It's a normal map generator / editor tool.
Get the latest version here : Nora Normal Map Editor
Takes height map information which is usually gray scale ( Height map data ) and converts that data into normal map data which then can be further edited and exported.
- Minimal and portable
- Image formats supported : PNG, JPG, BMP & TGA
- Model formats supported : OBJ & FBX
- Custom brushes can be added easily by adding them in the Resources\Brushes
- Custom themes can be added by adding custom .nort theme files in Resources\Themes
- Extensive preview capabilities:
- Matcaps
- PBR material display
Disclaimer : Can be used in production but look out for the rare bug here and there
- Height( Gray scale )
- Normal
- Lighting
Realtime preview of the texture applied on a model can be shown as well. This is a real-time preview of how the texture will look once applied on the model.
- Height
- Normal, Visualize the normals in various ways with the help of Matcaps
- Lighting, which shows PBR output with the help of Albedo, Metalness & Roughness textures
- Create a .nort file with a certain format and add it under the Resources\Themes
- Look at existing theme files to make your own
- You can now save your intermediate work with .nora file
- Saves all the layer data as well the main height map information
- Editor Functionality:
- Better brush drawing performance and functionality
- Blur improvements
- Adding more brushes in brush library
- Display brush outline better
- Adding layers (completed as of v1.3):
- Creation of layers and layers groups
- Adding blend options to interpolate normals between layers
- Preview Display:
- Adding support for parallax map using the input height map
- Adding PBR support along with Metalness map, Roughness map & Occlusion map ( completed as of v1.2 )
- Custom shader display option ( Allows custom viewing of model in preview )
- Better user interaction with preview UI (completed as of v1.2)
- Adding more base models for preview (completed as of v1.1)
- Adding infinite plane with shadows in Lighting / Textured view ( Which can be toggled )
- Additional lighting options:
- Directional light with option for colour and strength of light as well as visual indication of the directional light (completed as of v1.1)
- Having a point light ( Only 1 ) with linear and exponential attenuation multiplier customization along with colour and strength
- Adding IBL ( Image based lighting )
- Covering more map types ( Technically, Nora will always be a normal map editor at heart 😁 ):
- Cavity map [Non-PBR workflow]
- Specular map [Non-PBR workflow]
- Ambient Occlusion map [PBR workflow]( Take height map data and normal map data to create realistic results )
- Metalness map [PBR workflow]
- Roughness map [PBR workflow]
- Ease of use:
- File explorer improvements:
- Display icon based on file type
- Once file selected detailed information is shown:
- File size
- File type
- Last modified time
- If image file then preview shown
- Adding preferences window (completed as of v1.1):
- Set max resolution image that can be edited ( Larger max image resolution takes more RAM )
- Adding max number undo steps
- Set the default theme
- Set the default export path
- Add any file for models / brush textures / theme files (.nort) to application's library. These ones will get loaded up along with the base assets
- Cover more application edge cases and report correct information to user. eg: Running out of memory, space etc
- Export options:
- Select export size
- Format of image
- Export image quality ( for formats that apply )
- Export map grouping (examples):
- Can export normal map data in RGB channel and height map data in Alpha channel
- Metalness in Red channel, Roughness in Blue and AO in Green channel
- etc...
- File explorer improvements:
View Controls | |
---|---|
Up/Down/Left/Right | View panel movement |
Mouse Scroll | Zoom |
Ctrl+V | Reset view panel position and zoom |
Ctrl+Alt+V | Clear all height map data |
View Modes | |
---|---|
Ctrl+H | Height mode |
Ctrl+J | Normal mode |
Ctrl+K | Lighting mode |
Model Preview View Modes | |
---|---|
Alt+H | Height mode |
Alt+J | Normal mode |
Alt+K | Lighting mode |
Brush Controls | |
---|---|
Shift+Up/Down | Brush scale |
Shift+Left/Right | Brush offset |
Shift+Ctrl+Up/Down | Brush strength |
Misc | |
---|---|
Ctrl+O | Open height map image |
Ctrl+N | Open Nora file |
F10 | Export image |
Ctrl+T | Toggle fullscreen |
Shift+Ctrl+Up/Down | Brush strength |
Ctrl+Z | Undo |
Ctrl+Y | Redo |
If you like the work being done please do support in terms of feature suggestions and bug reporting