3DS Max Normal Map help

tommywomble

Hi, first post here but i've been a lurker for a while

I need some help with a dumpster i'm creating for a uni assignment, i have created a low poly, then created a high poly so i can bake a normal map for it, here is the HP:



And the LP:



I bake the normal map out and apply it, but when i do it looks like this :



All of the edges go black and look funny and i dont know why it's probably something stupid and i'm still noob at this whole normal map business, but i cant fix it xD

hope you can help, cheers

MoP

It's because all your faces are separate smoothing groups - your low poly is all "faceted" or "hard edged". You'd have to apply a Smooth modifier to the whole thing (and then potentially add a bit more geometry for a cleaner bake) in order to fix this.

Here's a run-down of what's happening by the ever-helpful Ariel Chai: http://www.svartberg.com/tutorials/article_normalmaps/normalmaps.html

You should read that article fully. The section that describes your issue is titled "Unsmoothed Tangents - Edges Errors Problem and Walkaround".

tommywomble

Awesome cheers, will try out what you suggested and give the link a read