Any tutorial on normal.dds with gimp?!

[Tobler75]

Does anyone know a tutorial for editing the normal.dds (making a heightmap, bump map, etc) or has made any experience with gimp on this topic, erasmus posted a link on ps, but since most modders work with gimp that would be something interesting

[33orion77]

Hello Tobler75!
I can give you a quick tutorial to do normal map with gimp. But! keep it mind that I'm not a Pro and I'm still learning the process but I can tell you what I know...
First you needto install the Normal map Pluggin that you can find over here: http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/normalmap/

Now, Once the diffuse is done and saved, go in filter/ map/ normalmap ( I belive it's the correct path but I'm not sure see pict...)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Then a window should pop up. You can also press the 3D preview button and you should have a view like this

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

You can also see the setting I usually use ( default exept minimum z:0,45, scale: between 2 and 2,5) The normal map setting are a difficult thing to find. This setting is not perfect ( a bit flat )but it is the best I found for ETW. The settings they are using for MTW2 are not good in ETW. With those settings Chainmail may look good in MTW2 but fabric looks overtextured in ETW. Once you're done click on "OK" or "validate?" and you should have your normal map. Now, you need to fix the alpha channel. The gimp normalmap pluggin is suppose to emulate the photoshop nvidia pluggin so maybe I'll have a look at those tutorial... I'm sure there should be a way in gimp to to this but I don't know yet...
so to fix the alpha channel I use DXTBMP. I know it's not the easy way but that's the way I found for the moment. So I save my file dxt5 with mipmap and then open it with DXTBMP. I send the alpha channel to the editor and copy paste my normal map in there. Usually you need to adjust luminosity to -20 to -50 ( There all kind of ways you can edit those files those setting are just my starting point but need a lot of tunning...) and save it. If you need to know how DXTBMP work check this quick tutorial:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...92#post5216492
If anyone has an easier way, I would be glad to know...
Also, when you save your file , don't forget to rename it replacing diffuse by normal!

If you think you can't find the right settings, you can change only small part on the original normal Like on this picture of my polish horseguard normal. I have edited some part with the stamp and I've copy paste some details

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I've red somewhere that making normal map was an art, I never realized it before I started doing some...
So I hope those few pointers may be of some help, but as I told you, I'm still learning...

[Tobler75]

Just learning?! You're kidding me Merci, my friend, that's fantastique! Thanks a lot and rep++