I'm not really sure how to do this.Are there any good tutorials on the matter?I'm using 3ds max.Does the Hi poly have to overlap the low poly and then I select the low poly and press 0.Or does the low poly have to over lap the high poly?Please help.I've been trying to learn this technique for a few months now.
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Think of it as taking the complex form you have with the high poly and break it down into simple shapes. If there is high poly geometry poking outside of your low poly then you need a bit more to encompass the shape. The best advice I can give to someone new at this is to, at first, fully understand how normal maps work before doing anything at all.
This is some of the best information all in one place-
http://wiki.polycount.com/NormalMap?action=show&redirect=Normal+Map
Highly recommend reading and re-reading that wiki page.
That's exactly what I'm confused about,so you you say they should intersect?
don't use that tutorial, it contains lots of incorrect information. there's a page on the polycount wiki dedicated to pointing out all the errors in it.
I already watched the above mentioned tutorial.
http://cg.tutsplus.com/tutorials/aut...ap-in-3ds-max/
and it's a bit confusing with a beginner rating.:S
I found that exporting an object to zbrush or mudbox , producing a hipoly through subdivisions is easiest.The low sub and hi sub versions created in mudbox or zbrush are easily exported in .obj format.When loaded into max they're perfectly aligned and the rendered maps are more accurate.
Before, I was modeling the high poly then modeling the low poly in max.The normals that were produced were off.I think it was because my hi poly and low poly were not close enough to one another.
Thanks again!Wish I had a teacher again.Tutorials can really leave you asking more questions.