Req:help Rendering Normal Maps

[Wiggz]

Hello People,
I'm currently having diffficulties getting Lightwave to work with normal maps properly.
I just cannot seem to get Lightwave to render the normal maps correctly.
The examples I've supplied in the zip file use Lightwave 7.5 with TBs normal map shader and a normal map taken from Doom 3.
I get the same errors using other normal maps from various sources.

The basic setup uses a cube with cubic mapping and a distant light

error_1.jpg shows a completly black cube that is definately lit incorrectly.

error_2.jpg shows the same setup but with the normal map inverted.The normal map seems to be correct now but the cube is still not shaded correctly with regard to the light.(note the cubes shading in the viewport)

error_3_pointlight.jpg show the same setup as error_1.jpg but this time using a point light.Strangely this now show the same results as error_2.jpg?!?!?!

I have been using normal maps for a while now in 3DSMax at work and was hoping to get some normal map work completed in Lightwave but it just doesn't seem to work.
If I can't get these to render correctly or figure out where I'm going wrong I may have to switch to using 3DSMax fulltime for work and normal map purposes.This may mean ditching Lightwave completely which I would be very dissappointed about doing but I have to get normal maps working.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanx,

Wiggz.

[Dodgy]

What version of LW are you using? 9 will render tangentmaps with a node system. You can also generate world/tangent maps with free node plugins from
http://perso.orange.fr/dpont/plugins/nodes/NormalCast.html#NormalCast

[Wiggz]

Using Lightwave 7.5c

[Wiggz]

Generating the maps isn't a problem at all.I can do this in Photoshop/Mydbox/Zbrush and photoshop just fine.And although I can get all these normal maps to render fine in 3DSMax I just can't get them to render correctly in Lightwave.

thanx.

[Wiggz]

ok.I've downloaded the trial veron of 9.2 and "seem" to be getting something but theres still discrepancies in the way its lighting.Does anyone have a link or example of how this node system should be set up to render normal maps at all?

thanx.

[Dodgy]

If it's a blue tangent map, you add a 2d>Normal map node, and connect it to the Normal input of the surface. i would make sure smoothing is turned on, and that it's over 120 degrees.