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Most of the time you will apply single normal pattern to an entire surface but you may also create a pattern or blend of normals using a normal_map. The syntax for a normal_map is identical to a pigment_map except you specify a normal in each map entry.
The syntax for normal_map is as follows:
- normal_map{
}
- [
]
Where Value is a float value between 0.0 and 1.0 inclusive and each NORMAL_BODY is anything which can be inside a normal{...} statement. The normal keyword and {} braces need not be specified.
Note that the [] brackets are part of the actual NORMAL_MAP_ENTRY. They are not notational symbols denoting optional parts. The brackets surround each entry in the normal map. There may be from 2 to 256 entries in the map.
For example
normal {
gradient x //this is the PATTERN_TYPE
normal_map {
[0.3 bumps scale 2]
[0.3 dents]
[0.6 dents]
[0.9 marble turbulence 1]
}
}
When the gradient x function returns values from 0.0 to 0.3 then the scaled bumps normal is used. From 0.3 to 0.6 dents are From 0.6 up to 0.9 a blend of dents and a turbulent marble is used. From 0.9 on up only the turbulent marble is used.
Normal maps may be nested to any level of complexity you desire. The normals in a map may have slope maps or normal maps or any type of normal you want.
A normal map is also used with the average normal type. See "Average" for details.
Entire normals in a normal list may also be used with the block patterns such as checker, hexagon and brick. For example...
normal {
checker
normal { gradient x scale .2 }
normal { gradient y scale .2 }
}
}
Note that in the case of block patterns the normal wrapping is required around the normal information.
You may not use normal_map or individual normals with a bump_map. See section "Texture Maps" for an alternative way to do this.
You may declare and use normal map identifiers but the only way to declare a normal block pattern list is to declare a normal identifier for the entire normal.
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