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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 18th Oct 2012 at 11:14 PM
Default Normal, Diffuse, Alpha, and Specular maps
While updating all of the texture files on my first mesh project, I came across these 4 graphics under the MESHES tab in CTU. I exported them and made some changes so they'd match the new mesh. Problem is -- I don't see a way to put the new ones back into the package! They don't show up in S3PE or TSRW. Any gurus out there know what these are and how to change them?
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One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#2 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 7:55 AM
Are you saying those texture files never were in your custom package? If they were, then you will be able to see them listed in S3PE definitely. They would of course look like the originals until you have replaced them with the copies you edited.

To replace an image in s3pe, select the original in the resource list. Right-click on it and choose Replace. Browse to your edited version on disk... just follow the prompts.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Sockpuppet
#3 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 9:56 AM
Those are dead links to the originals, except the normalmap.
You custom multiplier and specular will overwrite them.
Mad Poster
#4 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 1:09 PM Last edited by EsmeraldaF : 19th Oct 2012 at 1:57 PM. Reason: wrong textures!
EDIT: Ack, just wrote a bunch of stuff and then realised that you said these graphics were under the MESHES tab in CTU - I was thinking Design tab and replied accordingly.... Deleted now!

The textures you see in the Meshes tab are the bump map and a couple of other things, I think the specular as Bloom said, and as far as I know, there is no way to replace the bump map using CTU, and I don't know about S3PE or TSRW for those. CTU does give you a box on that tab to import your own bump map to a mesh that doesn't already have one, but that doesn't work if the mesh does already have one - it won't override the already existing bump map.

The only way I've been able to change an existing bump map on CAS items has been by editing the TGIRefs in the Group comments in Milkshape. If that's what you mean, that's trickier but maybe someone else knows a better way of doing that than having to edit the TGIRef comments.

ETA: Actually, it's probably possible to replace a bump map in S3PE the way Inge suggested above - I've done it with objects but not with clothes, but it probably works the same. I know with objects, you have to do a 'Deep Clone' in S3OC in order to get the bump map to be included in your cloned package (otherwise the bump map will not be included in the package). I've not done it with CAS item, but it might be the same process in s3oc's CAS cloner. (Am away from my gaming PC at the moment so am unable to check.)
Sockpuppet
#5 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 2:59 PM
You can not add a normalmap when the clone hasn't one, not with CTU, TSRW or s3PE(maybe with S3PE but i have no idea how)
When it has a normalmap you need to import it together with the meshes first time you create your package when using CTU.
TSRW allows you to update it anytime
Not sure if S3OC clones it(it didn't in older versions that i know) you have to add it manually and update TGI reference in the GEOM(with s3PE)
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#6 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 3:36 PM
S3OC will get it too.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Mad Poster
#7 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 4:08 PM
Just tried it with S3OC and it does include the bump map with cloned CAS parts too, if you use the Deep Clone option. Here's a pic of S3PE showing the resulting package of an outfit I picked at random - this is what it will look like, it's the texture with an '_n_' for 'normal map' in its name (eg, afBodyCoatTrench_n_ etc):

So you just need to do a Replace with your bump map, and it will replace the existing one (if it works the same as objects, which I have done it successfully with).
Screenshots
Sockpuppet
#8 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 5:24 PM
yup, just make sure you clone as replacement first and delete all unwanted patterns and textures then(especially the skinambient!)
Then reclone/renumber

I couldn't view the default normalmap in S3PE but prolly cos i have a older version :P

Quote:
Error reading resource 0x00B2D882-0x00000000-0xF9F1660F869FF14E
Front-end Distribution: 12-0317-0944
Library Distribution: 12-0317-0944

Source: DDSPanel
Assembly: DDSPanel, Version=1203.16.2316.41888, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
File is not a supported non-DXT DDS format
----
Stack trace:
bij System.Drawing.DdsFile.Load(Stream input, Boolean supportHSV)
bij System.Windows.Forms.DDSPanel.DDSLoad(Stream stream, Boolean supportHSV)
bij S3PIDemoFE.MainForm.getValueControl()

----
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#9 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 5:30 PM
Bloom, it's the version of S3OC you have that matters not s3pe. I don't think you should need deepclone on to see the normalmap, in recent versions. Earlier versions it wasn't picking it up right, so you would have done then, maybe.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Sockpuppet
#10 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 5:39 PM
ah, ok
Reason S3PE didn't show the normalmap is because it doesn't support 16bit A8L8?
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#11 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 6:46 PM
It does now. But you have olde versionne

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Sockpuppet
#12 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 7:11 PM
yes, because i got a warning that the latest version contained bugs and choose for the stable version...
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#13 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 7:46 PM
That warning was for the weak of heart, not for macho types like yourself

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Sockpuppet
#14 Old 19th Oct 2012 at 9:16 PM
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#15 Old 20th Oct 2012 at 12:29 AM
Thanks everyone. I'm going to update my copy of S3OC and S3PE just to be sure I'm running the latest and greatest. The deep clone will also be ticked from now on whenever I clone a CASpart too. I'm moving away from using CTU any more, except to look at a finished package for any errors that don't display in TSRW. That's how I came across these "mystery" files, and thanks to the feedback they aren't a mystery any more.
Sockpuppet
#16 Old 20th Oct 2012 at 1:15 AM
if you dont want to use tsrw, you best clone with S3OC and edit with CTU
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#17 Old 20th Oct 2012 at 6:17 AM
I use all the tools now, but gotta say TSRW is growing on me. I like how much easier it is to mesh with TSRW, and am just starting to experiment with custom patterns. CTU looks at different parts of a package ( I guess) because problems showed up in the 3D view for a new package that were invisible in TSRW. Until something better comes along I'll keep on using everything that's available!
Test Subject
#18 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 7:36 PM
Quote: Originally posted by BloomsBase
Those are dead links to the originals, except the normalmap.
You custom multiplier and specular will overwrite them.


That is really useful to know, I noticed they were based of the base and specular textures, and whilst those could be replaced easily in CTU they never update the maps on the meshes tab.
So does that override work on a per design level, like how you can change the base and specular per design on the same part?

I am still trying to understand all the resource linking in the game, so I would like to know if I am missing anything in the generation process.
For the custom normal map on a default mesh I am using two pass cloning with S3OC ,and S3PE between the passes to delete the extraneous default files.
For something like afBodySwimsuit_plunge I had it down to 8 files.
3 _IMG files which make up the maps
3 GEOM files which are the 3 mesh lods
CASP file
VPXY file

So if I understand the chain right the casp references the vpxy which references the geoms which reference the imgs?
It seems now I could lose 2 of the _IMG files, though I could always replace them in S3PE to update the base and default texture which would need to be added to the package anyway when I make a new design.
What I am wondering is if I need any of the other default files to avoid breaking a chain link, or should all the other links be fine?
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