[Bf-funboard] Virtual Displacement/parallax/offset mapping & normal mapping

[Luke Wenke]

>.....creating normal maps is far more complex than creating a simple bump 
>map.....
>
> ......i.e. Subsurf 6 mesh normal data extracted and applied to a Subsurf 0 
> mesh......

It should be easy for users to create normal maps (though complex for the 
programmers). As far as the final result goes, it might be better to use 
good polygon reduction algorithms (3ds max has ones were you can specify the 
threshold angles, etc)  because then you have a lot more control when 
creating the low poly version. (e.g. you could make the low poly version 
ignore small details when generating the mesh)

> from what I can tell, normal mapping, just like bump mapping, has 
> absolutely no affect on the appearance of geometry. It only affects 
> texture and lighting.

I hope blender can also support parallax mapping, which I think is different 
to normal mapping but is kind of related.
(See section 5.3 and figure 8)
http://www.delphi3d.net/articles/viewarticle.php?article=bumpmapping.htm