Normal mapping

You will need a low-res and a high res version of the same model.

The lo-res version should be smaller than the hi-res.
You should Unwrap UVW the model and apply a checker box to determine the quality of the UV’s.

[This is the Unrwap of our lo-res model ...]

Align the larger hi-res model exactly over the lo-res one.

Lighting the hi-res model

Lighting and shadows are critical to getting a good normal map.
Set up a lighting system that clearly defines your moedl, and unlike our usual 3 pt setup, put shadows on all the main lights. This will feed the map good data.

Select the lo-res guy and press 0 [zero]

This is the interface. First, set up your files to go where you want them, not the default max locations.

make sure you have some material assigned to your lo-res model, or max will not have anywhere to bake the normal map.

this material is “hot”

Enable projection mapping

also disable sub-object levels

Pick the hi-res guy



now it says projection

enable it, and set as below:



hit options ...



select ray miss check [errors to show up in red]

normal map space world

close options ...



use existing channel tells max to pick up the uvw coordinates we set with unwrap uvw on our lo-res model... be clear in your own mind, if you want to let max do the unwrapping, or you did it previously with unwrap uvw or uvw map.





under output go add ... then normalsmap, add elements



Make a test render ... ultimately we want 2048, but lets do a lower res render first to see if it looks right and there is no red, which would indicate a part of the hi-res model poking through the projection cage.

make sure you do not hide your hi-res model, as the process requires it to be visible to project.

specify the resolution you want ... we want 128 for the test ...

target slot is bump

select output into normal bump

now we go on to the larger/slower file ...

specify the resolution you want ... we want 2048 ...

target slot is bump

select output into normal bump



baked rollout/output into source ... if you don’t do this, the normal map will not appear on your assigned material ...

a projection modifier will come on the lo-res model. you will have to adjust the cage to encompass both models. the projection cage will probably not line up at first.

use reset to get the cage back around the lo-res model ...

... and use push to increase the scale of the cage to include all the shapes on the hi-res model:

render

at the bottom ...

the render looks like our unwrap, as it should ...

You can open up your map in PSD to examine it ...

now we get to apply this normal map to our lo-res model ...

in material editor there is a new map



in its maps rollout is a bump map ...

examine this bump map ...

[note – the additional bump is if you want to add a regular bump map]

click the normal map we made to view ...

hit view image ... there it is ...

press the show in viewport icon [tiny box with checkers]

Now render from the viewport ...

Now add a standard skylight and make your final render.