KingJ2002
Member
Definition For People That Don't Know What It Is: (Thanks IGN)
Normal maps are very similar to bump maps, except that instead of using 8-bit greyscale textures only for height values, normal maps use 24-bit RGB (red, green, blue) images for representing not only the height of each pixel, but also its normal (mathematical direction).
By knowing the normal of each pixel, the object can be rendered with much greater detail and depth than with a standard bump map. Think of it like this: Instead of having to represent a sloping plane with the "flat" pixels of a bump map, essentially creating a staircase, a normal map can show that each pixel is sloped itself, creating an entirely flat, but slanted, lighting source. Light hitting this sloped surface will look much more realistic with the normal map than with a similar bump map.
My Question: Did normal mapping really blur the times between this gen and the next or is it just certain developers have peaked it terms of skill?
Normal maps are very similar to bump maps, except that instead of using 8-bit greyscale textures only for height values, normal maps use 24-bit RGB (red, green, blue) images for representing not only the height of each pixel, but also its normal (mathematical direction).
By knowing the normal of each pixel, the object can be rendered with much greater detail and depth than with a standard bump map. Think of it like this: Instead of having to represent a sloping plane with the "flat" pixels of a bump map, essentially creating a staircase, a normal map can show that each pixel is sloped itself, creating an entirely flat, but slanted, lighting source. Light hitting this sloped surface will look much more realistic with the normal map than with a similar bump map.
My Question: Did normal mapping really blur the times between this gen and the next or is it just certain developers have peaked it terms of skill?