Normal or Bump maps, possible with NewDark?

[674259bc6566cSystemMaster]

Is it possible to add normal or Bump maps to some select textures (such as common wall and floor textures and such) with NewDark patch? Before you say it, I know it is a 20 year old engine even with all the updates it got, I am only asking because with NewDark, it has DX9 support. For Deus Ex, they wrote a DX10 and DX11 renderer which made such things possible. (Heck, they even added HDR support. See it here: http://kentie.net/article/d3d10drv/ )

I was wondering if it was possible with SS2 as well. We could make the game look a lot nicer if it was.

[674259bc65837voodoo47]

additional texture effects are possible, see MTL in the NewDark documentation.

[674259bc659a7ZylonBane]

No. You get multiple render passes with your choice of blend mode and alpha (optionally modulated by an incidence map), and cubemaps. That's it. No normal maps, bump maps, specular maps, shaders, etc.

If you have NewDark installed, look in the docs folder for the documentation on materials.

[674259bc65aaeSystemMaster]

I figured as much but I thought I would ask. It is a shame though. Some bump mapping and some HDR for example would do wonders for this game. Even more so than Deus Ex, as most levels mostly hold up nicely still.

Either way, thank you for answering guys.

[674259bc65b8bvoodoo47]

ehh, we can live without everything being shiny and glowing for some 100 more years or so. less is sometimes more.

[674259bc65c71SystemMaster]

If that was true we wouldn't bother with better textures and higher poly models, but unless someone comes forward and adds these features I suppose it is a mute point.

[674259bc65d81lastonearound]

I checked and source code for Newdark is available. Source code for Direct3D 10 renderer you linked above is also available. Maybe one day someone will incorporate those things you want, and I will admit it would be lovely if they did, things like HDR and whatnot would hide most of the games shortcomings, but it just doesn't seem likely. Game itself plays nicely as it is now, even if there is still room for a lot of improvement.

[674259bc65e8avoodoo47]

if you mean the Dark source leak, that is not complete afaik. but NewDark releases were pretty regular so far, and new stuff is being added, so I guess a dx10+ renderer is not impossible.

though I have to say that the currently available tools and options are quite sufficient - there is some pretty neat stuff you can do, if you know how, just look at the swimming pool in SCP.

[674259bc65f73lastonearound]

Well, they added DX9 to the game, so someone must at least have the renderer code even if the Dark source code is not complete. So like you said, it is not impossible, but I doubt anyone would bother.

[674259bc66095SystemMaster]

Again, thank you for the information guys. I wish I could do it myself, but even with the source code at my disposal, I am just a texture artist. (not a great one at that) I wouldn't know what to do with the code.

Those tools are great, but without the features I mentioned, my plans for a proper SS2 Enhanced Edition is pretty much dead. Maybe one day they did add those features and I will come back and do my thing.

[674259bc661bavoodoo47]

we certainly wouldn't mind having a texture artist around, there always seems to be one more texture that could use an improvement.

SS2 enhanced pretty much exists already, it's basically SCP+SHTUP+Four Hundred+all the hires objects, see the guide.

[674259bc6666fRocketMan]

I am just a texture artist.

Let's kidnap him.  I'll tie his legs to the cinder block in my garage so he doesn't get away.

[674259bc668a4ZylonBane]

I am just a texture artist.

Could we see any examples of your work?