In need of help with NORMAL maps.

turdi

Hello,

I need help. I don't know where to go, during the weekend I watched all the youtube and cgtuts videos on this matter, and still don't get good results... I don't understand and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I have a big problem with normal maps.

I will start from the start: what I have did.
I´ve modeled a model in 3ds Max in high poly, pourly detailed, then optimized it to low poly level: 2100 polys (something like that).


After optimizing I´ve unwraped the model and packed it. So that the maps would be easiely editable.

Here is the unwrap:



After that I have made exploded bake of the normal maps, and it seemed to be ok, but when I apply the map on the model with directX shader here is what I get.



Here is the normal map:



If you look closer to the map, you will see that the bolts didn't render as wanted... They should be straight. Anyone ones why it could happen? P.S. This is a copy of the map, I tried the same with the maps in .png format ant .tga

This is what I want to get with the help of normal maps:



Also, my collegue told me that the normal maps doesnt work in Unity engine. Can anyone tell me the reasons? Because this is my first experience in low poly models and game engines.

Just noticed, that this map really don't want to work with shader's, got them to work only with diffusebump shader. Don´t work with normal map shader.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP

Thanks a lot of the help,

Racer445

your map should display mostly correct if you flip your green channel. some shaders require the Y (green channel) to be oriented differently.

for the bolts not baking right see this thread: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81154

caubebutchi

thanks

turdi

Thank you, I will read the article.

I used the Xoliul shader and everything works grate except of the bolts )

turdi

Hi again...

I have looked over the normal map section and it was very helpful, but still, I have problems, I don't know why...

Can anyone tell me why I get edges like these:


Can smoothing groups cause this problem ? Because I didn't place every smoothing group separately when unwrapped the object.

I use 3 smoothing groups here.

Thanks in advance.

J0NNYquid

Can you post up some wires of the low-poly? I can't say for sure what may/may not be wrong with that top piece until I see that. Another possible issue with the top half may be your cage as well. In my experience, if your cage is too large, meaning, a lot of empty space between the cage and the object you're baking to, it can cause those dark edges. Maybe it's my screen but I see some sort of artifact or error on the ends of your low-poly, up near the top, could be an extra vert? Again, a wireframe would help us to help you better If I had more time I'd do a little paintover, but for now that's all I've got.

The indentation on the base of the high-poly looks like a simple fix, just flip your green channel in photoshop.

JamesWild

It looks like one of the axes of your normal map is inverted; note the indents.

turdi

Thanks guys for your replies, but I solved the problem, and clearly it is a lot easier and faster to do all this with xnormal.

Thanks again