What is a bump map ?

[Guest moggie44]

I've just got into aircraft repainting with FSX and need help in a couple of areas.The plane I've been repainting is the default CRJ-700 and I'm happy with my repaint - except for one thing. In doing the repaint, I've overwritten all the detail (rivets, vents etc) from the lower half of the fuselage. Does a bump map do what its name suggests i.e. allow me to add 'bumps' like rivets without actually redrawing them onto the main texture sheet, or have I misunderstood what it's purpose is. Is there a general description available somewhere what all the different files in the texture folders do such as bump, spec, fresnel?thanksDavid

[EagleSkinner 36]

You got it...If you have the FSX SDK installed, go to the SDK folder: "Environment Kit/Modeling SDK" and read the "texturing aircraft models.html" file.Basically, you make a greyscale copy of your aircraft texture details (rivets, panel lines, window frame edges and so on. Convert this to a height map using the height/bump/3D effect tool in your favoured painter program.Then make this a 24 Bit RGB imageNext, separate the three colour channels and save the red channel separately (MS did it this way for some reason - don't ask, I don't know why)Back in the separated RGB image, flood fill the red channel with full black and the blue channel with full white. Save this image. This is the blue texture you see in the existing bumpmaps.Add the previously saved red channel as the images alpha channel.Done!Beware - the height values you set in your greyscale height map has to be done with care. Make the height value too much and the final result is lousy. You'll need to practice.This is only a very rough guide! I am not an expert on this! This is just what I discovered by trial and error myself!To recover any lost data, you just need to re-install / copy the missing files from the original.

[Guest moggie44]

Thanks for the advice Stormpup, I'll give all that a try.RegardsDavid

[blaster454 0]

I must be missing something. I don't have a "texturing aircraft models.html" file. The only html file I see there is the "Modeling tools.html" file. Are there more than one version of the sdk?

[Guest moggie44]

I've got the file in question. There are a total of 7 html files in the folder C:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator X SDKSDKEnvironment KitModeling SDK>Are there more than one>version of the sdk?>There was a Service Pack 1 released for the SDK a couple of months back. It's possible the SP might have added these files, but I can't be sure.Take a look at www.fsinsider.com for the 90MB downloadDavid