Is there a template or something that exists? It seems like it wouldn’t be much to create. Maybe that’s a bad way to put it; in other words I’m surprised it doesn’t exist. Maybe an HDRI? or just lights? Or maybe I’m envisioning this as being way too easy?
There is a test command to display the geometry as normal map. Try: “testshownormalmap”.
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Thanks for the hint but it doesn’t work for me.
The display just change the backgroudn color to white.
Did you make it working?
Yes, works fine in V7 and V8 over here. Not sure what the problem is but since it is a test command there may be some problems with it.
Here I use a copy shaded display mode with all edges/curves display off for a pure Normal map look.
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Thanks,
just for general information this is what I get:
Doesn’t looks like a normal map to me 
probably @stevebaer knows better
That’s how it looks over here:
2 Likes
The first thing he will ask you is to provide your SystemInfo data…
-wim
here it is:
Rhino 8 SR17 2025-2-12 (Rhino 8, 8.17.25043.10001, Git hash:master @ 384a84c165ff11e0681af87e076dd465f8a325d5)
License type: Commercial, build 2025-02-12
License details: Cloud Zoo
Windows 11 (10.0.22631 SR0.0) or greater (Physical RAM: 32GB)
.NET 7.0.0
Computer platform: LAPTOP - Plugged in [98% battery remaining]
Hybrid graphics configuration.
Primary display: Intel(R) UHD Graphics (Intel) Memory: 1GB, Driver date: 4-18-2023 (M-D-Y).
> Integrated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)
- Windows Main Display is laptop's integrated screen or built-in port
Primary OpenGL: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU (NVidia) Memory: 8GB, Driver date: 3-13-2024 (M-D-Y). OpenGL Ver: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 551.88
> Integrated accelerated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)
- Secondary monitor is laptop's integrated screen or built-in port
- Secondary monitor attached to adapter port #1
OpenGL Settings
Safe mode: Off
Use accelerated hardware modes: On
GPU Tessellation is: On
Redraw scene when viewports are exposed: On
Graphics level being used: OpenGL 4.6 (primary GPU's maximum)
Anti-alias mode: 4x
Mip Map Filtering: Linear
Anisotropic Filtering Mode: High
Vendor Name: NVIDIA Corporation
Render version: 4.6
Shading Language: 4.60 NVIDIA
Driver Date: 3-13-2024
Driver Version: 31.0.15.5188
Maximum Texture size: 32768 x 32768
Z-Buffer depth: 24 bits
Maximum Viewport size: 32768 x 32768
Total Video Memory: 8188 MB
Rhino plugins that do not ship with Rhino
C:\Users\gttrc\AppData\Roaming\McNeel\Rhinoceros\packages\8.0\NVIDIADenoiser\0.4.3\NVIDIADenoiser.Windows.rhp "NVIDIADenoiser.Windows" 0.4.3.0
C:\Users\gttrc\AppData\Roaming\McNeel\Rhinoceros\packages\8.0\BotchaXRhino\2025.0.0\BotchaRhino.Rhino8.rhp "BotchaRhino" 2025.0.0.0
C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\V-Ray for Rhinoceros\V8\VRayForRhino.rhp "V-Ray for Rhino"
Rhino plugins that ship with Rhino
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\SolidTools.rhp "SolidTools"
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Commands.rhp "Commands" 8.17.25043.10001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\rdk.rhp "Renderer Development Kit"
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoRenderCycles.rhp "Rhino Render" 8.17.25043.10001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\rdk_etoui.rhp "RDK_EtoUI" 8.17.25043.10001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\NamedSnapshots.rhp "Snapshots"
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\MeshCommands.rhp "MeshCommands" 8.17.25043.10001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoCycles.rhp "RhinoCycles" 8.17.25043.10001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Toolbars\Toolbars.rhp "Toolbars" 8.17.25043.10001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\3dxrhino.rhp "3Dconnexion 3D Mouse"
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Displacement.rhp "Displacement"
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Calc.rhp "Calc"
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\SectionTools.rhp "SectionTools"
Yes my video driver aren’t exaclty the last
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FWIW, I’m seeing it work in monochrome/arctic and not work in shaded/ghosted. In rendered mode, it works, but the background is bright green.
Same here I got it working in rendered mode I haven’t tried other modes though.
I couldn’t for the life of me find an orange peel texture and thought why not make one, hence this post. It needs refinement but it’s looking pretty good. Not bad for a rookie/first try though eh?:
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@jeff`is probably the one that could tell what could be causing this. This test command has been around for a while but not sure if it kept up with all the display pipeline changes in V8 and V9.
Why do you need this feature?
just in case you are really in need of something like that you can set your lighting scheme in your display mode to custom and set direction and colour, i assume that is nothing else in that test command.
though i have trouble understanding how this in general should reflect an actual normal map.
2 Likes
This was my original idea but I figured why not ask. And sure enough I just had to type something into the command line 
I wonder if you have to get the lighting color and angle perfect? I’m sure it’s not too hard. But if someone’s done it already…
1 Like
I just made a simple display mode that does this with a custom material environment map, but I don’t know how to export it with the environment baked in.
Normal Map.ini (15.5 KB)
Color Wheel Environment Map
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that is quite a challenge indeed, the coordinate origin system of the lights is less than unhandy 
In other words it’s already setup? And I guess the colors could be found via a quick Google search. Either way @Measure has sorted it out it looks like (thank-you!!!).
Version 3.2. Comes with a seam unfortunately. If/when I fix it I’ll post the final version. I’m just deciding whether to make a better version or get rid of the seam on this one.
I basically use displacement to make the normal map. And then when I combine all the elements of the PBR I don’t even need the displacement for this one. It does look cool with displacement on but that’s asking too much.
