Xnormal baking ALL map types as i do diffuse?
polycounter lvl 9
Hello
I had a scan, few milion polygons, i "converted" this (retopo etc.) into a lower poly version of 10 000 polygon and Diffuse, Displacement (32 bit EXR) and Normals maps (the "standard one" - purple-ish :-) ). I deleted the original scan.
Now i "discovered" that i would like to have also even lower poly version of this asset, (around 1000 polys lets say).
I have done retopo on the 10 000 polygon mesh (which is the only one i have, i dont have anymore the original scan (mesh or anything else)). And i have "re-bake" the Diffuse map from the 10 000 poly mesh (of UV layout 1) to the 1000 poly mesh (with different UV layout of course - UV layout 2). The diffuse map was "re-baked" (is this the correct term?) succesfully. Now i want to "re-bake" all the other maps from the UV layout 1 (10 000 poly mesh) to the UV Layout 2 (1000 poly mesh). I have Displacement map (32 bit EXR) and Normals map (8bit TIF), but my question is in general and extends to "any" (almost) other map type (PBR or None-PBR map types) - Reflection, Bump, Normal, SSS map, Curvature map, AO map, Cavity map, Albedo, Metalness, etc. etc. 8, 16 or 32 bit regardless ).
My question is:
Can i rebake "all" these different map types in Xnormal as simply as loading them in as the "Base Texture" for the "High Definition Mesh"...? Without adjusting or setting anything else...? (cause it was as simple as this with the diffuse texture...)?
I know that when i bake normal map i have to "tick on" the "Base texture is a tangent space normal map", but "ANY" other map (even the 32 bit EXR Displacement) can be baked as easily and with the same exact workflow/settings/options as was the DIffuse map?
Thank you
I had a scan, few milion polygons, i "converted" this (retopo etc.) into a lower poly version of 10 000 polygon and Diffuse, Displacement (32 bit EXR) and Normals maps (the "standard one" - purple-ish :-) ). I deleted the original scan.
Now i "discovered" that i would like to have also even lower poly version of this asset, (around 1000 polys lets say).
I have done retopo on the 10 000 polygon mesh (which is the only one i have, i dont have anymore the original scan (mesh or anything else)). And i have "re-bake" the Diffuse map from the 10 000 poly mesh (of UV layout 1) to the 1000 poly mesh (with different UV layout of course - UV layout 2). The diffuse map was "re-baked" (is this the correct term?) succesfully. Now i want to "re-bake" all the other maps from the UV layout 1 (10 000 poly mesh) to the UV Layout 2 (1000 poly mesh). I have Displacement map (32 bit EXR) and Normals map (8bit TIF), but my question is in general and extends to "any" (almost) other map type (PBR or None-PBR map types) - Reflection, Bump, Normal, SSS map, Curvature map, AO map, Cavity map, Albedo, Metalness, etc. etc. 8, 16 or 32 bit regardless ).
My question is:
Can i rebake "all" these different map types in Xnormal as simply as loading them in as the "Base Texture" for the "High Definition Mesh"...? Without adjusting or setting anything else...? (cause it was as simple as this with the diffuse texture...)?
I know that when i bake normal map i have to "tick on" the "Base texture is a tangent space normal map", but "ANY" other map (even the 32 bit EXR Displacement) can be baked as easily and with the same exact workflow/settings/options as was the DIffuse map?
Thank you
Replies
It's up to you to be precise, uploading screenshots of your problem, sharing your source files, and so on. Sure enough someone will be able to help you out.
Anyhow, baking a normal map from another normal map is very difficult, as rollin stated already.
You may have better luck with the displacement, not sure if Xnormal allows you to assign that to the source model, you may need a different tool like Max or Maya.
All the other maps can be baked in diffuse.
The issue i see with this and what might've been said already is that the normals would still be wrong wouldn't it? (by angles) essentially changing the triangle face direction or am i not correct in my thinking so even IF you managed this achievement you would still need the Originals to get a correct normal bake.(whether or not you care to get "correct normals baked to new meshes", is another issue.)
You might get lucky though, stop opening the app you created the original scan in. Locate that applications backup directory, look for autobackup files, in max in the past i got lucky and its autobackup.max files saved a project i mistakenly deleted or thought i didn't need anymore. (think its maxback.bak, renamed it and boom file was sitting there.) Not sure if its that one but its one of those.
You didn't state the applications you worked in so nobody is thinking if you have a autobacked up state file just sitting there to alleviate your issues.
Good luck, i kind of know how to do it and i think we all do but its just not going to be right and will probably be un-usable with out the original.
(basically will show a bad practice.) To be honest it also sounds like hey guys i ripped a character from something and i kind of want to either use it or sell it illegally, help me and for that reason i am out. (i am the one with the acorns enough to say it though)if you aren't one of those then you simply ignore that part.
So between that, the Xnormal option, and the possiblility of converting the original to OS using either the Xnormal conversion tool, or Handplane, or Blender, there are many options available for the issue at hand without having to trace back to the original model. Even converting the TS to a displacement map ("Crazybump-style") could be enough depending on the accuracy needed.