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Normal map

wh1tewolf
wh1tewolf
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wh1tewolf
Hi,
I have one question about normal maps. This is a subject of many posts on forums and there is a lot of videos, tutorials and I learn a lot from all, but on one question I can't find answer. I understand basics of avarege normals and that for direction of rays bakers takes normals from low poly mesh. I know how to set up my smoothing groups/hard edges and how to UV. My question is - what about normals/smoothing groups on high poly mesh? I think it does't realy matters but normal maps have that information stored on it if I got that right.
I do have some problems baking and as I'am newbie still testing how.

Rgds
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  • Axi5
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    Axi5 interpolator
    High poly should be fully smooth. In real life there's no such thing as a "hard edge", there's always a transition. High poly models should be made to replicate that.
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  • wh1tewolf
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    wh1tewolf
    Axi5 said:
    High poly should be fully smooth. In real life there's no such thing as a "hard edge", there's always a transition. High poly models should be made to replicate that.

    That make sense. I'am trying to understand more deeply how that works so I can more easily spot errors and correct them :) Until now I never cheked smoothing groups on my high poly.  Sometimes HP is created by turbosmooth, sometimes in Zbrush but I allways trying to do "perfect" smoothing on my low poly. But maybe one is enough because with substance painter with avarege normals on, it is overwriten.
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  • EarthQuake
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    EarthQuake mod
    The mesh normals of the high poly mesh will transfer to the normal map. So if you have a hard edge or bad smoothing on the high, that will get baked into the normal map.
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  • wh1tewolf
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    wh1tewolf
    EarthQuake said:
    The mesh normals of the high poly mesh will transfer to the normal map. So if you have a hard edge or bad smoothing on the high, that will get baked into the normal map.

    I done some testing. When you apply turbosmooth all polygons are automatcally in one smoothing group. You can mess with normals but... I tried but has no effect on normal map. I guess bakers takes HP smooth by default.
    One more thing I learn, importance of tangents and binormals when you export your mesh. Thank you
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