How would you go about baking a sci-fi panel?

Irraka

Hey guys just had a quick question. What's the best way to go about baking a high poly sci-fi panel like this into a flat 2d texture so I can use to tile my scene? Do I just slap a flat 2d plane on it and then go about the same way I would with any other high poly to low poly process with a cage, etc? or is there something different when it comes to tillable textures.

sprunghunt

Yes I'd just make a flat poly that fits the hipoly geometry and bake - you don't need a cage. +

Irraka

I tried that but it's not picking up the grates in the center. Everything else baked perfect. 

cryrid

If the vents are just holes with no edge bevels, then when you see it from the top-down there is going to be no change in surface direction / normal for the map to even pick up. Try scaling the 'thickness' portion of the holes in some, then setting hard edges or smoothing groups.



Alternatively, either bevel/chamfer the edges ,or make the holes more of an inverted capsule (it all depends on the look you're going for).