Need Help on Normal map issues!

BI0PREDAT0R

Hey guys I'm having an issue when it comes to doing round corners for my normal maps, below are images of this issue, any idea how to fix this and also any tips that will help so I can get good normal map result for hard surface models.

Gadorian

try to bevel the edge, it should fix it.
edit: also, it looks like that edge is hard, try smoothing it. apply hard edges only where your uv seams are

huffer

If you're using hard edges (edge between two different smoothing groups) you have to split your UV into different shells aka, you must also have an UV seam on your hard edge. And bake with a cage too.

BI0PREDAT0R

BI0PREDAT0R wrote: »

Hey guys I'm having an issue when it comes to doing round corners for my normal maps, below are images of this issue, any idea how to fix this and also any tips that will help so I can get good normal map result for hard surface models.

I'm new in max and i get what your saying, I use to work with Maya and I remember always selecting all my UV seams and then harden edge and soften all the rest, how do you do that in max?

BI0PREDAT0R

I fixed the issue by adding one smoothing group rather then auto smoothing the mesh, I heard its okay to use sometimes but it doesn't work all the time, I brought it in engine and nothing looked wrong.

Bartalon

General rule of thumb is to set all your UV islands to their own smoothing groups, and you should consider splitting UV shells the closer their respective edges get to a 90 degree corner (and then go back and adjust smoothing groups). This should eliminate most of your dark artifacting along edges/seams problem.

Quack!

Use this script to smooth by UV Islands
in Max: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1105439&postcount=7

in Maya: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52722&page=2

If you have a smoothing group split, you have to split uvs.

1 smoothing group on your mesh is situational and you should use it knowing what is happening rather then hoping it fixes the problem.

Rules of thumb:
1. Make sure any overlapped UVs are offset by 1.
2. Make sure there is at least 8-16px of space between uv islands(varies based on texture resolution).
3. Make sure you are using at least 16 pixel of padding when baking your normal map. You can never have too much padding.
4. Make sure to use a script to set your smoothing groups/hard edges by your uv island edges. There are caveats to this, but it is a good start.
5. Make sure to use an averaged cage for most bakes. Ray distance causes errors when used incorrectly.
6. Make sure to triangulate before you bake/export. Bakers and engines triangulate differently, so we must 'force' this.
7. Make sure your tangent basis matches between your baker and engine(be "synched")