Normal map issue in 4.7.5 - does not work correctly

Hi there,

since 4.7.5. normal maps are displayed and used in reddish color wich leads to ignore e.g. vertical lines. In 4.7.4. the same normal map is imported, displayed and used correctly: the maps are blueish as they normally are, though compressed in BC5 (TC Normalmap), and could be used in materials as usual with Sampler Type “Normal”.
Due to the issue I have to compress them in 4.7.5. as DXT1 (TC Default) and switch Sampler Type to “Linear Color”, the only one wich works. But this leads to adding 2 nodes to every normal texture in every material to stretch the space from 0/1 to -1/1 - wich indeed gives then the same look and feel as in 4.7.4.

Because every normal map wich is imported by UE4.7.5 (I use JPG, PNG and PSD) is handled like this - wich was okay in 4.7.4. and none of them works in the old way, I want to know what to do now. As you surely understand I don’t want to add 2 nodes to every material and I’m reeally confused about that UE4 doesn’t handle normal maps, well, normal any more.

Probably a bug? Can anyone confirm?
Longer explanation and pictures in forum.

Thank you for your help.

Hi kbb -

Are the default sample content normal maps also look like the red normal from your forum post? If not can you upload a normal map that is causing this issue for you here?

Thank You

Eric Ketchum

Hi Eric,

yes the standard content looks the same if once opened in 4.7.5. When opening, they are first blueish as well, most of them. Doubleclicking to open in the Texture Viewer will turn them red immediately.

The blue normal map in the pic below is set to DXT5 from beginning, I think because of the usage of an alpha mask in there.

Cheers
KBB

Btw: is there an easy way to roll back to any other version or to install an older one so that I could work on on the project? Or probably reinstalling the 4.7.5 if this issue is on my PC only? Verifying was without errors.

Hi kbb -

If you go into your project settings and uncheck Use DXT5 Normal Maps, your normal maps should return to normal behavior with the BC5 compression.

Thank You

Eric Ketchum

Yes, great, thank you very much!