difference between Xnormal direction map and flow map

deohboeh

What is the difference between Xnormal direction map and flow map?
I am trying to make hair. I was hoping I could bake it in. Most of the post talk about painting it but if you have a hair mesh can you bake it?

Ace-Angel

Flow Map dictates the direction that your shaders stuff (like specularity anistropy) will line across. It's usually limited to Red and Green channels.

Direction Map from XNormal is Vector Displacement Maps (just the name is different). A quick google search will explain what it does, but in short, it's nothing like Flow Maps.

I don't think baking Flow Maps by default is possible.

deohboeh

Ace-Angel wrote: »

Flow Map dictates the direction that your shaders stuff (like specularity anistropy) will line across. It's usually limited to Red and Green channels.

Direction Map from XNormal is Vector Displacement Maps (just the name is different). A quick google search will explain what it does, but in short, it's nothing like Flow Maps.

I don't think baking Flow Maps by default is possible.

Thanks for the quick reply Ace! I got confused for a while there. Also...
What if you bake hair cards with the gradient in the high poly hair? What if you are using hair cards? does each hair card have to have a separate flow map?

deohboeh

One more question for marmoset should the flow be from red(root) to green(end) or red to green?

Ace-Angel

Gradient baking would indeed be the only solution, but problem is, it will only look good in one instance or angle.

Usually, what you will want to do it make a couple of hair/fur cards, unwrap them, and orient them in a certain direction in your UV editor (either up to down, or left to right). At this point, your shader/material (if it has Anistropy option) will do the rest of the magic, you simply tell it in which direction you want the effect to stretch on. Usually, you will want to copy and paste these cards and reuse them, as they will cut on time and save you headache.

I think Maya/Max both have a simply Anistropy material that can be used, you should run some quick tests to get an idea of what I mean with the above text.

As for Marmoset, I don't think you specifically need a map if you do the above method (also, Marmoset gives you the option of 'rotating' the angle of the Anistropy).

deohboeh

Hmmm I guess I'll have to rebake all the cards then... Thanks for the help Ace!