Some mesh and texture Queries

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Me again! I have a few more questions:

• Is it possible to use the 'search and replace' funtion on land textures and, if so, can it be used to change a texture over a complete WS?
  
  
• Can anyone tell me how to create normal maps for my textures so that the textures are not black when inside an interior? Is it an easy job?
  
  
• Some of the Shivering Isles content, particularly the rootcaves, have doors that cannot be opened again once you have gone through them and fulfilled some set condition. I remember that this was true of 'Knotbone Chambers' at least. How do you enable/disable such a thing? Is a script required? THIS PROBLEM IS NOW SOLVED!!!
  
  
• In Nifskope, I have found the 'Edit UV' option and can move some of the nodes around. If I'm lucky, I can highlight all of the nodes that comprise a single 'face' in the render window but I have to be very careful using the left-click-and-drag technique to select them all. Is there a way to select a single 'face' without having to click-and-drag because holding down Ctrl doesn't work as it would in some applications? More importantly, is it possible to re-scale the texture for a face in the same way that a model's factor size can be changed in the CS by holding down S and moving the mouse? And finally, is it possible to separate and combine these faces so that what you change in the render window can include or exclude other faces?
  

[InsanitySorrow]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
Me again! I have a few more questions:

• Can anyone tell me how to create normal maps for my textures so that the textures are not black when inside an interior? Is it an easy job?
  
• Some of the Shivering Isles content, particularly the rootcaves, have doors that cannot be opened again once you have gone through them and fulfilled some set condition. I remember that this was true of 'Knotbone Chambers' at least. How do you enable/disable such a thing? Is a script required?
  

I need to know the best way to create normal maps, so I am here with ya on that IG

As for the door, I am unsure, but by the sounds of things it does need a script. I will check this out in the CS now.

Edit: Looked at a lot of SI doors including some root ones and they all seem to be scripted, basically when you enter a door a quest stage is set, the script on the door checks for this and if set right the door displays a message and then stops the door from working.

Edit 2: Do you use GIMP?, if so here is a good tutorial for you to use, I have just found it and it seems really simple, I will give it a try later.

Link

[Ibsen's Ghost]

I'll see if I can find out how to enable and disable that script then. Thanks!

No, I don't use GIMP. I've only fairly recently heard about it but all I know is that it can be useful for textures....?

Btw, I have added another question to the three above for something that I just can't seem to find any help with at all.

[InsanitySorrow]

The GIMP is handy for simple stuff but Photoshop is the best, but costly. GIMP is free

GIMP

Here is the script for you, its simple and should work all by itself, just attach it to the door(s) in question.

Code:

=========================================
;Script: Root Door Script
;Version: 1.0
;Author: InsanitySorrow
;========================================

Scritpname ISRootDoorScript

;========================================
;Variables
;========================================

Short DoorLocked

;========================================
;Main Script
;========================================

begin OnActivate
    if DooLocked == 1
    if IsActionRef player == 1
        MessageBox "The door is sealed and will not open."
    endif
    else
        Activate
        Set DoorLocked to 1
    endif
end

;========================================
;End Script
;========================================

I dont know anything about the other question, sorry.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

I just managed to find it in the CS and located the script anyway but you led me along the right path so thanks, IS! That should come in handy for later. That's one problem solved. :goodjob:

There are three others though...... ?(

[InsanitySorrow]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
I just managed to find it in the CS and located the script anyway but you led me along the right path so thanks, IS! That should come in handy for later. That's one problem solved. :goodjob:

There are three others though...... ?(

Dont want to sound ahead of myself, but use the one I altered above, it does not need you to use quest stages, it will sort itself out.

I need to know about Normal Maps too, so this is something I am working on.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

And I'll check out that GIMP link... :yes:

[nick_op]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
Me again! I have a few more questions:

Can anyone tell me how to create normal maps for my textures so that the textures are not black when inside an interior? Is it an easy job?

Both Photoshop and GIMP have plugins that can generate normal maps from height maps (black and white images where black is low and white is high, with gray in between). These generally produce rather average results, but they do the job.

Chek out this thread for some suggestions on tools for creating normal maps. IsaneBump looks pretty cool, pity it's a GIMP plugin.

In Nifskope, I have found the 'Edit UV' option and can move some of the nodes around. If I'm lucky, I can highlight all of the nodes that comprise a single 'face' in the render window but I have to be very careful using the left-click-and-drag technique to select them all. Is there a way to select a single 'face' without having to click-and-drag because holding down Ctrl doesn't work as it would in some applications?

NifSkope is extremely limited in it's UV mapping capabilities, you'd be better off using a 3d app. for it.

[Razorwing]

I and some others have started using the program ShaderMap Pro to create normal maps. It's very good, albeit not as great as CrazyBump was. Unfortunately ShaderMap Pro won't let you save your generated normal maps, but *cough* one can always make screen caps.

Since it's limited to 256x256 one has to cut larger images up into chunks and generate them one by one and then stitch them back together again. But all in all, after I discovered this program I stopped missing CrazyBump.

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Thanks for the input, RW. I'm struggling to find time to get to grips with this. I had no idea it was so complicated.....I just wanted my textures to show up in interior locations..... ?(

Any ideas on queries 1 and 4?