DROPPED Terrain Bump - Texture Pack (by SparrowPrince)

[z929669]

It has been known from the start that the normals were not created from the base textures of most of what we use in STEP; however, I have yet to see any real 'oddities' and have found Terrain Bump to still be an improvement.

 

Can you post a couple screens of some of these issues?

[TechAngel85]

It has been known from the start that the normals were not created from the base textures of most of what we use in STEP; however, I have yet to see any real 'oddities' and have found Terrain Bump to still be an improvement.

 

Can you post a couple screens of some of these issues?

Plan on grabbing a few if I can find some of the textures.

[TechAngel85]

Okay, I grabbed some shots and posted them below. The full size image links are posted below the sets. To keep is unbiased, the groups are unlabeled and in a random order. You tell me which looks better in each group.

 

1) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/M0IeCOw.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/j9w2Mil.jpg

 

2) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/NIPqwt1.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/LLemPuj.jpg

 

3) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/49j2nNK.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/RdjLj0f.jpg

 

4) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/cuZGPom.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/1uWWXaS.jpg

 

5) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/8PvUch5.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/o3BC7ja.jpg

 

6) A >> B

https://i.imgur.com/zRUYJNg.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/3jPMetn.jpg

 

7) A >> B

https://i.imgur.com/xqhT6aU.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/X0Ny9k7.jpg

 

To be honest, the difference are hard to see in some of the images with out gallery so viewing the full size image might be necessary (it's going to be full size when you play the game which is a downside to our gallery with compares like this that are more subtle). I assure you, there are difference in each set though. My eyes were able to pick up on the difference almost immediately.

[phazer11]

I prefer shot B, except for in the instances of Groups 1,3,4, and 7.   I think I might slightly prefer shot B for group 4 but it's close I'd have to see in game.

[TechAngel85]

Just so users know what incorrect normals can cause, they can create stretching, warping, discoloration, blurring, smearing, and other "oddities".

[DoubleYou]

1. A

2. B

3. B

4. A

5. B

6. B

7. B

[keithinhanoi]

1. B - The mesh line between the two ground textures is not as noticable

2. B - No idea what I'm looking at, but A looks very strange to me.

3. A - Too many ridges on the sides of those cliffs, and doesn't look right.

4. B - It makes the light "source" look more consistent and life-like. Also A has a distinct parallel line pattern that I notice when I switch between the two.

5. A - Better highlighting effect, though either of them would be okay depending on the environment / weather happening.

6. A - Same as 5 for me.

7. A - Definitely A only. B doesn't look right at all.

[Aiyen]

Going to say all A´s or all B´s... the differences are in general so minute that it really is above and beyond nitpicking... at least based on those shots. 

 

The most noticeable difference is the ice.. but both can look good depending if one likes the coarse style or the more smooth one. 

[Simondererste]

Looks like one set is more Shadows -> more depth

So i mostly prefer those which doesn't look so flat:

1.A

2.A

3.B

4.A

5.A(only choice i went with the other set at least what i believe, because there is not a big depth gain and it just looks darker but you have to see this in game.)

6.B(Like the one above here is not a big difference for me but you have to see it in game if it effects the feeling about its depth)

7.B

[TechAngel85]

Sharp eye there Keith! Good feedback too.

[TechAngel85]

Both EssArrBee and myself know the answers as to which image is which so we've both held off really putting in out 2 cents. I sent him the "answer key" before anyone voted as to keep things unbiased. I'll hold off at least another day for anyone that is wanting to comment.

[Aiyen]

Okay been looking at these a bit longer... and overall then it is really hard to tell from those images since only really the ice stands out in any great amount. 

 

1: A or B really the difference here is so minute that it is almost not worth talking about... going to need more angles of the terrain to determine from imo. 

 

2: A since I just in general like that type of ice more in games... it is not possible to get a realistic looking ice type with the shaders available to the engine. In general the reflection part is always going to be really low res and it will show. the B is just too weirdly smooth with too many small details that just does not fit. If it was me having those I would end up making a mix of the two since then I think it would be better then either of them since they are just a tad too extreme imo. 

 

3: This one is funny because A looks better on the screenshot, but B would probably produce less noticeable "popin" when you transition out of LOD into detail... not 100% sure but just a hunch I got. In general I think both are again too extreme and a middle thing would be the most optimal. It would be the "popin" that would decide which for me... not any shot of it since it is again just too hard to tell. 

 

4: B: is a tiny fraction bit crisper looking to my eyes... but overall they are so identical that it is only because you go pixel hunting that you really find differences. The ground cover texture. In those cases I tend to look which texture has the least repetiveness when you zoom out a bit further.. but that is again mainly something I notice since I prefer to play with low grass densities. 

 

5: Now here I just feel both look equally bad hehe. I am so used to having a parallaxed version for that particular texture and not having it makes to look so artificially flat that it just is... bad. It is really one of those textures that just need a parallax texture imo. It almost always blend well with everything else as long as it has it and on its own just stand out much much better. Also for some reason when I look at it then the pattern it has makes me thing that you are looking in fish eye perspective but this is mostly just due to the way the texture is tiled. 

 

6: Just like B slightly more.. the main thing I notice is the rather low resolution of the dried grass and the dirt. It could be quite a bit better with one step up in resolution. But again since it is a landscape texture then I think it is wrong to look at it closeup like that since it does not show how it tile into the distance etc. 

 

7: B: Since it just has more depth. A looks like it has all the rocks uniformly going into the ground rather then out of it.. and in general it is just too repetitive. B´s added bumping really makes it less uniform and hence nicer to look at imo. 

 

 

In general I think it is worth it to again bring up the point that since it is landscape textures then it is not really the best idea to decide based on closeup compares.. since what really matter is how it blends in with the surroundings at a distance.... one does not spend the longest of time starting down at the ground when playing after all. 

A good example here are the 4k textures that pfusher has made.. they are absolutely stunning closeup obviously.. but they just tile so badly and stand out when you do not have a high enough grass density to really break the pattern. 

 

Anyways that is my 25 cents worth of analysis for now! 

[TechAngel85]

Okay been looking at these a bit longer... and overall then it is really hard to tell from those images since only really the ice stands out in any great amount. 

...

In general I think it is worth it to again bring up the point that since it is landscape textures then it is not really the best idea to decide based on closeup compares.. since what really matter is how it blends in with the surroundings at a distance.... one does not spend the longest of time starting down at the ground when playing after all. 

A good example here are the 4k textures that pfusher has made.. they are absolutely stunning closeup obviously.. but they just tile so badly and stand out when you do not have a high enough grass density to really break the pattern. 

 

Anyways that is my 25 cents worth of analysis for now! 

I could take some wider shots; however, since these are landscape textures you're not going to see the details of what the normals are actually doing in most of them. Some of them will look nearly identical. I can assure you that regardless of Terrain Bump being active or not, the blending in the distances isn't an issue. I'll see if I can get a mix of close ups and wider shots. But it might not be today.

[TechAngel85]

Okay, took 6 more shots from a "natural" distance. This is the distance that you would mostly be seeing these textures since many of them are right on or near the main roads. Again, in random order.

 

8) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/qpFCd68.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/hqpMsGk.jpg

 

9) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/8atqqs9.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/TY8jl7v.jpg

 

10) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/t5BlmvA.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/8OWhBWI.jpg

In this set, you get the added bonus of a few (a least 3 affected textures in one shot).

 

11) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/zM5J1Qv.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/A5NV8fk.jpg

 

12) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/WwPY2qs.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/ICoq3VH.jpg

Ignore the top half of the screen here. Those objects are random on load.

 

13) A  >>  B

https://i.imgur.com/FSm6l55.jpg >> https://i.imgur.com/CisDpkf.jpg

[Aiyen]

Well since you took the time to do that additional piece then the least I can do is come with my 5cents this time. 

 

In all cases I would say that the more bumpy ones always win. 

 

8: Snow.. not much that can be done in the normal maps for this so... very minor differences all around. The actual snow texture would always matter 100% more then its normal map in that case. 

 

9: On the path down to the water on the left side the difference is quite clear, and the added bumpyness helps the entire thing blend better and look more natural since it removes the flatness.

 

10: Like on the previous one of the same type then the A one is just weirdly flat which makes it look like the rocks are going into the ground rather then out of it. The B have the extra dimension that helps break it up a bit. One can argue that it might be a bit too strong in those textures cases however.

 

11:  B just looks more natural imo. There just is more depth in that shot where the A one again is just unaturally flat. 

 

12: Now here we have the infamous tiny rocks of meh... However in the B shots they actually blend in better with the terrain then in A. 

 

13: The A one since it is more bumpy. 

 

I guess in general when you slide between the two you can really see the bumpy nature of them here and in most cases they make the whole terrain a bit darker overall with the fake shadow effect. 

I can appreciate that some folks might think it is a bit too much, and I would tend to agree that it mostly is perhaps a little bit over the top.. but overall I still think it is better then just having a flat featureless set.