won't load up any Skyrim meshes

» Sat May 19, 2012 9:00 am

The Alpha Channel will always be greyscaled :wink:

Here is another example, http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/Desert-Rat/Skyrim%20Mods/texture2.jpg wouldn't be shiny. :wink:

If it aren't the textures then the Nif File will have a Specular Node which makes it shine.

» Sat May 19, 2012 7:47 am

Here is an http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/Desert-Rat/Skyrim%20Mods/Texture.jpghow it could look like :wink:

Save it as DXT5 with Alpha Channel or as 8.8.8.8 32bpp if you doesn't want to compress it.

Edit:
If you don't want the Sword shiny make everything almost black in the Alpha Channel.

the iron sword uses a separate dds file for the spec map. i am thinking the spec maps in the normal map generates the base shininess then the separate spec map adds to it even further when hit by direct light sources. becuase not every object has a separate spec map like the wooden bow and imperial bow. best way to test i guess would be to go under a tree during the day :S

» Sat May 19, 2012 6:58 am

The Alpha Channel will always be greyscaled :wink:

Here is another example, http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/Desert-Rat/Skyrim%20Mods/texture2.jpg wouldn't be shiny. :wink:

If it aren't the textures then the Nif File will have a Specular Node which makes it shine.

This is true. I remember tackling this problem with Oblivion and it was always the Nif. It always worked out great.

Nifskope won't open any of the Skyrim files, though. Tips?

» Sat May 19, 2012 5:37 pm

Hmm, maybe I should update and get the Skyrim support!! :biggrin:

» Sat May 19, 2012 6:33 pm

Download a newer version of NifSkope, there are some which can open them.

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:25 pm

the iron sword uses a separate dds file for the spec map. i am thinking the spec maps in the normal map generates the base shininess then the separate spec map adds to it even further when hit by direct light sources. becuase not every object has a separate spec map like the wooden bow and imperial bow. best way to test i guess would be to go under a tree during the day :S

As far as i can see it has a Texture Map, a Normal Map and a Environment Map. :wink:

No Specular Map.

Oh...double Post -.-

» Sat May 19, 2012 5:23 pm

I opened bear.nif and I can't find how to change the specular (or other) tones. The path to the textures are correct.

Thing is, if it's the same as the Vanilla bear texture, why would it shine for a new texture if the mesh is untouched?

:pinch:

» Sat May 19, 2012 5:50 am

Bump Mapping. -- (unrelated bump).

Coming back to this soon, don't want it to disappear.

» Sat May 19, 2012 1:08 pm

I am pretty sure the weapons and armor also use a cube map or some other sort of environment map. These are basically reflection maps, which will also make metal shiny. I haven't messed with either weapons or armor, so I can't be sure, however i vaguely remember seeing something about cube maps somewhere....

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:07 pm

As far as i can see it has a Texture Map, a Normal Map and a Environment Map. :wink:

No Specular Map.

Oh...double Post -.-

crappy naming on my part ive only recently started modding 3d but you are right

» Sat May 19, 2012 8:31 am

Are you using GIMP? Last I heard, they had alphas bass-ackwards. White is black and vice versa.

» Sat May 19, 2012 11:35 am

Are you using GIMP? Last I heard, they had alphas bass-ackwards. White is black and vice versa.

Maybe that is your problem.

The shine has nothing to do with the mesh, you're still saving your textures wrong. Open the normal map of your bear and look at the alpha channel. You will see that it's either all white or mostly white. Just made a quick bear 'retex' to prove my point. No shine as you can see http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h271/Phittte/RockBear.jpg.

» Sat May 19, 2012 12:00 pm

Maybe that is your problem.

The shine has nothing to do with the mesh, you're still saving your textures wrong. Open the normal map of your bear and look at the alpha channel. You will see that it's either all white or mostly white. Just made a quick bear 'retex' to prove my point. No shine as you can see http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h271/Phittte/RockBear.jpg.

I'm in the heavy-duty Photoshop.

I've even made the alpha in my Normal Map completely black and it's still shiny.

The shine never changes, no matter how black, white or grey. I'm doing the same thing I've done in Oblivion but for some reason it's not acting the same.

» Sat May 19, 2012 1:31 pm

I'm in the heavy-duty Photoshop.

I've even made the alpha in my Normal Map completely black and it's still shiny.

The shine never changes, no matter how black, white or grey. I'm doing the same thing I've done in Oblivion but for some reason it's not acting the same.

Upload your normal map please.

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:06 am

Upload your normal map please.

Holy Slaughterfish. I checked your signature. :bowdown:

I didn't know I was speaking to the creator of some of my favorite mods. :bowdown:

It's been a while since I played Oblivion. Are you God? :bowdown:

Please check out my TES mods while you're at it even though you don't care. Will I be accepted into the holy land?

I'm not even religious.

I don't have a Normal Map as I keep tossing them, I've been trying to create one that works using my Texture. I will upload one.

» Sat May 19, 2012 1:36 pm

bear_n.dds http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6MRSZG20

» Sat May 19, 2012 10:33 am

Your Normal Map has NO Alpha Channel

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HK2J2KMK

I added a Alpha to it now maybe it isn't shiny now

» Sat May 19, 2012 2:39 am

Your Normal Map has NO Alpha Channel :wink:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HK2J2KMK :wink:

I added a Alpha to it now maybe it isn't shiny now :wink:

Thanks!

It actually had no Alpha channel because I saved it as DXT-1 no alpha, but it did have one!

Here is my result: http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9820/screenshot3594.png

Still shiny

» Sat May 19, 2012 11:17 am

Did you use the _n file from my link?

If you want load up all the textures from your bear, i will check them. Something isn't right there.

» Sat May 19, 2012 6:11 pm

Yes, I did.

» Sat May 19, 2012 5:40 am

Well upload the other files, maybe there is something wrong.

» Sat May 19, 2012 4:46 pm

Thanks!

It actually had no Alpha channel because I saved it as DXT-1 no alpha, but it did have one!

Here is my result: http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9820/screenshot3594.png

Still shiny

That is what you mean with shiny...I see. Looks like your problem is emissive color and not light reflection. What exactly did you do when you retextured the bear? Surely you did not just put the bear.dds and bear_n.dds files in textures\actors\bear? Any chance you used the _m file?