Normalize Scale

The Normalize Scale functionality automatically scales selected islands before packing so that the average texel density is the same for every island. The process is called normalization. In order to use this option, enable the check box located in the Normalize Scale subpanel header:

Optionally you can also enable the Island Scale Multiplier option to specify scaling factors (multipliers) to be applied after normalization is done on a per-island basis. Using such multipliers you can prioritize islands i.e. assign multipliers larger than 100% for islands of higher priority (so that they will be scaled up after normalization) and/or assign multipliers less than 100% for islands of lower priority (so that they will be scaled down).

Multipliers are expressed as percentages, for example:

• multiplier 100% means scaling by 1 (i.e. no scaling after normalization) - this is the default value for all islands
• multiplier 200% means scaling by 2
• multiplier 50% means scaling by 0.5 etc.

Normalize groups

You can also define which islands should have scale normalized together by normalizing groups. In such a case, the packer will perform the normalization operation independently per every defined group. In order to do it, enable the Normalize Groups checkbox.

Normalization groups may be defined using two approaches:

• numbered groups - every group is identified by a number
• grouping scheme - a scheme contains a set of groups identified by human-readable names

The approach in use is determined by the Use Grouping Scheme checkbox at the top of the panel. By default the checkbox is disabled which means that numbered groups are used.

Numbered groups

In this approach every normalization group is identified by a number. By default islands don’t have a group number assigned. Islands with no group assigned are marked with the N letter.

The packer will normalize islands independently per every group number.

Islands not assigned to a normalization group (marked with the N letter) will not undergo normalization - they will be ignored by the normalization step.

Grouping scheme

In order to define normalization groups using a grouping scheme, create a new scheme for that purpose or select an already existing scheme. After the scheme is selected, press the Edit Scheme In Editor button - you will be automatically redirected to the Grouping Editor with the given scheme selected for editing.

In the editor you can add/remove groups in the scheme, define human-readable names for groups and also assign islands to particular groups.

Every grouping scheme contains a default group - it is marked with the D letter in the UI. For every newly created scheme, all islands are assigned to its default group at the very beginning. You can create more groups in the scheme and assign particular islands to groups according to your needs.

When a scheme is used to define normalization groups, the packer will normalize islands independently per every non-default group from the selected grouping scheme.

Islands assigned to the default group will not undergo normalization - they will be ignored by the normalization step.