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Answered: Can Someone Help Me Identify What's Going On Here?

tobyhank
tobyhank
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tobyhank null

I'm completely clueless when it comes to texturing pipeline, and unfortunately every tutorial I can find (Quixel or otherwise) is tech-specific (they explain the software, not the craft of UV'ing). I was hoping someone could at least help me put a word to some of these issues so that I can Google them further.

My pipeline:

  1.  Model in C4D (gave up on Fusion360 since UV mapping is really difficult without retopologizing to quads).
  2. Bounce to Unfold3D using the C4D Plugin
  3. Unwrap UV > Export as normalized .obj "with UV embedded" since it doesn't carry the UV back over into Cinema using the plugin for some reason.
  4. Import .obj into C4D, assign color IDs, bake textures, export Color IDs, AO, and Normal maps @ 4096 x 4096 16-bit PNGs, no pixel border. Export model as .FBX (2014).
  5. Import everything into Quixel. 4096 x 4096, bake curvature maps checked.

1) My models have weird mismapping (?). It changes as I move the light source around, and it always occurs on two adjacent edges but not the opposing sides. My UV, Color ID, AO, and Normal maps are all clean from edge to edge, but I get this weird backlight when viewed in PBR mode.


2) I'm getting strange artifacts on chamfered edges. It looks like weird twisting/projection mapping. Again, I only see this in PBR mode.


3) Certain flat surfaces have weird patterns to them. Edge wear is occurring in the wrong place. Part of me thinks this isn't due to my UV map because it's absent in other maps. I'm only seeing this weird masking in albedo and specular layers. Even then - why is this only happening to certain faces and not all faces?




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  • Synaesthesia
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    Synaesthesia polycounter
    I'm really not sure what the issue here is. I don't use C4D, nor do I know anyone who does, so any issues related to it are beyond my scope of assistance unfortunately. What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO (not Quixel, that's our company ;) ) expect in terms of UV layout: https://quixel.se/tutorial/uv-mapping-for-the-suite/

    It looks like you're using a small fraction of your UV layout. Try filling the space while keeping the texel density consistent. Your "backlight" problem could also be related to not properly developing UVs for baking. This thread might help you there: http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1
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  • tobyhank
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    tobyhank null
    Synaesthesia said:
     What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO
    I went through that prior, and while super helpful, I feel it doesn't really go into enough detail.

    Synaesthesia said:
    I'm really not sure what the issue here is. I don't use C4D, nor do I know anyone who does, so any issues related to it are beyond my scope of assistance unfortunately. What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO (not Quixel, that's our company ;) ) expect in terms of UV layout: https://quixel.se/tutorial/uv-mapping-for-the-suite/

    It looks like you're using a small fraction of your UV layout. Try filling the space while keeping the texel density consistent. Your "backlight" problem could also be related to not properly developing UVs for baking. This thread might help you there: http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1
    Unless I'm missing something, how would I increase the utilization of my UV space without distorting my UV map?

    That link is super helpful, btw. Unfortunately I can't find Cinema4D UV workflow tutorials anywhere online, which is odd because it seems like a pretty popular program.
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  • tobyhank
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    tobyhank null
    Synaesthesia said:
     What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO
    I went through that prior, and while super helpful, I feel it doesn't really go into enough detail.

    Synaesthesia said:
    I'm really not sure what the issue here is. I don't use C4D, nor do I know anyone who does, so any issues related to it are beyond my scope of assistance unfortunately. What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO (not Quixel, that's our company ;) ) expect in terms of UV layout: https://quixel.se/tutorial/uv-mapping-for-the-suite/

    It looks like you're using a small fraction of your UV layout. Try filling the space while keeping the texel density consistent. Your "backlight" problem could also be related to not properly developing UVs for baking. This thread might help you there: http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1
    Unless I'm missing something, how would I increase the utilization of my UV space without distorting my UV map?

    That link is super helpful, btw. Unfortunately I can't find Cinema4D UV workflow tutorials anywhere online, which is odd because it seems like a pretty popular program.
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  • tobyhank
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    tobyhank null
    Synaesthesia said:
     What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO
    I went through that prior, and while super helpful, I feel it doesn't really go into enough detail.

    Synaesthesia said:
    I'm really not sure what the issue here is. I don't use C4D, nor do I know anyone who does, so any issues related to it are beyond my scope of assistance unfortunately. What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO (not Quixel, that's our company ;) ) expect in terms of UV layout: https://quixel.se/tutorial/uv-mapping-for-the-suite/

    It looks like you're using a small fraction of your UV layout. Try filling the space while keeping the texel density consistent. Your "backlight" problem could also be related to not properly developing UVs for baking. This thread might help you there: http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1
    Unless I'm missing something, how would I increase the utilization of my UV space without distorting my UV map?

    That link is super helpful, btw. Unfortunately I can't find Cinema4D UV workflow tutorials anywhere online, which is odd because it seems like a pretty popular program.
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  • tobyhank
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    tobyhank null
    Synaesthesia said:
     What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO
    I went through that prior, and while super helpful, I feel it doesn't really go into enough detail.

    Synaesthesia said:
    I'm really not sure what the issue here is. I don't use C4D, nor do I know anyone who does, so any issues related to it are beyond my scope of assistance unfortunately. What I can do is suggest that you check into best practices for UVs - we have a short tutorial that covers what DDO and 3DO (not Quixel, that's our company ;) ) expect in terms of UV layout: https://quixel.se/tutorial/uv-mapping-for-the-suite/

    It looks like you're using a small fraction of your UV layout. Try filling the space while keeping the texel density consistent. Your "backlight" problem could also be related to not properly developing UVs for baking. This thread might help you there: http://polycount.com/discussion/107196/youre-making-me-hard-making-sense-of-hard-edges-uvs-normal-maps-and-vertex-counts/p1
    Unless I'm missing something, how would I increase the utilization of my UV space without distorting my UV map?

    That link is super helpful, btw. Unfortunately I can't find Cinema4D UV workflow tutorials anywhere online, which is odd because it seems like a pretty popular program.
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  • Synaesthesia
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    Synaesthesia polycounter
    I'm not sure in your specific case, as I don't use C4D nor do I know anyone who does. This is honestly beyond the scope of support that the company can provide - my best advice would be to check into beginner normal mapping tutorials which will explain all of the details you'd need to understand to translate your work into a texturing program using normal-based workflows. :)

    Definitely read through the hard edges thread. Almost everything you need to know to set up proper normal maps with proper UV layouts is in there. The Polycount wiki is a great resource as well: http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Normal_map


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