Plans for normal maps

[MathemanFlo]

Currently ArmorPaint's implementation of normal maps differs from Blender. Unlike Blender it is not necessary to use the Normal Map node but the conversion done by Blender's normal map is done in the Output Material node or more specifically in parse_normal_map_color_input. Will this behavior remain as it is or will it eventually change in the future?
Background of this question: I wanted to implement a "Normal Map"-Node for ArmorPaint but compatible with the current workflow. I.e. it takes a normal map texture and produces a normal map texture again (instead of a vector) but allows for change the strength. So something like

curshader.write('vec3 ${store}_texn = $norm * 2.0 - 1.0;');
curshader.write('${store}_texn.xy = $strength * ${store}_texn.xy;');
curshader.write('${store}_texn = normalize(${store}_texn);');	
return '(0.5*${store}_texn + 0.5)';

While writing this I saw that there is already a unused "NORMAL_MAP" case in MaterialPaerser.hx.
So if the current workflow will stay and if you don't mind I would hand in a pull request for such a node. Otherwise not.

[luboslenco]

Let's go with the Normal Map node like you suggest for now - so there is an easy way to alter normal map strength. (link with #293)