xNormal Generating Seams on Maps

Joshuagilbreath

Good Morning All!

I have a questions about xNormal. I am generating maps for a small baggie, but am getting some unexpected results. xNormal is generating maps with seams running through it. *see attached pics*



The low poly mesh was retopoed in 3DCoat, imported into Maya and exported as a SBM for xNormal. The High Res mesh exported from Zbrush.

Does anyone know what would be causing these seems to be generated? Thanks!

Bartalon

It looks like either your high poly or low poly doesn't have proper smoothing groups. Be sure to soften normals on your model in Maya before exporting, and for your high poly you can just set the Smooth normals column in xNormal to Average Normals.

EarthQuake

Yeah that looks correct, however you shouldn't average the normals in xNormal, then it won't match when applied to the model elsewhere.

Joshuagilbreath

Perfect, smoothling normals and exporting the SMB from Maya worked like a charm! Here is the updated map for anyone that runs into this issue in the future.



All I needed to do was Soften the Normmals on the low res, Retoped mesh in Maya before exporting as a SMB and the results where dead on. Thanks all!

Bartalon

EarthQuake wrote: »

Yeah that looks correct, however you shouldn't average the normals in xNormal, then it won't match when applied to the model elsewhere.

Indeed. It was poorly worded, but the Average Normals thing was meant for the high poly slot in xNormal.