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[w]

Any chance of someone making some generic BumpH files for the FMB Alpen maps ? 
I would attempt myself but I would probably wreck my install.
if there is such a thing as a generic BumpH files, or are they map specific?

The trees look ok in the FMB Alpen maps but I would like to get color and textures similar
to Cannons Hi Res FMB Channel map ground textures if possible and I believe BumpH files accomplish this.

[Avala]

Bump files are not maps specific, but they are texture specific. Each texture must have its own. Why wouldnt you try? Its not so hard. Actually only knowledge needed is to know how to start photoshop.

First download this

http://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop


and install NVIDIA DDS plug-in. Open texture with photoshop, make it RGB, open filters, and open that plugin. Try the options on texture. When you are satisfied, change texture to be in Gray mode, save it as tga file. Rename it by hand replacing ".tga" to ".BumpH". And thats it! 

The more you play and experiment, the better it will look.

[Uufflakke]

I remember I've sent you a complete tutorial by PM for making bump files in GIMP about 2 months ago.
The only thing you had to do is installing GIMP the freeware editing program. But probably you still haven't tried it out.
Like Avala says creating bump files is not so hard.
You won't wreck your install, in case you did something wrong with a bump file the only thing that happens is... that nothing happens.
The map will load as usual but the bump file won't work. And if you are not sure if a bump file works or not just change the hour of the day in FMB and if it creates shadows then the bump file works!

I've to say that now I know how to create bump files I got addicted to it. It gives the maps you are used to play on an extra dimension, especially when the sun is low and flying at low altitude.

EDIT: in case you threw my PM in the basket  here it is again (based on UP~Boomer's mapmakers tutorial Textures For Beginners):

I assume you have installed GIMP already because this program makes the necessary greyscales for bump files. Other programs like Photoshop etc also make greyscales but won't be recognized by IL2.
At least that's what I've read several times.
Anyway here is the tutorial:

In Gimp select the .tga you want to 'bump':
-Toolbar: File -->Open --> select your texture

-Toolbar: Image -->Mode -->Greyscale
Now the texture turns grey

-Toolbar: Colors -->Invert
The grey texture inverts

-Toolbar:  Colors --> Brightness/Contrast
The bump files I sent you yesterday had the settings: Brightness -58/Contrast -28.
I noticed that setting the sliders more to the left the less effect it had in game. Not that much pulled up/bumped landscape.
But you can fiddle around with settings as much as you like of course.

-Toolbar: Filters --> Blur --> Gaussian Blur
Settings are Horizontal 2.0/Vertical 2.0
But you can fiddle around with settings also or not using the Filters --> Blur option at all.


That's basically it but the tricky thing is in saving it as a bump file. That's what some other mapmakers have done wrong and why added bump files won't work at all.
Here we go:

-Toolbar: File --> Save As
Now a screen pops up and first go down to the bottom of it and click on the + (Select filetype, according extension)
Select TarGA-image

-Don't click SAVE now, first go to the top to Name: TextureName.tga and change the extension .tga into .BumpH.
For instance: SL_Lowland.tga becomes SL_Lowland.BumpH

-Click on Save

-Now a tiny window pops up which says something like "the extension is not correct, do you really want to save it?"
Select Save

-Another window pops up: Uncheck RLE compression and select Save again.

That's it!

Remember that the .tga and its bump file with the same name needs to be in the same folder.
 

[w]

Thank you  - 
I'll see what I can make.

[spdr109]

The whole idea of bump files sounds great.

I checked around on some maps that have them and I love the way it makes the texture
just pop right up at you.

Very impressive!

I have some questions though.

1   Once created, they are placed with the corresponding texture in the same folder.
      Is that it, or are there any other entries required such as in the load.ini file?

2    Is there some rule of thumb to use when deciding which textures should get a
      bump file? I have noticed that not all textures have them.

3   Could the inclusion of a bump file in any way interfere with the functionality
     of roads, bridges, railroads, or airfields?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

[Uufflakke]

@spdr109: I became a kind of addicted to bump files. The landscape textures become more vivid. Especially when the sun is closer to the horizon, then the effect becomes more visible.

But to answer your questions:
1. no need to enter extra entries in your load.ini.
2. as far as I know there is no rule of thumb. Maybe the mapmaker only added bump files to certain textures to emphasize the contrast between the rocky terrain and flat sandy areas.
3 bump files do not interfere with any object.

Some other things to keep in mind.
-I've seen several maps with bump files added to them but actually they are no bump files. They are not saved in the right way so they don't function. A couple of days ago UP~Boomer mentioned this aspect also in another thread by the way. I made the same mistake when experimenting with it. I didn't understood why it didn't work and it took a while before I found out what I did wrong every time. But when you follow the File --> Save As instructions I described above it should work.
-Bump files tends to make the textures slightly darker, so take that in account when adding them to just a few textures.
-It is not necessary to make a bump file of that specific texture. Let's say the original texture has just one colour without shades or anything. Then the corresponding bump file won't offer you that much more. A suggestion is to create a bump file from another suitable texture and save it with the name of the one coloured texture. Then a plain green field looks like a bumpy grass area for instance.

Creating bump files is basically very easy. To find the appropriate inverted greyscale and light/contrast to get the best out of it can take some time. 

Without Bump Files:




With Bump Files:

[spdr109]

Thanks Uuflakke for taking the time to respond.

Just to be clear...

Not much benefit will be gained by creating a  bump file for a “base” texture consisting
of little color variation or detail so I should probably begin by creating a bump file
for a texture having something to actually bump, correct? Then I could rename the bump
file from the “interesting” texture to correspond to the “plain” texture's name? What a clever idea!

Detailed textures would just use their own bump file.

Now after experimenting and finding suitable Brightness/Contrast values can I assume that
these values should work well for all the textures that I choose to bump throughout
the map?

This seems like a relatively easy way to greatly improve a map!

Edit: Tried a few experiments with Brightness @ +20 and Contrast @ +20 and Gaussian Blur
        as you advised using some desert textures that I have been playing with.

        WOW!

        You mentioned becoming addicted? I want to make bump files for every map in IL-2!

        They may suggest that I go to the 30 day bump file rehab!   

[Uufflakke]

@spdr109
Another option to get more out of your textures and bump files is to use the emboss and bump map filter in GIMP.

http://www.linuxtopia.org/online_books/graphics_tools/gimp_advanced_guide/gimp_guide_node74.html

Applying these functions and the before mentioned suggestion of adding other  "interesting" bump files to "plain" textures makes even look the snow textures way better.
If well done it suggest heaps of snow or tracks deep down in snow. Or whatever. 
You can fool around a lot with textures and their bump files. Just use your imagination. 

[spdr109]

Uufflakke,

I just completed making all the bump files for Mixx's North Norway map.

Shhh... Don't tell him though because I am supposed to be finishing the airfields on Khalkhin Gol. Lol!

What an outstanding effect! It does take some experimenting to get it just right though.

To answer my own question... One set of values for Brightness and Contrast will not work so
well for all the various textures on a map. You have to check every texture individually. Not too
difficult but tedious.

I did encounter a problem though when I started to bump the textures on  Khalkhin Gol.
After bumping, the textures became way too bright. Is there some way to adjust for this?
The application of the bump files made the textures so washed out as to make the map
look ridiculous. I tried the full range of the Brightness slider (both directions) in Gimp
but still can't get no satisfaction.

Any suggestions?

BTW thanks for the tip about Gimp. I'll check it out.

spdr

Edit: I figured it out.

             In the matter of bumping the textures on Mixx's Khalkhin Gol map, the very act of
             adding a BumpH file caused the textures to look “bleached out” for lack of a better
             term. I also noticed that changing the time of day had a weird effect as well. Bumped
             textures went from being brighter than the surrounding ones at 12:00 to darker than at
             15:00. The solution is to darken the texture before creating the BumpH file.

Using Gimp...

              Open the texture.

              Image-->Mode-->RGB

              Colors-->Brightness/Contrast
                 Reduce Brightness (-40 worked in this case)

              Image-->Mode-->Indexed

              Save As
                  Be sure to uncheck RLE Compression
     

Then create the BumpH file as explained several posts above.

[Stanger]

After you invert the file, is the look you are trying to get is as much contrast from white to dark. Example I move the brightness slider over to the left and the move the contrast to the right. i get a lot of contrasting from black and white. Is this the look you want? Thanks

[farang65]

Hi Uff,

Tried out your method for bumpification  recently

Everything was fine up till the last instruction

When in Gimp you hit save after the message comes up saying that .BumpH is not recognized.  It just wont save the file

My 2.6 Gimp version just wont save it as you have instructed.

It must do it as your instructions very clear. 

cheers

Kirby

[SAS~Boomer]

save as.... bumpH.tga 
then,remove the .tga after by renaming the file to just .bumpH file

Save as> greenfields.bumpH.tga
after saving,rename as> greenfields.bumpH