Issue with Normal maps

Ethan_stubbs_

can anyone explain why this is happening with my normal maps? its starting to get really annoying and ive looked all over for an answer but nothing seems to fix it

Bartalon

It looks like your low poly might have hard edges at those locations, or the Y channel of your normal map is inverted for whichever program you are using to view it.  Images of your low poly and the UVs of this location and which program you're using to bake and view will help narrow down what's wrong.

Tetranome

Check this sticky post out! I used to have the same issue and now it's all cleared up.
http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1

Basically, depending on your rendering method, you have to split up UV islands that have hard edges - meaning that any hard edges you use must have a seam (but the normal map will blend perfectly). So long as you place those UV islands pretty close to eachother you can eliminate most obvious diffuse/roughness seam issues.

But yeah don't just take that explanation and run with it. Go watch the video posted in that thread

Ethan_stubbs_

Thanks guys Ive sorted it out