Unsolved How to properly draw normals (for panel gaps)

The method that i'm using at the moment is this one:


When i finish the model (this is an example)

i export the uv layout with 1.00 fill opacity (on blender)

then i paint it on gimp and draw the details, only on black and white to represent depth

after that i use the plugin i installed for gimp to create normal maps

and that is my final product

looks ok for panel gaps, but doesn't look nearly as good as the normals on official cars

what program or method should i use? on my next mod (rx7 fc) i want to get it as close to oficial cars as i can.

Thank you for taking your time to read this.

 

Make a high poly model first. Then make a low poly version. Use the high poly to "bake" the normals onto the low poly.

 

i 've tried that but it doesn't look that great and the official cars look like they are done difrently

 

Maybe you should do like you do and just draw more complex shapes manually. Or you could edit an official car's normal map to suit your model.

 

Try applying some gaussian blur to the b/w image, it'll make the seams not that sharp

 

I used that on my previous mod, but still does no look as good as official cars. Maybe is just my lack of skill. if i find any better way of doing this i will post it here.
Now that the models and textures update automatically ingame when you modify them i should be able to get better results.
Thank you for your responses.

 

Just be careful, even ctrl-r does not reload materials.cs always, only way to be sure that changes in materials.cs is loaded is to exit the map and load map again. I have lost so many hours for that...