Normal map problem - Missplaced UVs/Cage (3Ds Max and xNormal)

ikonane

I have read a couple of these threads on the forums with people having problem with normal maps and I am one of those.

I had some major problems when I was going to bake my airplane so I broke it down into one detail(Exhaust) but that does not work either.
Maybe there is an problem between 3Ds max and xNormal.

Highpoly:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_1.jpg


Lowpoly + Unwrap:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_2.jpg

Bake as two different objects:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_3.jpg

Cage:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_4.jpg

Export selected:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_5.jpg


I tick "use cage" and this is the result:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_6.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a99/k0nane/NormalMap_Problem_UVs_7.jpg

The UVs are not placed correctly, why?

I have a reset xForm and the placements of the UVs are such only because its a test.

Do I miss a setting or something?

Thanks!

Neavah

Where are the uvs for the inside of the cylender?

Comparing geo, I can't account for where they are....

My guess is that they are ontop of your outer cylinder uvs, or outside of the uv space...?


I've never used the max/xnormal exporter - I just export obj and when adding a cage 'browse for external cage file' I don't know if that helps at all, I'm not familiar with the exporter....

ikonane

If you look at the second picture "Lowpoly + Unwrap" it is the smaller uv island to the far right upper corner. Resized down compared to the other unwraps because of the lesser detail on that surface.

Well I have worked with max and xnormal before and never had this problem. It might be a setting or something that I am doing wrong, I'm feeling quite stupid.

Here is the 3Ds Max file if anyone wants to try to figure it out:
http://db.tt/f6h2NNU9
(3Ds Max 2011)

Neavah

obj's please I believe I have a different version of max. I can't open your file.

ikonane

Sorry my bad!
Here is the obj-file:
http://db.tt/B5AFUWIa

If I do the baking in 3Ds max only I dont get that wierd result ... I must be doing something totally wrong.

Neavah

I'm not sure what's wrong on your end. It worked as expected for me. (I didn't realize the inner part was so long, from one of the pics I thought it was 2 separate pieces...anyways)

I exported lp and hp to xnormal as obj's. (separated into 3 areas)
I used the ray distance (cause I'm to lazy to make a cage for this) :P

my settings for xnormal aren't anything special. closest hit if ray fails and discard back faces both checked.


my guess is either something weird with the max file, or the export(er).
(Put on smooth->auto->45, then xform and collapse)

http://s1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd507/neavah1/?action=view&current=Problem_Render.jpg

http://s1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd507/neavah1/?action=view&current=Ttest_Deleteme_normalscopy.jpg

Couple artifacts,but a cage and closer look can probably fix those.

to determine whats going wrong, (make sure the smoothing group are right, and xform collapse, break into 3 pieces) and export as obj's (with cage) and browse for external cage. (try it without the exporter too see if there's an option setting going wrong).

That doesn't work then try it without the cage using the ray distance calculator. If that works somethings wrong with the cage.

If that doesn't work then merge your max file into a new one, or export as obj into a new max file and rise and repeat. (if that works you can try it with the exporter too see if it was just a problem with the file its self not the exporter or options (if any)).

Hopefully that will give you an idea of what went/is going wrong.

ikonane

Thanks for trying!

I think that it is something wrong with the settings or xforms or something. But I have reseted the xforms so I think that it is strange.

If I make the map in 3Ds Max it works fine ...

to determine whats going wrong, (make sure the smoothing group are right, and xform collapse, break into 3 pieces) and export as obj's (with cage) and browse for external cage. (try it without the exporter too see if there's an option setting going wrong).

The smoorhing groups are fine and I have done a reset xform and collapse.

How do I export the obj with cage? Just add cage and export?

If I do that they are still flipped and strange artifacts:



When done i Max:







It is like the high poly is touching the low poly or something ....
Wrong unwrap channel? Can I change that somewhere? It should be 1.

I am defenatly doing something wron when exporting or something like that ....




UNWRAP QUESTION:
How do I unwrap the outside of the exhaust without getting that strange artifact at the seam?

Thanks!

ikonane

(Not a totally clean cage push)

3Ds max:




xNormal:




It is like the cage is not exported?

Neavah

To bring a cage into xnormal with out the exporter you just export the cage alone as an obj (by its self - so you should have 3 separate obj's - highpoly, lowpoly and the cage).

Then right click the low poly model and 'browse for external cage' and pick out cage obj (a dialog will come up that cage must match the low poly). then bake away

and use exported normals... i think it does that by default though

ikonane

Thanks, good explanation but how do I export only the cage?

For the low poly I have this modifier list:

1 - Projection
2- Editable Poly


I saw a tutorial from xNormal about external cages but they used the mesh as cage. Which is quite hard with a complex model.