well don't know if this has been posted before. I sure as hell did NOT find the answer on Steampowered or any "official" or "non-official"valve responses. Got the answer in a user-response on the verc collective (new forum, not the old one)

Turns out that normal maps still do work with the HLMV (half-life model viewer). The problem is after last year's update, they rendered the HLMV stupid. It simply doesn't remember that it can actually use normal maps for a particular model. What you literally have to do is (hang on to you hats, this is real technical):

keep mashing the button until it catches.

That's it. Most of us have grown up learning that constantly hitting a key or clicking on something does not make it work faster, or work at all. But IGNORE all that for the SDK. Because constantly clicking on the "normal" checkbox DOES in fact cause it to eventually start working. Sometimes you can get lucky and a really fast double click will do, other times it takes awhile.

Ok, and what happens to people that have a fully functioning HLMV? They rot in their basements until someone asks them for tips?

Mash button until it works... check.

Thanks Coyote. Thats been bugging me for ages, being forced to turn off the entire specular shader for a model to properly see any skin I'm working on.

Ok, and what happens to people that have a fully functioning HLMV? They rot in their basements until someone asks them for tips?LOL we have asked for tips :) None of them have ever worked.

mash the buttons like it's 1985 boyee.

Interesting find that...

The bug has been logged in the SDK bugzilla for a while now so maybe they'll get around to fixing it with the next SDK code update. Interestingly enough due to a misunderstanding the HLMV code was left out of the last update or I'd have a look and see if I could figure out *why* the button doesn't stick.