Anyone can help me on this please:

Im creating a normal map for a texture, but when I load the object in CK it shows up insanely glossy.
Its the one on the right side of the picture, while it should look like the left one:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fgfgiIVu8kc/UFDKJqdagTI/AAAAAAAABSs/G5DYwWXZMwM/s800/Untitled-4.jpg

I tried saving the normal in both DXT 1 and DXT5 also, same outcome. Am I missing something during the creation of the normal itself?

Thanks in advance!

Do you have an Alpha channel on the normal map? If yes, how does it look?
Glossiness can come through the normal map's alpha. All white - full glossy, all black - no gloss. different gray percentages - different levels of gloss, you get the picture.

^ This -- And by default I believe it makes a complete white Alpha if you did not create one - so you will want to make one (I normally do a copy\paste of the diffuse texture into the alpha channel (it will automatically make it grey scale) and then darken as needed.)

^^ For some reason, Photoshop always creates a white alpha for me when I save as DXT1 - no alpha.
If I ever want a no-alpha texture I have to delete the alpha and save it as DXT1 - 1 bit. I have no clue why it acts that way.

Thanks all for your answers! I'm really a noob regarding textures so excuse my stupid question; where can check the alpha levels? If I edit an already existing normal map and save it, it is glossy too.

Are you using Photoshop or Gimp?

Shop

The Alpha channel is a channel you make (or is already present in some readily made textures) that you can find by going to the "channels" tab (it's next to the layers tab). There you'l have RGB and R, G, B channels.
You can add a new Alpha channel by clicking the "Create new channel" . It be named Alpha 1 and be on the bottom.

Then you can follow JDFan's instructions above. Simply copy/paste the diffuse texture (the "standard" one) and on the channels tab, with your Alpha selected, paste it in.
Then you can adjust how dark/bright (hence the glossiness) will be. You can do this in a number of ways, like the Levels adjustment.

EDIT: Just remember. White means full gloss, black - no gloss. If you have a 50% grey (medium grey) you'll have medium gloss.

EDIT2: I would highly recommend you follow the texturing tutorials and workshops on TES Alliance.

It should be the other way around 6_9


Just click the "channels" tab and then select the alpha channel to view it.

You're probably saving with DXT1 compression. You'll need to use DXT3/5 to save a complex alpha channel (5 is, in almost all cases, superior).

I think I need to update my .dds plugin. Apparently there was a fix "Bug fix for exporting DXT1 that creates alpha channels and DXT1A that does not create alpha channel." http://developer.nvidia.com/content/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

Thanks a TON! Its all working now.

Awesome info guys, thankyouall!

Thanks for that, lorelai!

You should still check the tuts on TESA. They are really, really good and very in-depth!

No problem! I always need an alpha for my textures, but the fact that bug was there, it was just nagging me. Now I hope they actually fixed it...