Also, what program is the seam occurring and under what circumstances?
3dsmax with a specific viewport shader?
UDK after baking in xNormal?
Rendering in Maya?
If you're talking about seams in your normal map or ambient occlusion, that's more of an error in your bake.
If you're talking about seams while you're texturing him in photoshop or something, that can be solved in a couple different ways.
1. avoid painting near seams. By putting your uv seams in places where you won't need to add much detail, you can avoid ever having to paint on them.
2. Set up your uvs to make it easier to avoid seams in photoshop. For instance, if I knew I wanted to texture in a bracelet going around the arm, I would probably UV the arm so that I could simply draw a thin rectangle in photoshop for the bracelet. If I match up the uv's, I wouldn't get any seams.
3. Use 3D-painting software. Lots of programs allow you to paint directly on a 3d model. 3dcoat and mudbox are the best, but zbrush and even photoshop allow you to do it as well.
Also, what program is the seam occurring and under what circumstances?
3dsmax with a specific viewport shader?
UDK after baking in xNormal?
Rendering in Maya?
The seam occurs in 3dsMax from the Normal Maps
I'm using the Xoliul Shader
I used Xnormal to bake the normals
Are you using max2013, I think they changed some of the ways that tangents are calculated and it has caused issues like this. What does it look like with a standard shader applied and rendered?
If you still get seams I think it might be coming from some settings inside xNormal, that need to be changed so it syncs properly with max.
Also did you do anything to your normal map after baking it and didn't normalize it? It seems kind of dark in the Xoliul Shader preview slot.
Are you using max2013, I think they changed some of the ways that tangents are calculated and it has caused issues like this. What does it look like with a standard shader applied and rendered?
If you still get seams I think it might be coming from some settings inside xNormal, that need to be changed so it syncs properly with max.
Also did you do anything to your normal map after baking it and didn't normalize it? It seems kind of dark in the Xoliul Shader preview slot.
No I'm using 2012
With a standard shader it still shows up (tried no maps and it still shows up)
I did not do anything to my normal map
No I'm using 2012
With a standard shader it still shows up (tried no maps and it still shows up)
Really? That's really strange. If you're saying seams are showing up with no textures applied, just a simple phong or lambert, then....
Only thing I can think is that you have a hard edge in your geometry's normals. Make sure all your normals are softened (my Maxese is spotty, but I think the translation is 'all one smoothing group')
Really? That's really strange. If you're saying seams are showing up with no textures applied, just a simple phong or lambert, then....
Only thing I can think is that you have a hard edge in your geometry's normals. Make sure all your normals are softened (my Maxese is spotty, but I think the translation is 'all one smoothing group')
Actually nvm it's just the normal maps that are doing it, I have no idea why, what are some steps in Zbrush or PS that can get rid of the seams?
Have you tried unchecking "flip green channel" in the xoliul shader?
When you used a standard material did you place the normal map directly in the bump map slot or did you apply a "Normal Bump" to the bump slot and put the normal map in that?
Just putting the normal map in the bump slot will treat it like a standard black and white bump map and give you seams.
Have you tried unchecking "flip green channel" in the xoliul shader?
When you used a standard material did you place the normal map directly in the bump map slot or did you apply a "Normal Bump" to the bump slot and put the normal map in that?
Just putting the normal map in the bump slot will treat it like a standard black and white bump map and give you seams.
Yeah I tried un-checking the flip green, I'll show you pics of it on and off
This is checked
This is unchecked
and for the standard I applied normal bumb to the bumb slot
I am pretty sure my dropbox is at like 247% capacity
Just use this http://www.speedyshare.com/
It'll allow other people to access the files too, that way
I am pretty sure my dropbox is at like 247% capacity
Just use this http://www.speedyshare.com/
It'll allow other people to access the files too, that way
It could be a gamma correction issue, you can check by applying a texture flooded with a 128, 128, 255 red-green-blue color. If there is still a discernible seam it is most likely gamma correction doing something funky.
Gamma correction is confusing to say the least so here's some official documentation on it
I am pretty sure my dropbox is at like 247% capacity
Just use this http://www.speedyshare.com/
It'll allow other people to access the files too, that way
I took a look at the file and it looks like you have a few problems.
1) Scruples was right, gamma was turned on and set to 2.2 in the file, which will attempt to "gamma correct" the normal map throwing off the colors/values and creating seams.
The easiest way to deal with this is to turn off Gamma/LUT (Main menu > Rendering > Gamma/LUT Settings, uncheck enable).
There is another way to exclude the normal map from gamma correction, it was mentioned on the boards before but I can't remember it off the top of my head.
2) The AO passes that are applied to the diffuse has seam issues that need to be taken care of, when I hide them and go with flat color, the seams dissapear.
So the normal map looks mostly fine, there are some weird shading errors around the ring finger but that looks like a baking artifact.
I got caught up in stuff irl, but glad to see Mark was able to diagnose. Honestly I probably wouldn't have caught that, since max settings aren't my forte.
Replies
Also, what program is the seam occurring and under what circumstances?
3dsmax with a specific viewport shader?
UDK after baking in xNormal?
Rendering in Maya?
If you're talking about seams while you're texturing him in photoshop or something, that can be solved in a couple different ways.
1. avoid painting near seams. By putting your uv seams in places where you won't need to add much detail, you can avoid ever having to paint on them.
2. Set up your uvs to make it easier to avoid seams in photoshop. For instance, if I knew I wanted to texture in a bracelet going around the arm, I would probably UV the arm so that I could simply draw a thin rectangle in photoshop for the bracelet. If I match up the uv's, I wouldn't get any seams.
3. Use 3D-painting software. Lots of programs allow you to paint directly on a 3d model. 3dcoat and mudbox are the best, but zbrush and even photoshop allow you to do it as well.
The seam occurs in 3dsMax from the Normal Maps
I'm using the Xoliul Shader
I used Xnormal to bake the normals
If you still get seams I think it might be coming from some settings inside xNormal, that need to be changed so it syncs properly with max.
Also did you do anything to your normal map after baking it and didn't normalize it? It seems kind of dark in the Xoliul Shader preview slot.
With a standard shader it still shows up (tried no maps and it still shows up)
I did not do anything to my normal map
No I'm using 2012
With a standard shader it still shows up (tried no maps and it still shows up)
I did not do anything to my normal map
Really? That's really strange. If you're saying seams are showing up with no textures applied, just a simple phong or lambert, then....
Only thing I can think is that you have a hard edge in your geometry's normals. Make sure all your normals are softened (my Maxese is spotty, but I think the translation is 'all one smoothing group')
Actually nvm it's just the normal maps that are doing it, I have no idea why, what are some steps in Zbrush or PS that can get rid of the seams?
this is what it looks like wit diffuse and an AO
and finally the normal
I used Xnormal for the AO and X normal.
What could be the Problem?
When you used a standard material did you place the normal map directly in the bump map slot or did you apply a "Normal Bump" to the bump slot and put the normal map in that?
Just putting the normal map in the bump slot will treat it like a standard black and white bump map and give you seams.
Yeah I tried un-checking the flip green, I'll show you pics of it on and off
This is checked
This is unchecked
and for the standard I applied normal bumb to the bumb slot
Do you use dropbox? If so can I have your e-mail associated with dropbox?
Just use this
http://www.speedyshare.com/
It'll allow other people to access the files too, that way
http://speedy.sh/UrvTd/POLYOUNT-SHARE.zip
Gamma correction is confusing to say the least so here's some official documentation on it
http://docs.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/15/ENU/3ds-Max-Help/index.html?url=files/GUID-1AE4B763-13B0-4242-AE71-B2587CD116F3.htm,topicNumber=d30e603998
Hey did you figure out my problem?
1) Scruples was right, gamma was turned on and set to 2.2 in the file, which will attempt to "gamma correct" the normal map throwing off the colors/values and creating seams.
The easiest way to deal with this is to turn off Gamma/LUT (Main menu > Rendering > Gamma/LUT Settings, uncheck enable).
There is another way to exclude the normal map from gamma correction, it was mentioned on the boards before but I can't remember it off the top of my head.
2) The AO passes that are applied to the diffuse has seam issues that need to be taken care of, when I hide them and go with flat color, the seams dissapear.
So the normal map looks mostly fine, there are some weird shading errors around the ring finger but that looks like a baking artifact.