Normal Help

RobbZ3D

So my process for creating my normals is to make a high poly model, break it down into separate pieces and then render them out into targas using 3DS Max (duh...so does everyone else). Finally, I take all the targas that i baked down into CS5, one by one, then overlay them on to each other (also disabling the B channel of every layer except for the bottom layer). For some reason I am getting this strange noise that gets stronger with each layer that I overlay. How do I avoid this noise? I tried using CS5's "noise reduction" filter which sort of works...but it destroys all of my small detail in the process. Any suggestions on how to work around the noise? Maybe a different suggestion as to how I should set up my normals?

The picture clearly shows the noise problem I am experiencing...SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!

Cordell Felix

The noise is most likely from your orignal bake.
From what I have tested, its due to the settings you baked at. use the default settings but add enable SSE on, Antialiasing on with the filter: Catmull-Rom

global super sampling on hammersley with quality at 1.0

It MIGHT get rid of that surface noise.

RobbZ3D

I'll have to give that a try...unfortunately it will be pretty time consuming lol but thanks for the idea!

RobbZ3D

I'm currently using these setting and still getting the same noise issue with my bake...maybe it's not the bake...any ideas?

iangoold3d

try changing the "Hammersley" to "Max 2.5 Star" in the Render setup window.

RobbZ3D

Current settings...I'm really not sure what is causing the noise.