Adding bumpmaps to object recolors/bedding?

[Ashen]

Me again! You'll be sick of me soon ...

I have a question actually - can one add a bump map to the bedding recolor? Or rather if yes, how? I am experimenting with bmp.s and I love the effects I am getting in Photoshop but the trouble is they do not work so hot in the game, when combined with our usual .png part, if you have a pattern on it so ... can one add a bump map to get a different effect that the usual "flat" one we have, that irritates me so (so .png+.bmp in the usual one to get a 3D effect)?

I can take screens of what I want if you like (though it looks rather ugly when it is combined).

Much thanks!

[IgnorantBliss]

Some of the Maxis bedding comes with bump maps, for example the one pictured below. If you recolor the Ironwood bed and select that texture for the bedding, a bump map will be included in the package. But I've never tried if the bump map actually works, then, so it may be worth experimenting.

http://www.ignorantbliss.org/images/sims/BumpBedding.jpg

[Jasana_BugBreeder]

can one add a bump map to the bedding recolor?In the sense of modifying base texture - like in the example IgnorantBliss gave - then yes.
If in the sense of additional bump map texture, referred in TXMT - no, it's impossible, because bedding mesh doesn't support bump maps.
As far as I know, there's no way to modify bedding mesh currently without damage to animations - because it has joints and >3 morphs - though, perhaps, latest wes_h's plugin can deal with it, anyone tried? Until bedding could be modified, there's no way to make it bumpmap-enabled :(

[Ashen]

Ah, thank you very much to you both, it is very much appreciated! :D

Yes, I am afraid I had something in mind like Jasana mentioned, adding it because I did try first what IgnorantBliss suggested. I am afraid so far I am not having much luck with getting it to actually show up/affect the game, and I am somewhat puzzled as to why, but I am not giving up. I looked at the bedding up there, as well as another similar one, and I am honestly unable to see what the effect of the second .png file is - simply put I do not see it in-game because the first .png already holds all the shades/effects that I see in game.

Worth experimenting for sure, as I really want to solve this, or get something to work. Much thanks again, will post here if I manage to get something going :)

[IgnorantBliss]

Ashen, do you see other bump maps in the game? Not all video cards are able to handle bump maps, so they won't show up at all even if an object has them.

Jasana_BugBreeder, there is actually an additional bump map texture that comes with that bedding texture, and some others, so I would have to imagine the bedding mesh has to support bump maps, but I don't know if it works with custom recolors, too.

[Ashen]

Ashen, do you see other bump maps in the game? Not all video cards are able to handle bump maps, so they won't show up at all even if an object has them.

Yes, it does as far as I know, I remember some benchmark tests I did a while ago. It could be that it's a custom recolor that causes the problem, especially with what I am trying to do with it.

To be honest I'd give up the bmps is I could get good results messing with alpha channels and rendering in PS CS2 - it looks alright without a pattern, add that and it turns rather ugly.

Will be probably pressed for time tonight, but will give it a serious go on the weekend, will let you know.

[Jasana_BugBreeder]

Jasana_BugBreeder, there is actually an additional bump map texture that comes with that bedding textureThat material really has bump map set. Sorry for my lazyness :faceslap: I still hadn't run the game to see if there's really difference for this texture with bump map turned on and off.
I did another check - cloned the Ironwood Colonial Bed and checked it's GMDC, Elements tab. There are no BumpMapNormal elements there - which means the mesh doesn't support bump maps :( I saw no exclusions so far.
Could it be that bump maps are supported by some other beds?

[ParsimoniousKate]

They're not, I asked one of the Devs about this and they said they were left in there by mistake and they're not supported!