Maya Inverted Normal Maps

camsarrick · Nov 2015

I'm having an issue with a normal map in Maya, when rendered out the map appears inverted.

Here is what the image file (.jpeg) looks like :

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/ic/8r8ncywwdd67.jpg

(I'm using a .PSD file in the hypershade)

When rendered out I get this result, as you can see the normal map appears to be inverted and is actually "pushing" in details instead of "pulling" them out.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/oz/dn26gyiclopl.jpg

Here's a closer look at the issue around the mouth area.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/p5/tatoudx1yfip.jpg

The model and normal map have been created in Zbrush and as far as I can tell there are no issues with UVs.

Any help much appreciated. Thanks

(PS I have cookies for whoever solves me this)

m4dcow · Nov 2015

Set the normal map to tangent space in your bump2d node.

camsarrick · Nov 2015

m4dcow said:

Set the normal map to tangent space in your bump2d node.

Thanks for pointing that out, I had missed out that step.

I've reloaded the normal map onto a new texture (blinn), it's looking fine in the viewport but when rendered it's a mess!
Could this be an issue with the renderer?
I'm using Maya software as my university hasn't gotten round to installing mental ray for Maya (crazy right?)
I've heard that normal maps show up cleaner in mental ray...

Here's a screenie of it in viewport:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/3t/v5wyvj4tgi34.jpg

(Looks fine to me.)

This is it rendered:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/14/2s6zfn4pimvs.jpg

(So messy!)

Any ideas?

(thankings you)

Maya Inverted Normal Maps

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