Xnormal AO issue

Sir Apple

Hi polycount.

Hopefully this is the proper area to post a query I have regarding baking out an AO using Xnormal. Using high to lowpoly.

I've browsed the internet, and have found a few similar issues, however their methods of fixing it don't seem to work for me. I imagine its something quite simple.

The Normal map baked out fine really, but the ambient occlusion is coming out like this.



As you see its very dark on just a few select pieces, the rest are more representative of an AO, minus patchy shading and being a bit to bright. Additionally the shading accross the hole map is very patchy etc. as you see.

Any ideas?

Much thanks!
apple

throttlekitty

Are the darkened areas recessed? Post a picture of your model.

JamesWild

I'm guessing.... ATM!

EarthQuake

Up the rays to get rid of the patchy shading.... Otherwise looks fine to me, areas that are occluded will be darker. Also yeah, post a shot of the mesh.

Sir Apple

Thank you guys.

Here is image. It just looks weird to me, also circled an area that specifically is a bit odd.



Something feels/appears off about it in general. :shifty:

Thank you for help!
Apple

tristamus

Is there, by any chance, duplicate faces lying on each other in that one specific area? It's happened to me before and looked like that. Just delete them if so. You might also consider baking things in separate pieces, then combining them later.

throttlekitty

The whiter shell is a separate piece of geometry floating on top of the panel? Looking at the UV shells at that lower panel, I don't see any darkened borders, did you bake this exploded out?

Also, I don't see much shading on the outer areas where it meets the lip of the paneling.
(I hope this is descriptive enough, having a bad words day, and everything here is either a panel or a casing...)

Sir Apple

Thanks for replies

I did not see any double face issue, I'll scan over it again though.

Yes the bake is exploded;



The panel is a separate peice of geometry as you see to the far right of the explode. I thought for some reason, the overhang in was casting weird shadows down onto the computer screen area, so I did at one point try moving things around but nothing changed. It doesn't seem sensible that the small panel has no weird shadowing, but it should considering where its placed.

Thanks for read!
Apple

Shogun3d

Not sure if you covered this, but make sure "isoline display" is off if using turbosmooth before you export.

throttlekitty

With that far right panel exploded out, it's baking lighter because it isn't picking up occlusion from what would normally be neighboring geometry.

cptSwing

^ Yup. Try mixing exploded and non-exploded, and pure lowpoly AO bakes.