Baking low poly mesh question with pic

capone

So I have my HP and LP meshes. I currently have the area in question on the LP not conforming to the HP (the bolt). I was hoping this would be ok, it's not like I need it to be sticking out a lot in the bake as this is just a small part of a larger object. The bake is pixelated, might just be the small texture map I have for it (512). Anyway, what's the best practice here? Option A or B any better?

A = make cuts in existing mesh to conform to the bolt
B = Make a new mesh that conforms to bolt and intersect it into the existing mesh

solution A could be good but then I would need multiple versions of the LP. One that is for baking (extra polys for better conforming) then an optimized mesh afterwards with the bake. Just seems a bit too complicated?

solution B I worry that I'm going to have to bake the piece and bolts on their own, so 2 bakes. Again making things more complicated.

Quack!

How big is this object? You could adjust your high poly to bake a bit better and just let it sit in the normal map without adding the extruded detail.

If the object is too big or the player gets close then I would model it like your picture A.

Also, never change your low poly after the bake...that breaks the normals. So your 'solution A' isn't an option.

If you go with option b, just do an exploded bake.

capone

Thanks, good to hear some thoughts on this. Unfortunately I can't explode it because the bolts are part of the highpoly (which is an imported Zbrush piece). You don't get too close to it so I think modeling out the bolt would be a bit excessive. Default option isn't working so I'm out of options. I think I'm going to have to go back into zbrush and split it up into 3 pieces. Bolts, middle piece (the two vertical pieces because I get weird results from intersecting geo) and the rest.

Quack!

If this is a folio piece then just model it as one piece. No need to redo anything.

capone

ok, so the image on the far left is ok for baking? I did try it and the bolts seemed pixelated. That could just be because I only gave this piece a 512x512 map.

Quack!

This piece seems like it would hold up ok at 512. Its hard to to tell out of context and without seeing your UV layout.