Material Normal to Proper RGB values.

I need to create a material that renders the surface normal in the 255 RGB range.


Okay I know the data is there, just below zero so it doesn’t show up.


Okay there we go… but it looks a little too bright.


Here is a flat surface with a normal right at the camera. The value of 0.5 seems right… but the other one is 188 I don’t understand why it’s not half 255, 127 or 128.

(background)
I’m using the normals for displacement of an image in after effects to create a quick 2d refraction effect.
but I need the values to export as 128 pointing right at the camera so it don’t displace flat things.

I’m still using blender 2.5 so it may just be a idiosyncrasy of that version.

But even when I use a value node to input .5 the RGB colors still come out 188