Normal maps baking out too bright

Dippndots · Apr 2012

Below's a pic of what I mean, anyone know why?

Using max, happens regardless of map size, supersampling or cage position, it seems to be random from I can tell too as it fixed itself when I made a small adjustment to the high poly model (didnt do anything else after and baked and it was the normal colors again)

Olli. · Apr 2012

if its random then its probably not a problem. Just some random glitch and nothing to worry about.

pasha_sevez · Apr 2012

Check your hipoly's opacity settings. This issue often happens if the mesh you bake from is semi-transparent. Also check the alpha channel of your hipoly's diffse map. Hope it helps.

[HP] · Apr 2012

Try and bake it with xnormal, does it come out the same?

pasha_sevez · Apr 2012

Agree. Getting rid of Max materials via using Xnormal may really help.

Dippndots · Apr 2012

Well from what I can tell, it may have had something to do with using a Shellac material on the high poly, as soon as I set it to a standard mat it doesnt turn out bright.

Haven't ever tried using xNormal, seems like I should try and find the time though.

MorganJYoung · Apr 2012

Hey try disabeling your Gamma and LUT settings.

Dippndots · Apr 2012

Gamma and LUT are/were off, it was definitely the material I previously had on the HP.

Thanks for the help guys

Computron · Apr 2012

OMG, my BR test render had this same shit, and I just thought it was due to slipilly rotated UVs... No wonder certain elements shaded darker.

Butthair · Apr 2012

I ran into this problem but the material assigned was a default phong set to white. The odd thing was previous bakes worked out fine. I troubleshooted the same things, gamma/LUT, cleaning up scene for other lights, re-applying materials, exporting and opening a new scene.

xNormal was fine, but I required max for this method. Anyway, I ended up fixing it by doing an auto-levels to the red and green channel of the normals in photoshop. Seemed to come out fine, UDk doesn't have any issues with it either (although it did before, I had to adjust the normals similar to leveling them in photoshop).

igi · Apr 2012

Enable your Gamma/LUT and set the gamma correction value to 1.0 and let me know its worked or not.

Computron · Apr 2012

I am still having this problem (posted about it in my WIP thread earlier this week) and I already tried everything in this thread. Gamma was my first hunch as well but it doesn't do anything and neither does toggling lights or switching materials/bake settings. Interesting that this problem happens to us simultaneously.

Dippndots · Apr 2012

Hey Computron, does it look like the normal map isn't working correctly? Because at least on mine it didnt look any different compared to the correctly colored version.

sprunghunt · Apr 2012

I've fixed this problem in the past by making the background colour in the RTT settings black.

Computron · Apr 2012

Dippndots wrote: »

Hey Computron, does it look like the normal map isn't working correctly? Because at least on mine it didnt look any different compared to the correctly colored version.

Looks wrong. Entire elements take light from the wrong direction and look darker $:\$

I could only get it to look remotely correct by leveling it in photoshop, and that's not really a solution.

sprunghunt wrote: »

I've fixed this problem in the past by making the background colour in the RTT settings black.

I'll have to try this.

Computron · Apr 2012

OK, the background color trick worked, thanks SprungHunt

Normal maps baking out too bright

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