Hi! Checking the lowpoly in Blender with the Normalmap applied, there are similar shading errors as you show. How does the lowpoly + Normalmap look in Toolbag? Did the shading of the lowpoly change by any chance since the bake? That said, I agree with gnoop on improving the lowpolys' shading. Hard edges at steep angles…
I suppose you could select edges by UV seams and set them to hard which should remove some mayor shading gradients. Then check if the result is improved when baking anew.
Your problem is on modelling side. I see same huge shading gradients on your mesh too. And while normal map can theoretically counter-measure them in a perfectly "synced" workflow you would never get it looking perfectly right in actual game anyway . 8 bit normal map with compression just doesn't have enough precision for…
using smooth normals works when everything is perfect but at no other time. in practice, if the model looks good in an untextured, shaded view then you're in a good place to start baking. it's not a guarantee that hardening all your shell edges will look the best but it's a good starting point
Smoothing entire mesh works ok for organic subjects or characters. Anything boxy shaped or just having close to 90 degree angle in between polygons would need either split/hardened edge or a geometry bevel/ chamfer with vertex normals slightly rotated to be perpendicular to adjacent bigger faces . It's called face…
Hi! Did you triangulate the mesh on export? That would be a way to make sure its shading is consistent between applications. Also ensure the Normalmap handedness (y/green-channel direction) is consistent between baking and texturing project. Happy to take a look if you share files (zip + attach).
I feel like this is probably a fairly common issue but I cant seem to find anything online so im probably googling poorly. Im sure the answer is probably how the triangulation is done but im not sure how else to do it, its the exact same topology and issue on the other side also. It was baked in marmoset and it looked…