Zbrush normal map issue

Lodans

The head and the body are separate subtools in zbrush and have different materials in maya. When I bake normal maps for the body and the head it doesn't fill that are where the head should connect to the body on both maps. Help, please.

smessier

So you're baking across 2 UV sets?  The separate subtools in Zbrush are connected, but you're getting this large vacant space on your bakes?  Can you share your UVs?  Are you mirroring any uvs?  Are you using a baking cage?

Lodans

smessier said:

So you're baking across 2 UV sets?  The separate subtools in Zbrush are connected, but you're getting this large vacant space on your bakes?  Can you share your UVs?  Are you mirroring any uvs?  Are you using a baking cage?

Yeah, I use 2 UV sets. I separated the head to UV map it in Zbrush and then bake a separate normal map, so it is actually connected to the body. Zbrush doesn't want to bake that small area. I'm not mirroring UVs and not using a baking cage.

cryrid

Are you baking inside of zbrush? I could see its SmoothUVs possibly doing that. 

I would say to bake externally in a program like Maya or xNormal for several reasons. And crank up the edge padding as well. 

Lodans

cryrid said:

Are you baking inside of zbrush? I could see its SmoothUVs possibly doing that. 

I would say to bake externally in a program like Maya or xNormal for several reasons. And crank up the edge padding as well. 

I tried xNormal, but the normal map that I get from there is just a violet square.

musashidan

Of all the baking options available, ZB would be last on my list. The results just are not on par with other, more modern, bakers. You should keep trying with XN. It's simple to use.

Lodans

Tried to bake in maya, but it keeps generating an empty image

kanga

Your models have to be in exactly the same 3d space for baking. Choose tangent space for your normal maps and check the axis order for your intended output. The only way I can think of that your bake is smaller than your uvs is if you imported a uved model and then subdivided the model before detailing it in ZBrush. Subdividing shrinks the model in ZBrush, particularly if you have an open end like the neck for instance. If that is what you did then that is the problem. Import  your low rez mesh into ZBrush, detail it (or model it, ZBrush can do way more than detail), export a decimated version of your model and do a retopo cage on top of the decimated version. Uv that low poly and use it for baking along with the high poly and you wont have shrinkage problems.

Cheerio