(Solved) High poly normalmap problem

AnArtAccount

Hey lads,

I have a small problem with my normal map and I didn't know if I should put this under 'Technical Talk' or 'Substance'.
So the problem is that the normal map has these weird artifacts, even though my high poly version looks just fine in 3DSmax.

Does anyone know what's wrong? NOTE: I just did a REALLY QUICK unwrap because I wanted to test the high poly bake because this is my first I'm doing something like this. So if it's the unwrap that causes the problem I know enough

Thanks for reading!

Noth

Well, your high poly has it's own normals. That doesn't mean they'll display perfectly on your lowpoly. You have to transfer them properly. Do you have a low poly mesh in max with the normal map displaying nicely?

AnArtAccount

Noth said:

Well, your high poly has it's own normals. That doesn't mean they'll display perfectly on your lowpoly. You have to transfer them properly. Do you have a low poly mesh in max with the normal map displaying nicely?

Yeah.. I discovered that late night modeling isn't the best idea. When I went to bed I laid down for 15 minutes and then it hit me: 'reset Xform'  So yeah.. kinda stupid but thanks for the help!!

Zalek4

It could be a combination of smoothing groups not being set up correctly, the low and high meshes not being placed quite tightly enough together, or a lack of geometry. Your low-poly cylinder isn't high-poly enough to properly capture the circle shape you have there. The artifacts you're seeing are the result of the normal map trying to make the top of a very low-poly cylinder a perfect circle, which simply doesn't work. Another reason could be that your smoothing groups aren't set up for baking, which you can read about here:

http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1

It'll be a confusing read at first, but read it 2 or 3 times and some of it will rub off
I still read it every once in a while.

I made an example showing the difference that these 3 things can make. I baked in Painter since it looks like that's what you're using. From left to right, 8-sided, 12-sided, and 16-sided cylinders, all placed tightly together and smoothing groups set for baking:


Your issue would relate closest to the left-most cylinder. You'll get cleaner results from more geo, and it won't cost hardly anything if this is for a game. I make sure all of my cylindrical shapes have a minimum of 12 sides if the tops will be seen, but 8 should be enough if you're only seeing it from the side.

Read that thread and add more geo and you should be set!

Cheers!

Edit: Page didn't refresh in time for me to see you solved it. Glad you figured it out!

AnArtAccount

This REALLY helped a lot! Already from your comment, I learned more about this topic! Thanks!!

Edit: The topic you linked... almost everything is clear now. LIke you said: You should read it a couple of times but it already helped me a lot!