render normal maps from geometry

[v-cube]

Hello,

I was wondering, if there is an quick method to derive normal maps from geometry using octanes render channels. I tried vertex normal, geometry normal and shading normal but the result does not look like i would expect it ( more like a greenish picture in contrast to the more blueish regular normal maps I use)

can anyone give me a hand?

thanks!

Andreas

[bepeg4d]

Hi,
I have used this technique with z-pass for displacement, but you can do the same for normal map. You need a plane in the Z axis and a camera facing it, that's it
Here is an example in c4d and Standalone:

c4dOctane

Standalone

NormalGen.orbx.zip

orbx

(2.04 MiB) Downloaded 347 times

and here is the resulting texture applied in the normal pin of a metal material:

normal applied

the generated normal texture

ciao beppe

[v-cube]

Hello beppe,

thank you for your detailed answer!

I suspected that this should be possible and now I was able to identify why it was not working:

by the way, I use the Rhino plugin version, I always assumed that the geometry was supposed to be viewed/rendered from top (z-direction), however this does not seem to be the case, at least in rhino.
When rendering from top, surfaces which have an angle of 90 degrees towards the camera normal are rendered green not blue/cyan. After rotating the geometry by 90 degrees and rendering from the front view instead of the top view I got the expected result.

I will post this in the Rhino group...

best

Andreas

[bepeg4d]

Yes correct, it depends because any app has its own axis system, for example, in c4d the Z axis is in the opposite direction compared to standalone, I forgot to mention, sorry.
ciao beppe

[Bendbox]

This is great to know, thanks!