Geo Control Normal Maps

[mash3d]

Hi I was wondering if anyone has used the map generated from Geo Control in another application?
Such as Lightwave 9, XSI, modo or Zbrush?
I can get the map out of geo control but I'm not having any luck getting it to work in Lightwave 9 or modo.
If any one has any suggestions I would apperciate it.
Thanks,
Mike

[cajomi]

I had tested it in Carrara, which can use the normal maps from ZBrush.
Best, you first try to use the normal map an a grid, to see, what is formed by the map.
In Carrara I had to rotate the normal map by 90 degree, to get it fit to the terrain.

[cajomi]

the normal maps of course can only be used, if normal maps are supported. You need a special normal map channel for the bump.

[Jules Verne]

Also, be aware that different applications use normal maps differently, mostly a case of flipping the green channel I think it is. I know this is/was the case with ZBrush and Lightwave for example. So if you're finding the normal map appears wrong. Just flip (invert) the green channel and it should work fine. If not, try other combinations with each color channel until it appears correctly.

Also it may or may not make a difference (and hard to say as I've never tried) But perhaps adding a UV map to use the normal map on first might get it to work if just mapping it on normally doesn't? Like I say, no idea if this is the problem you're having or not.

As for Lightwave. I've no trouble using normal maps. But then I use the shader provided with Microwave when I want to view normal maps within the app. I don't know if newer versions of LW have native normal map support LW7.5d and earlier didn't. I don't think LW8 did neither.

XSI is a little more complex if you want to bring normal maps in. But again, should work fine. As for modo. Sorry, never used that before.


And I just noticed how old this thread is, whoops! My bad! Well, I went to the trouble to write all this so I may aswell post it now. :P

[cajomi]

I had tested the normal maps in Carrara. I have now found, that Carrara has a very stable way of interpreting normal maps, nearly all kind work fine.
But after testing may normal map with 3DSmax and Cinema (both demos), I found, that the normal maps of GC1 did not work as expected.
I have just changed completly the algorithm and now (version 2) it should work with most applications.
And of course, flipping channels will be necessary in most.