Bumpmap Shader

[EclipsE]

I now found out why your models appeared incorrect... You used tangents but they weren't present

VS_OUTPUT VS(float4 Pos : POSITION,float2 Tex : TEXCOORD,float3 Normal : NORMAL,float3 Tangent : TANGENT)

omg...

Code:

        public override ModelContent Process(NodeContent input, ContentProcessorContext context)
        {
            GenerateTangents(input, context);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Generate tangents helper method, x files do not have tangents
        /// exported, we have to generate them ourselfs.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="input">Input data</param>
        /// <param name="context">Context for logging</param>
        private void GenerateTangents(
            NodeContent input, ContentProcessorContext context)
        {
            MeshContent mesh = input as MeshContent;
            if (mesh != null)
            {
                // Generate tangents for the mesh. We don't want binormals,
                // so null is passed in for the last parameter.
                MeshHelper.CalculateTangentFrames(mesh,
                    VertexChannelNames.TextureCoordinate(0),
                    VertexChannelNames.Tangent(0), null);
            }

            // Go through all childs
            foreach (NodeContent child in input.Children)
            {
                GenerateTangents(child, context);
            }
        }

[Chr0n1x]

... Thats what I said, anyway, Nemo, look in your XNA book, he has code in there for Tangent space calculation, use that.
As for the SDK thing, the runtime is installed with the SDK during the installation process, it's hidden in the background when you run the install. But as I said, the runtime cannot be uninstalled and is overwritten by a newer one, so uninstalling an old SDK will make no difference, nor will uninstalling you latest SDK since the runtime wont be removed.
Basically, if its got anything to do with DirectX being the cause, which we know it isnt now, uninstalling a SDK won't make any difference.

[Nemo Krad]

Thanks guys, I will look into this tangent disaster a little closer. Only thing is it does not explain the issue coming and going....

As far as the SDK stuff goes, I was implying that the old runtime may have been at fault, or at the very least, my version. Any way it is neither here nor there now. So with any luck this night mare is over and this thread can die 

Hope this works for you MasterU..

[EclipsE]

The code i put up, is the content processor which you can use to calculate tangents

[Arkcann]

I had a problem with wierd blinking and shapes appearing on my bumpmapped objects, and I think it had something to do with my matrix multiplications, I haven't really been messing with my normal/bump mapping shaders though they don't cause the problem anymore as I removed the "to tangent space matrix", which seems to work though I'm not sure if it is true normal mapping without that. I now that if you base your normal mapping shader off of those used with Rendermonkey there are some unneccessary things (such as a to view space matrix) because they define their lights in a different way then the HMEngine would. Ohwell, lately I've been working on post-processing effects (HDR  ) more than model shaders. This is off topic, but has anyone recieved an OutOfVideoMemory error? I get them from time to time and have to restart my computer to get rid of them. If anyone knows how to fix this some help would be apprieciated <- might deserve it's own topic. Anyways, I'd like to hear any advances made with this normal mapping problem.

[Nemo Krad]

Guys,

Thanks I think the missing tangent data is what was causing my issue, MastetU, did this preprocessor fix your issues?? I am yet to give it a good test, but the results so far are good.

Thanks all.

Arkcann, I suggest starting a new thread for that issue, but I have had a similar issue when not setting the memory size correctly for custom vertex formats, to correct it I simply specified the size correctly and it was then all good.

[Nemo Krad]

Yep,

looking good so far, this is an image of my self shadowing bump map effect, well Wolfgang Engles, but in my engine

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[masterU]

Hi!

I had no time to work on the problem, but it seems that you find the error...
I will try it the next days by myself.

thanks in advance,
masterU

[Nemo Krad]

Right,

Kind of thought this was fixed but turns out it's not 100%

If I remove my terrain object from the scene then the bump mapping seems to go all squiffy again, not as bad as before, but still poop.

I now have the Tangent, BiNormal and Normal calcs in my content processor which seemed to fix most of my issues but I am still getting this odd error when my terrain is not there.

The first picture is of my model with the terrain in the draw call (though well out of shot) and the other is with it removed. Any of you got an ideas as to what is going on???

My terrain object and the related shaders do not alter any render states by the way.

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[Nemo Krad]

Again, this issue gets odder....

I can get the bad bump effect with the terrain object loading if I have a terrain map that is 46 X 46 (or greater) it still works fine, but 45 X 45 and I get the issue... This comes out at 2116 verts, now this does not leap out to me as one of those magic numbers, but I have been on holiday and my brain is probably not fully engaged....

any one got any ideas??

[Nemo Krad]

OK,

Finally got the bugger fixed!

Take a look at this thread on the creators club for the trail of madness http://forums.xna.com/thread/23266.aspx

A big thanks to Leaf yet again for helping me out.

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