I don't think using a cage and projection is the way to go for something as simple as AO. You can set your render-er to be Mental Ray, select just the low poly ladder and in RTT instead of diffuse or complete render out MentalRay(AO). Then go dig out the file wherever you set it to be saved and ignore the render preview…
- 3dsmax? Xnormal? Maya? - What does the unwrap look like 100% unique or are pieces overlapping? - Using MentalRayAO or you're own unique light setup like a sky light? I suspect you have overlapping UVs? If so move all overlapping pieces out of the 0-1 space, preferably one tile to the left top or bottom so they still line…
how do you bake them?could you show your setting for the texture baker? and do you use cage projection? I do this in max usually so if its done in max here are some thoughts: by the look of it I could suggest that you keep the smothing groups hard and then use a cage projection to bake from one each other. But then again…