what software do you use for making textures?
The Absolutely Fabulous “The Gimp”:
I agree with OTO
Photoshop, NJob (free normal map creation), Nvidia Photoshop plugin for normal maps and .dds creation (free), Filter Forge sometimes.
There is a plugin for the Gimp which allows you to make Normal Maps , so definitely Gimp as it is free.
Yes, that’s the nvidia plugin. I can’t wrap my head around gimp, with it’s 1000 windows cluttering the screen. Why the hell did they design the gtui like that? Anyone? Is there a reason? I know there’s a plugin that clears up the weird window layout.
never use the nvidia plugin or the the one for gimp either they both have disastrous effects i would spend 20$ to get Shader Map Pro because it is well worth it.
I’m sorry, but that’s a pretty narrow view. True, the plugin is not perfect, but disastrous? Do you know enough about texturing to know the difference between a good and bad normal map? No offense, but you sound like you are in league with the Shader Map Pro people. Every thread, it’s “get Shader Map Pro!” Njob does a beautiful job and it’s free. I’d say any normal map program is limited by the user - garbage in, garbage out. No program turns trash into treasure. Many people simply accept the default normal map settings, without tweaking diffuse or height maps to get a good normal map.
I dunno, I used to use Shader Map Pro and left it behind, it diffuses the details making everything “soft” even after heavily screwing with the settings… All the same, I use the GIMP plugin now and much more happy (though I am going to evaluate NJob now).
It’s all about how you use the tool. I have switched to NJob, as it offers more options than the Nvidia plugin, which is pretty basic (but will create a fine normal map from a good diffuse or height map.) Other programs help to turn diffuse maps into height maps, before conversion to a normal map. I’ve used crazy bump, and it’s great, but it creates somewhat exaggerate maps. I’ve actually seen a tut on “taming” crazy bump.
Photoshop, they have an insane student discount. Well worth it.
I use The Gimp.
Just grabbed the Njob. Look very useful and user friendly.
The secret to NJob is learning to use the Diffuse-Heightmap settings. It takes a lot of experimentation.
I also build levels of normal maps on game models - fine details, normal mapped stencils etc, and then bake then down to one. A cliff wall, for example, may have 1 normal map for big, high to low baked geometry, and one for fine texture detail.
i am actually quite good at texturing and i do know the difference between the two i may still not know how to use the plugging right. but the normal maps sucked. and for crazy bump i like it but it is two expensive. And for shader map you have to tweak the displacement by alot before it ever look good but now i get results resembling crazy bump. so it is well worth the money.
BTW_ the default settings in shader map is just blurred rubbish
I use:
- GIMP
- MaPZone2
- gile[s]
- DeleD
- xNormals
- Blender Texpaint
- Inkscape
All free and haven´t hit any dead end yet with those tools.
Weapon of choice, my Wacom Intuous.
I’m referring to this one http://code.google.com/p/gimp-normalmap/ . It uses nvidia stuff but extends it’s functionality.
According to the wikipedia:
“This windowing format has been criticised and users have been vocal about GIMPS’ interface, [15] this has led the maintainers of GIMP oversee the formation of a usability team and the redesign of GIMPs UI to provide a Single Window mode to be released in GIMP 2.8.”
Let’s be patient…
Photoshop and Illustrator almost entirely. (as someone else mentioned, Adobe has a HUGE student discount, and even allows using your discounted software for professional use, and to upgrade to commercial versions)
I occasionally use Blender’s tex paint, mainly to mark off areas of a UV map so I can know where to put things in Photoshop or Illustrator. PS was the first “graphics program” I ever used, going back a good 8 years now. (PS Elements 2, yeah!). Photoshop also has its own texture painting mode. The camera position kinda sucks, but having PS’s actual paint tools when painting on your model almost makes up for it.
I often use an application called texturemaker that seems to work pretty well for most things.
Uhm. So how does “professional use” fit into this - what is it supposed to be?
The academic license forbids to use the software commercially. And that´s it.
Either it is for personal use, or for full commercial use.
“This windowing format has been criticised and users have been vocal about GIMPS’ interface, [15] this has led the maintainers of GIMP oversee the formation of a usability team and the redesign of GIMPs UI to provide a Single Window mode to be released in GIMP 2.8.”
Nice! I don’t keep up with Gimp, as I use PS, so I hadn’t heard that.
oversee the formation of a usability team
Does that mean that they never had one before, and gave no thought to the layout?