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Could Daz Studio generate normal maps?

InkuboInkubo Posts: 745
in Daz Studio Discussion

I've been struggling recently to create normal maps for a character, and it led me to wonder:

  • Once you load a bump map into a shader slot and set its strength, DS then "knows" what you want for bump settings...
  • ...and Daz programmers know what the proper format is for a normal map usable in DS.

So couldn't DS have a function to generate a normal map directly from the bump settings?

Comments

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,493

    Well, DS (or rather, the render engine) is generating a normal map from the bump - if you look at the bump brick in Shader Mixer you will see that, at least for 3Delight (Iray is a bit more conmplex in its data structures, and may be less clear). Do you need to explicitly create a normal map at all?

  • InkuboInkubo Posts: 745

    It's my understanding that a normal map makes the illusion of detailed geomety work better when objects are viewed at an angle. I thought that bump-vs-normal was two approaches to do the same thing, but normal maps were better.

    If they really behave no differently in DS, that would be good news for me, because in a project I'm working on, I have what I think is a good bump map, but I'm struggling to get a normal map that works right.

     

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,169

    http://cpetry.github.io/NormalMap-Online/ Ok for creating a quick one

    https://boundingboxsoftware.com/materialize/ if you want to put more thought into it

    https://shadermap.com/home/ for the really keen

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,493

    I don't believe, or see how it would be possible for, a normal map created from a bump map to be "better" - it's the same data at root.

  • InkuboInkubo Posts: 745

    Thanks! I'll skip this frustration.

    Thanks, Wendy! I have ShaderMap (what a crazy UI!) and Materialize. The normal maps I made originally behaved strangely, hence my question about why DS doesn't just do it for us.

  • Silas3DSilas3D Posts: 565

    AwesomeBump is also really good, I've had success creating normal maps from bumps with that. It really all depends on the quality of the maps to begin with, as bump maps can vary considerably.

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,169
    edited September 2023

    there is also extensions for Automatic 1111 Stable Diffusion that will do it

    the MiDas model 

    they may not end up tileable though if using img2img

    if you want it tileable you could be venturing into using trained data you might have ethical qualms about depending on how you view AI

    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • InkuboInkubo Posts: 745

    Good to know, y'all! Thanks!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,510

    I know this is solved already but...

    At Christmas time we got "Santa's Normal Maker" as a free gift (Daz +?) which can create normal maps right within DS, I think. Never tried it.

    I just checked and... alas, it is not available in the store. Materialize Rocks though!

  • InkuboInkubo Posts: 745

    Interesting... I'm a DAZ Plus member but didn't get it. Are you a PA? Maybe that's who it went out to.

  • LeanaLeana Posts: 11,640
    edited September 2023

    Inkubo said:

    Interesting... I'm a DAZ Plus member but didn't get it. Are you a PA? Maybe that's who it went out to.

    That's not something that was given automatically to people, it was one of the gifts from the PAs you could "buy" for free during the Holiday sale.

    Here's the readme: http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/read_me/index/87462/start

    Post edited by Leana on
  • InkuboInkubo Posts: 745

    Interesting! Hopefully it will be a gift again this year.

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