Is it possible to generate Curvature across separate geometry?

eleventh

Hi everyone. I'm wondering if there is a way to get nice curvature information across geometry that are intersecting.  I've modelled the circles into the drum, but the braided pattern is too difficult to model in. I've left them separate so as you can see it's missing a nice black curvature outline where its cusped, whereas the circles have them.

Is there an option to bake out the curvature there? I am currently using substance to bake out these maps.

Jerc

No, you won't be able to get curvature there. As those 2 surfaces cross each other, there is no variation on their respective normal and so no curvature.If you bake a normal from a high poly version of that specific detail though, you will likely have information in the normal map (at least a one pixel line at the intersection) that will transfer to the curvature.

AlecMoody

If you have access to zbrush just dynamesh them together so you have a contiguous highpoly model.

eleventh

Jerc said:

No, you won't be able to get curvature there. As those 2 surfaces cross each other, there is no variation on their respective normal and so no curvature.If you bake a normal from a high poly version of that specific detail though, you will likely have information in the normal map (at least a one pixel line at the intersection) that will transfer to the curvature.

Ah that makes sense.  So basically:

1. make the highpoly contiguous
2. bake the normals for both intersecting meshes (so both sides will have a  >1 pixel line)
3. bake curvature with normal map 

My lowpoly and highpoly aren't aligning as perfectly as they should, but fixing that and using this method should solve my problem. Thanks !!

AlecMoody said:

If you have access to zbrush just dynamesh them together so you have a contiguous highpoly model.

Yup! I realized I should have just decimated the dynamesh since it's a staticmesh, instead of retopo-ing it by hand.

btw, what a coincidence I just started playing the Forest this week. It's gd amazing. Incredible work