NormalCombiner

NormalCombiner is a simple tool used to combine two normal maps with the correct vector summation. This cannot be done right in traditional 2D editors due to a representation of normal components when they are stored in color channels.

A normal can have negative components as well as positive ones. Therefore, its zero is offset by 128:

• Values from 0 to 127 are considered negative,
• 128 represents zero,
• Values from 128 to 255 are considered positive.

Combining two normal maps is very simple:

1. Load the first normal map by clicking Load Base.
2. Load the second normal map by clicking Load Bayer.
3. Adjust Tile and Scale options for combining on the right pane of the ResourceEditor window.
4. When you are satisfied with the result, click Save.

NormalCombiner can preview normal textures in two display modes. To switch between them, choose the mode in the drop-down list in the upper left corner of a window.

Normal to display the three-component normal map Light to check how the normal maps would look under the lighting. Move the mouse cursor over the texture to change the position of a light source.

Supported formats of textures:

• Targa (.tga)
• Portable Network Graphics (.png)
• JPEG (.jpg)
• Photoshop Document (.psd)
• Direct Draw Surface (.dds)
• Portable Pixmap (.ppm)
• Portable Graymap (.pgm)
• High Dynamic Range (.hdr)
• Silicon Graphics Image (.sgi)

• Ctrl+O — load a base normal map.
• Ctrl+L — load a layer normal map.
• Ctrl+S — save the combined normal map.
• Ctrl+R — reload all resources.
• I — toggle texture info.
• T — toggle a grid.