HeightMap to NormalMap Convertor

[EDIT... GUI Updated!]

Hey, i wrote this little app for converting heightmaps to normal maps, because i realise not everyone has photoshop and i couldn't figure out how to use the GIMP one :)

Not exactly a Gile[s] or Tattoo, but, it serves it's purpose. Now, to get the program to load the heightmap texture, you need to call it "height.bmp". I'll fix this later on probably.

Thanks to Andreas Blixt for helping me out a bit :)

Click save when your happy with the look of the normal map, and it will be saved in the same directory as the program.

.bb source code version (204 Kb) Includes heightmap for mucking about with:

http://www.rosscrooks.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/height_normal_bb.zip

.exe version for those without blitz3d installed( ~800 Kb), also includes heightmap:

http://www.rosscrooks.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/height_normal_exe.zip

ScreenShot

Won't have a chance to test this for a while, but thanks for the converter.

Are you sure that's a normal map though? The image in the screenshot just looks like an embossed greyscale image.

The lightsource moves around to show the normal mapping :)

Nce, you need to update your gui I'd suggest.

For one you can't click+hold the Up/down controls.

Ah, thanks for that explanation Ross. I look forward to testing this!

Lol, yeah my GUI sucks. Whipped it up in 5 mins :) Thanks!

jhocking: tis what i thought, but when you run it, the embossed thing is a demo of it, not the actual map itself

aren't normal map in the RGB format ?
R=x B=y G=z

In blitz it's R=X G=Z B=Y. (When using entityColor. At least on my gpu it is)

Sure that's a normal map on the top right? They're usually very brightly colored. Never seen a grey scale one, unless that's post dot3'ing?

Top right is a heightmap. Top left is a normalmap, blended to show what it will look like when used. You can press 2 and 3 to change between them. Also, when you save it, look at the map, and it's a normal map.

If you don't believe it, download the measly 200 odd KB and check it.

:)

there are other progs like TextureMaker which are capable of generating normal maps out of textures too :)

but cool app :)