   Normal Mapping
    I keep hearing about a texturing method called "normal mapping".  From what I know, It takes a texture that has many embedded properties in it. When applied to an object the properties tell how light and shading will be distributed off the object''s texture.  This method is used to texture a low-res model with this kind of map and still show the realistic details of a heig-res figure.  There is one game I know of that uses normal mapping all over the game...It''s called Riddick, and it''s in early development  If anyone out there has more info on this subject let me know! 
  Halflife2 uses normal mapping, there was a video taken at siggraph showing editing done in softimage.Compared to bumpmaps who only have one vector of information, height. Normalmaps save three vectors, x, y and z, which allows for much better lightingrender results.You often generate them using a highly detailed version of a mesh, saving the normal vertices.  ;  yes i want to know more about them too, mostly a tutorial on how to make/use them. I also know that it needs to be a tut on how to make tangent ones, since it will be for a real-time mmorpg.Any help would be greatly appreciated ;  Normal mapping is a form of bumpmapping AFAIK   [edited by - MessageBox on February 17, 2004 12:45:57 PM];  yes i know that, i just wanna know how to do it..... ;  http://www.soclab.bth.se/practices/orb.htmlHere that should be everything you will ever need Btw Doom3 uses Normal-mapping, but Half-Life2 does not as far as I know. ;  A normal map is a method to define a surface normal at each pixel in a texture vs. having a normal at each vertex. The angle of a surface normal to a lightsource determins lighting.There is an nvidia tool for creating normal maps from textures but the final quality of the map wont be fantastic.  There is also an ATI tool for creating normal maps from high poly objects to place on low poly objects.  Thats probably the best use of a normal map.One thing I see in some games is the over-use of normal maps.  If not used properly they can look extreamly gawdy.  Also often times you will see some strong specular properties on something that should have them just so that the normal map will show up.  Looks like crap in my opinion  [edited by - alecmoody on February 17, 2004 11:08:25 PM]