I've tried everything and I'm sorry if this is an easy fix, but I simply haven't been able to figure it out. i sculpted and unwrapped this in ZBrush and exported to 3ds Max 2017 but there is a shading problem across the UV seams. I've tried messing with the gamma settings, projecting in 3ds max itself but I get the same results. I'd appreciate some advice on the Zbrush/3ds max workflow. I have my high poly model sculpted but I'm having a bad time with the UV's. P.S. ignore my bad normal maps I'm tackling the seams problem first.
I never use UVMaster for the finished lowpoly. UVMaster is meant for quick UVs which you would use in combination with the surface noise plugin. The UVs from your lowpoly should be really optimized and packed properly. 3DSmax UVWunwrap is plenty good enough for that and if you need more flexibility then there is TexTools which is free. The problem I see above is one you usually get with the flipped 'y' channel under the normal map settings and I had this problem with the import texture gamma settings in Max, but that was a while ago. Hope someone else here can give you more detailed help. First thing I would do though is use Maxs uveditor for good tight unwrap as a general rule.
Is there a break in the smoothing groups? If so, set all faces to 1 group before bake. Also, have you tried viewing it elsewhere. Max viewport is the last place I'd want to view my NMs. ZB and Max use different tangent basis, I'm sure, so it could be just a Y swizzle flip.
i tried using the uvw unwrap but i get weird looking normals with crazy deformations. what i do is export the low poly, unwrap in 3dsmax, import pack and copy and paste the uvs to the high poly at the lowest subdivision level. i don't know if there is a problem in my process. i tried flipping the y channel but it didn't work. i will give TexTools a try thanks for your help.
You need to disable gamma 2.2 (or set it to 1.0 when you load the normal map bitmap) from Rendering - Gamma/Lut setup - disable it everywhere, and you may or may not have to flip green.
Turns out it was the Green channel AND the Gamma settings. i Flipped the green channel in ZBrush before exporting the normal map but the problem was till there.
I also had to override the gamma when loading the bitmap to 1.0 as mentioned by @HOFFER FIXED!!
turning off the gamma correction also worked but it washed all the color out. Thanks everyone for the help general feedback is greatly appreciated.
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i Flipped the green channel in ZBrush before exporting the normal map but the problem was till there.
I also had to override the gamma when loading the bitmap to 1.0 as mentioned by @HOFFER FIXED!!
turning off the gamma correction also worked but it washed all the color out.
Thanks everyone for the help general feedback is greatly appreciated.
Topology.