Strange Normal map artifacts generated by Mudbox.

Mambo4 · Aug 2011

I'm new to generating Normal Maps using Mudbox, and I'm getting some odd artifacts. Anyone recognize the problem?

throttlekitty · Aug 2011

Not a mudbox user, so I can't say if this is a program bug. Post your normal map too? Looks like either overlapped UVs or some crazy ray problems.

Mambo4 · Aug 2011

I am suspecting overlapping UVs in the UV map...

Mambo4 · Aug 2011

confirmed in maya...wonder if I can get an updated UV map into the current Mudbox file..

Mambo4 · Aug 2011

ok, i have fixed my UV's and updated the UV map in mudbox. better, but still I am getting some artifacts. What other causes could these be?

the hair behind the ear is prettty much a 90 degree angle. shoudl I slope it a bit?

the top of the eyelids have some overlapping edges(poly, not UV) ...would that cause artifacts?

as for the bottom eyelid ans the bottom of the ear, I'm at a loss...

besides overlapping UVs, what other things typically cause these artifacts?

oglu · Aug 2011

the search distance is to high... bake a second map with lower settings and combine them...

Will Faucher · Aug 2011

This is why I don't bake in mudbox. xNormal all the way!

Mambo4 · Aug 2011

thanks guys!
I will try both your suggestions

ghib · Aug 2011

Prophecies wrote: »

This is why I don't bake in mudbox. xNormal all the way!

you don't get artifacts from xnormal bake? Lucky you.

Will Faucher · Aug 2011

ghib wrote: »

you don't get artifacts from xnormal bake? Lucky you.

I've had far too many issues when baking in mudbox, for reasons still unknown to me. Switched to xnormal, and had better results without even using a cage. Just selected my high, low and pressed the huge "Generate Maps" button. And bam, better results.

I don't even think Mudbox supports cages. But then again, I haven't baked a normal map in Mudbox since the 2010 version.

Ace-Angel · Aug 2011

[ame]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH0qUgZkI9Q[/ame]

Mambo4 · Sep 2011

thanks again for your tips. @Prophecies : I've looked at xnormal and haven't had much luck. what format do you use for your hi and low rez meshes?

nightshade · Sep 2011

.obj works fine for me in xnormal

Mambo4 · Sep 2011

Seems like Maya & mudbox is capable of producing geometry that breaks in xNormal quite easily...I'll keep trying

Mambo4 · Sep 2011

after abandoning fbx for obj, i still get bad results:

xNormal appears to be ignoring the hi res geometry completely.

I also get this error alot, even tho I can't find any problems with the UVs in Maya:

any ideas to address this?

for the time being I'm going back to Maya/transfer maps...

Will Faucher · Sep 2011

Does your low poly mesh have one single smoothing group? xNormal takes smoothing groups into account. That may be why your normal map is coming out faceted.

EarthQuake · Sep 2011

Most likely, this is a messy OBJ exported from mudbox. Import it into Maya, check your uvs, soften your edges, etc. Possibility even just importing and re-exporting from maya will fix it.

Strange Normal map artifacts generated by Mudbox.

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