Get Gimp
http://www.gimp.org/
Get the Normal Map Plugin for Gimp
http://nifelheim.dyndns.org/~cocidius/normalmap/
Once installed open the texture you wish to make 3D.
Then dupe its layer and rename the new layer to "Normal Map"
Next goto Colors / Desaturate...
Select one of the 3 methods. (They will produce very small differences so any will work.)
If the colors came out wrong at this point and white should be black go to Colors / Invert...
(Black should be the lowest part of the bump and white should be the highest.)
Goto Colors / Levels...
Use the sliders to edit out or soften parts of the texture that you wish to be more bumpy or less. Black is the lower parts and white is
the higher.
Goto Filters / Blur / Gaussian... do a 3.0 by 3.0 blur. Modifying the blur will effect the end image.
Finaly Goto Filters / Map / Normal Map...
Click 3D Preview to see a real time Preview of your Normal Map in action.
The Filter box will change how smooth the bump is by selecting a higher ?x? 9x9 being the smoothest.
Minimum Z has very little effect on the image but can make a noticable change.
Scale will change how big the bumps are and can be negitive.
Height source you want to be Average RGB.
Alpha you want Unchanged.
Conversion you want None.
DU/DV map is also None.
If this texture is tileable then select Wrap.
Beshure to check Invert Y if you use Irrlicht Parrallex Mapping or Irrlicht will display the map wrong.
You can go full screen with the preview to be shure it looks like you want it to. and view the final product.
Besure to save it as something other then the orginal image like adding the _N suffex to it.
And thats about it. Happy normal mapping.
