strange shimmer on model

darthjosh

So I am working on a prop and I was testing it out in marmoset and I realized that there is a strange shimmer on the surface of the model. I have been banging my head trying to trouble shoot it but now I need some help. I have also tested the model out in unreal 4. And it was modeled in max and textured in substance painter. Any help would be super appreciated!

slosh

can we see the models smoothing groups and also the normal map?

darthjosh

Hey slosh sorry I have been at school all day. So here is the normal map. I am not entirely sure how to show you my smoothing groups. but here is the normal map.

ZacD

Woah, that's a really colorful normal map :P

Looks like you should make the UV seams on your low poly hard edges or seperate smoothing groups, and try baking again. Too much gradation in your normal map can lead to worse compression and banding in an actual game engine, and can cause your reflections to do strange things.

slosh

Yup, what ZacD said. Split ur UVs on all 90 degree angled faces and make those edges hard...then bake. Your bake should be clean with little to no discoloration like you have now.

ZacD

Discoloration is fine, but your average color should be close to that normal map 128 128 255. Should look more like this for a boxy asset, http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Z35mw4QhXA/URpHAR-I7cI/AAAAAAAAAJE/1cQi1ApRU9w/s400/Normal_Map_bump.jpg

darthjosh

yup you were right ZacD. Thank you very much. for some reason my smoothing groups were not exporting so I re did them and then baked again and all the issues are gone. I am graduating from college in 2 weeks and sleep is not something I am getting at the moment. Again, thanks to both of you for your help!