[Modo] Bake Point Light Map

Brian "Panda" Choi · Mar 2016

Does anyone know how to imitate this point light map bake from this tutorial?

http://polycount.com/discussion/101248/dota-2-art-guide-baking-a-gradient-mask

Bek · Mar 2016

I don't think it's currently possible, but I'd be happy to be shown wrong.

Substance painter can generate a position map for you though (Probably designer as well, but I can't confirm)

AtticusMars · Mar 2016

I'm not sure about Modo but there are like five other solutions for getting similar results in other applications posted in that thread. The method pior posted should work in most applications (provided your program lets you bake from one uv channel to another which again.... not sure modo does)

SenSayNyu · Mar 2016

You can bake position maps in Modo. I used two methods:

1) Create 3 UV maps, planar projection in XYZ accordingly, assign material with gradients where input parameter set to Texure U/V.

2) Create assembly with material where you need to input XYZ dimensions of model.

Both methods a bit convoluted, i would like to have more automated way to create positions maps.

Brian "Panda" Choi · Mar 2016

@Bek : So the position map isn't monochrome in this. What's the difference from the monochrome vs. the colored version that's outputted from Substance?

BTW, using Substance Painter to bake out the position map has worked. Thank you all! Still not absolutely sure yet how to convert the map to a monochrome one for on-albedo texture application.

Bek · Mar 2016

@Brian It offers both I believe; my current project is using a monochrome position map anyway. Check the "Position" tab under the "Bake Textures" dialogue, there's an option for Mode; One Axis or All Axis. I'm guessing that All Axis is what generates a coloured map.

That modo method is interesting, I might have to try that sometime - though substance makes it pretty quick and easy already. Having said that, there is the slight dilemma that if you import an exploded mesh your position map is going to be a bit off - you can avoid this by importing a non-exploded mesh, baking position, re-importing the exploded mesh and then getting to work... but that's hardly the best workflow. Substance Painter just needs a better way to handle mesh chunks/groups for convenient selection/masking/hiding (ie, one that doesn't split up exported textures per chunk).

[Modo] Bake Point Light Map

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