What is bumpmapping, envmapping and specular? [Solved]

How to create models in XSI and other 3D applications and make them work in Battlefront 1 & 2. Post models, tips for application usage and share anything XSI, 3DMax, SketchUp, etc.

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jedi_pilot
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What is bumpmapping, envmapping and specular? [Solved]

Post by jedi_pilot »

Hello, I've found plenty of tutorials on how to do these, but I have a question... What does each of the following prcocesses do to your model, and how do they improve the quality???

-bumpmapping
-envymapping
-specular

Thank's for answering my noobish question :wink: .
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DarthD.U.C.K.
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Re: just curious?

Post by DarthD.U.C.K. »

Bumpmapping:
another texture (with same UVs as the normal texture) is applied on the model which defines the heights of the normal texture, the brighter a part is, the higher it is.
Ingame the game will put lighting on the model as if the details/heights are modeled onto it (you'll see it better if you apply specular too which can be done with repsharpshooters meshtool)

EnViroNmentalmapping:
another texture (a cubemap) is "applied" on the model, ingame the model will reflect this environment

Specular:
this applies specular realtime lightglare on the model
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Re: just curious?

Post by jedi_pilot »

so am I correct to say that bumpmapping is for making your model look high quality, by making an "optical illusion" :wink: ? even if your model is rather low-polly?

Also, can you bumpmap your model with RepSharpshooter's meshtool?
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Re: just curious?

Post by DarthD.U.C.K. »

i wouldt say high quality, it can add more details but how good you see it depends on the lightsettings on the map
you cant see most of the shipped bumpmaps most of te time, but the bumpmap can be better seen, if you add specular and bumpmap (thats whats repsharpshooters too does), you can also glossmap something which will it make more plasticlike looking
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Re: just curious?

Post by jedi_pilot »

Can you glossmap things with the Meshtool :? ? Also, can you do more than one operation on the the same model? for example, bumpmap and specular one part of your model, while gloss mapping the other part?
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Re: just curious?

Post by DarthD.U.C.K. »

you cant glossmap with the meshtool, in XSI you can give every single polygon one flag with the meshtool you can only give one material a flag
i resharpshooters specular and bumpmap must be a special flag
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Re: just curious?

Post by jedi_pilot »

Ok, one more question :wink: ....Is your bumpmap texture any different than your normal texture???
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Re: just curious?

Post by Teancum »

Take a look at the pictures in this article. They explain how bump mapping works really well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumpmap
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Re: just curious?

Post by jedi_pilot »

That seems to have cleared up some questions...Thank's :D .
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