object enhancement

[Dune]

Did anyone ever use this? http://developer.nvidia.com/object/melody_home.html

[Tangled-Universe]

By reading that looks pretty cool However, we can't use normal maps in TG2, can't we?

[Klas]

cool - if it works, will test it.
No, in TG2 we can't use normal maps, but if I understand it correct then you can add displacements to an object (if you set ray trace objects to on in TG2 you have "only" bump-maps). You need the normal maps as "displacement maps" in NVIDIA Melody.

[Dune]

I haven't dived into it yet, just stumbled upon and thought it might be interesting. But aren't normal maps sort of bump maps? Couldn't you use this method to create good bump/displacement images? I found another software: ShaderMap. But maybe it's easier to fiddle in Photoshop than install all sorts of hazy software.

edit: Klas, you beat me by a second with your post.

[Tangled-Universe]

No a normal map is different from a bump map if you'd ask me.

Here's a wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_mapping

[Klas]

Ok, I was wrong.
The difference of bump and displacements:
Bumps are simulating deformation of a mesh by calculating lights as if the model is deformed, but you see no deformation on the edges.
Displacements are really deform the mesh, like the terrain in TG2.

Bump- or Displacement-Maps are showing the "altitude" of the deformation, Normal-Maps are showing the gradient.

[Klas]

I found another software: ShaderMap. But maybe it's easier to fiddle in Photoshop than install all sorts of hazy software.

I bought shadermap pro last year, it's not "hazy"

[gregsandor]

I've used Melody for years.  One useful feature (you might have to find an earlier version of it for this) is to reduce polycount.  Another useful little program to have is Anthony Appleyard's DeTriang -- takes a triangulated model and makes it quads, useful in conjunction with Melody since it trianglulates your model.