Bug in shader for latest CVS build

[chris]

Don,

I will look into developing a solution that enables support for compressed normal maps but doens't break existing DXT normal maps. I don't want to have to introduce a new rendering path just to work around this particular issue. I'll come up with something else . . . Further suggestions are welcome. If there's no other option, I'll add a new option for ssc files, but it'd be nice to figure out a solution that will allow compressed normal maps to be used with cmod meshes.

--Chris

[Don. Edwards]

Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to look this over. I know allot of other users are hoping you can find a solution. It would be a shame to have to dump 4 years worth of normalmaps.

As for the rest of the features I love them, so keep up the great work. I remember a great many of these were talked about over 2 years ago. It?€™s great to see them finally seeing the light day.

Don.

[t00fri]

Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to look this over. I know allot of other users are hoping you can find a solution. It would be a shame to have to dump 4 years worth of normalmaps.

Don.

Don,

let me just remind everyone at this point, that ALL normalmaps of the last 4 years are (grossly) INCORRECT, if applied to approximately spherical bodies, like planets.

Chris' nm16 code and all other normalmap generators/plugins produce normalmaps that are meant to apply for PLANE geometry, not spherical planets!

The resulting errors north and south of the equator become increasingly grave. These are facts that Chris is of course aware of.

Bye Fridger

[Don. Edwards]

Hey Fridger,

Yes I am aware of the deficiencies in the DDS normalmap file format. But at the time it was the best we had for making compact fast loading textures. And we are all quite aware; at least I think most are what havoc it does to the higher Polar Regions. Don't get me wrong, I am more than willing to work with the new format once I get the hang of it and can get it working that is.

Until then, I still think that we need to be able to use these old and somewhat inaccurate maps until more of the newer ones become available in sizes that fit all users?€™ needs. As it stands in the newest CVS builds all my planets under OpenGL 2.0 are totally flat, beautifully rendered but flat. It?€™s a bummer. But I will bend like a reed in the wind and learn the new way of doing things. People that are ridged and unbending get broken in the end.

Don.

[steffens]

I will look into developing a solution that enables support for compressed normal maps but doens't break existing DXT normal maps. I don't want to have to introduce a new rendering path just to work around this particular issue. I'll come up with something else . . . Further suggestions are welcome. If there's no other option, I'll add a new option for ssc files, but it'd be nice to figure out a solution that will allow compressed normal maps to be used with cmod meshes.

Why no just using a new filename extension for compressed normal maps? I know, they are just DDS files, but you are not forced to call them so! Addon creators that are capable of making normal maps in this format should be able to change the extension to something like ".cnm" or ".dxt5nm".
This way, DDS files could be used just like before. DXT5NM files would only be allowed for normal maps. No new option for ssc files is necessary.

steffens

[t00fri]

Hey Fridger,

Yes I am aware of the deficiencies in the DDS normalmap file format. But at the time it was the best we had for making compact fast loading textures. And we are all quite aware;
...
Don.

Don,

sorry you misunderstood. In my previous post, I was not talking about the familiar problems with the usual DDS format! I am saying that the math formulae in the code for generating normalmaps from input elevation maps is INCORRECT in case of spherical (i.e. planetary) geometry! Hence, also all existing normalmaps in PNG format are equally incorrect.

Presently, the only tools generating correct normalmaps will be our nmtools, to be published for all operating systems very soon in CelestialMatters.

Bye Fridger

[Don. Edwards]

Fridger,

I did understand what you meant, I was oversimplifying it a bit I guess. I am looking forward to trying the nmtools when they are released. Until then I wil have to go on with trying your layer shuffling method and see what happends. I am moving over to GIMP to try and work with both DDS and normalmas for the time being. The GIMP has come along way the 2 years on the Windoze platform.

Thanks for the info.

Don. Edwards