reflection-normal issue

yoc1983

Hi guys, i am having some weird problem in marmoset unable to figure what i am missing, will be glad to get some help.

Picture1:

Uploading a low poly cube (on left)

[setting gloss=1,specular=white (1)]

the reflections are wrong on the cube because there is no normal map i import 4 more cubes each one pre-subdivided before import. in SD4 i get the right result.

Picture2:

I go to painter bake the normal and get in painter

the right result.

(haven't learned how to bake in marmoset yet sorry)

Picture3:

import to marmoset and the result are wrong

-I tried adding tessellation but no change there

-I tried bake in zbrush without any success

-Tried changing UV to 1 island

-Tried bake normal with 'compute tangent space per fragment' on in painter

-I bake and import normal in world space from painter and it's good

I wonder what i am missing that it's not working with the imported normal map?
Picture1:

Picture2:

Picture3:

EarthQuake

For the first image, without a normal map the mesh normals are being averaged. For the 12 triangle mesh, the normals basically mimic a sphere, so you're seeing reflections as if it was a sphere. As you add more geometry, the mesh normals change, and thus the reflections change as well. With a simple mesh like this, you'll want to use hard edges at the corners to get box reflections.

For the image with the tangent space normal map, what you're seeing here is likely two different problems. Firstly, a tangent bias synchronization problem. You'll need to set the tangent space in the mesh properties to match the tangent space of your baking application. Secondly, if you're adding more geometry to the mesh after baking the normal map, which results in changing the mesh normals (like the first image), you're introducing additional errors. Tangent space normal maps rely on the low poly mesh normals to display accurately, so any time you change that after baking, you're going to introduce errors.

For the object space test, this makes sense because object space normal maps ignore the low poly mesh normals entirely.

yoc1983

OK, i tried to match the tangent space to painter but i see no option for this software there.
so i tried to bake in marmoset and it work!
OMG i can't believe i missed that, it's so important.

And it means my last projects normal maps are wrong but it is hard to see
because the mesh is not so much a low poly.
anyway Marmoset baker looks great it got cool features and it's super fast
i will start working with it and give it a try.

i have tried to solve this one for 2 days,
@EarthQuake thank you so much for the detailed help.