{Maya}normal-map and an AO-question
As far as I can see subd-surfaces are the way to go when it comes to hard-surface-modeling.
But I am wondering how you can get the normal-information extracted. The "transfer maps"-tool accepts
polygons only which means I have to smooth objects till I have an incredible high amount of faces to get a smooth result.
To get this amount somewhat handled by my computer I have to break it down in pieces.
This doesn`t feel like a decent workflow and I am wondering what I have overlooked. Be it here, google, cg-talk or at game-artist.
And the question about ambient occlusion
It would be nice if you can bake it like you can do it with the normals. But if I do it the same way,
my AO-texture ist plain white (a surface-shader with pluged mib_occlusion-shader is assigned).
I had hoped that the transfer-map-tool could catch the occlusion and put it on the single plane
I have assigned as target.
There are not many attributes in the occlusion-dialog. Mainly the max-distance may have something to do.
I tried with max-distance = 0, with same length as envelope and with a higher distance than the envelope to no avail.
So the question here is: "How can I create my AO-map?"
I hope you don`t mind that I have posted exactly the same at cg-talk. It just occured later to me that it would have been better to post it here.
But I am wondering how you can get the normal-information extracted. The "transfer maps"-tool accepts
polygons only which means I have to smooth objects till I have an incredible high amount of faces to get a smooth result.
To get this amount somewhat handled by my computer I have to break it down in pieces.
This doesn`t feel like a decent workflow and I am wondering what I have overlooked. Be it here, google, cg-talk or at game-artist.
And the question about ambient occlusion
It would be nice if you can bake it like you can do it with the normals. But if I do it the same way,
my AO-texture ist plain white (a surface-shader with pluged mib_occlusion-shader is assigned).
I had hoped that the transfer-map-tool could catch the occlusion and put it on the single plane
I have assigned as target.
There are not many attributes in the occlusion-dialog. Mainly the max-distance may have something to do.
I tried with max-distance = 0, with same length as envelope and with a higher distance than the envelope to no avail.
So the question here is: "How can I create my AO-map?"
I hope you don`t mind that I have posted exactly the same at cg-talk. It just occured later to me that it would have been better to post it here.
Replies
Whilst im not a native Maya user, this is pretty much the approach to sub-d modelling. However, I find that usually a subdivision level of 2 (2 subdivides) should be fine.
There are many workflows regarding the production of normal maps however expect most high polygon models to run into the hundreds of thousands.
However, there are also short and supplemental programs such as crazybump which will also allow the production of a normal map via a bump map (usually used for fine detail such as pores and texture but this can also be used for nuts and bolts, etc).
Try this link for more information regarding subdivision modelling:
http://wiki.polycount.com/Subdivision%20Surface%20Modeling?highlight=(subdivision)
Until I started creating super high polygon models for normal map creation, I used Max for both normal map and ambient occlusion baking.
Now though I use XNormal (As I had the same problem as you, Max couldn't handle ultra high polygon models), its free and will let you bake both your normal and AO maps at the same time. I recommend giving it a go. However this is personal preference and im sure there is a way to do it within Maya.
Im not not sure if that made sense but im sure i could explain it better if you wanted.
Set the colour mode to Occlusion and fill texture seams to 3, change the resolution too.
When this is finshed baking it automatically assigns it to the incandesence channel so break that connection and assign it to the diffuse channel.
then take your low poly and lay it over the high poly. Then with the low poly selected go to the rendering menu and then lighting and shading>transfer maps....
In this box the Target mesh is your lowpoly and the source mesh is your high poly (obviously!)
then click on the box that says normal and put where you want to save it.
then click the diffuse box and do the same for the normal.
To change the size of your maps click common output for the diffuse and mental ray common output for the normal. The se are both near the bottom of the box,
make sure you uncheck connect maps to shader!
the just click bake and close.
after than just make a new material and assign it to the low poly. and fill the diffuse slot with the AO and the bump slot with the noral map and your good to go!
btw you just need to throw an automatic map on the high poly!
I had really hoped that there is no need to convert to polys and divide, divide, divide as the geometry is already there. But if its the way to go....Thank you for clarifying.
Plugging the AO-bake into the diffuse is really a neat idea and sounds very reasonable. I ll try this out at once.
Do you made some test and so some screenshot we could see?
I am really interested and curious about it and I was wondering if this method could be applied also to Hi-res models coming from Zbrush (from 400k poly to 2.000k polys). In this case the automatic mapping could be problematic due to the great amount of polys on the imported model.
What about TURTLE? Is anyone using it? http://www.illuminatelabs.com/products/turtle