Bake coming out grey

[Kelvoid]

Hi, I've been using 3D-Coat for a few months now and have learned a lot. Recently I have run into an issue that I haven't had before. My work flow typically consists of sculpting a high poly mesh > painting it > retopoing > baking the highres to the retopo. I had finished up this model with this method and had no issues, how ever I needed to make a small change. I made the change but I needed to rebake the texture, how ever once I tried the result is just grey. I've tried a few different settings but no luck. Again, never had any issues with this util now and I'm not sure if its a bug, or I'm just missing something. Here are some images illustrating what I'm talking about.

Highpoly w color data

retopo mesh

Result after baking.

 

Thanks

[digman]

If you can share the file as in this case it could be faster vs a lot of back and forth typing in the thread...  If you need the file to remain private send me a pm to download the 3DC file from a server... 

One tip. Have you tried deleting the AO layer and recalculating your AO again from the Textures Menu---- Calculate Occlusion in the paint room.

You could just hide the AO layer to see if it is the problem first and if so delete it and recalculate. 

Worth a check.

Edited July 3, 2017 by digman

[Carlosan]

Are you using the latest version ?

Please check your scene scale before bake.

 

[Kelvoid]

@digman I've uploaded the file here feel free to take a look, I attempted both, the ambient occlusion layer doesn't seem to be the issue, it seems to lay somewhere in the baking process.

@Carlosan I made it using an earlier version (4.7.24) but I've just updated to the latest (4.7.32) I checked the Scene Scale and its the same as you have pictured. Since opening the file in the latest version however, I'm having a new issue on top of the original where this top piece is black no matter what I do

 

Thanks for your help

[Carlosan]

After any scale transform, remember to Convert your geometry to Global Space. The red warning show the status.

 

[Carlosan]

Virtual Mirror Mode, switch to OFF.

On 4/29/2012 at 4:04 PM, TimmyZDesign said:

Basically Virtual Mirror Mode is useful because it allows you to work exclusively on one side of your mesh while viewing a virtual preview for the other side. It is a nondestructive method of working, which I really like. It also allows you to snap the edges of polygons along the symmetry line using "mirror snapping". It is a nondestructive method of working, allowing for quick and easy changes to symmetrical models. I prefer to always leave it on during retopo, but it does have one slightly annoying bug: It doesn't work with the strokes tool. The workaround is to turn symmetry off temporarily and delete the unwanted faces it has created. This isn't a big deal, but I will report this bug when I get around to it.

FYI, here are two threads about this same exact topic that will probably answer any other questions you might have:

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9674&st=0&p=74468&hl=+virtual%20+mirror&fromsearch=1entry74468

and:

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9673&st=0&p=74485&hl=+virtual%20+mirror&fromsearch=1entry74485

 

[Carlosan]

Show Voxels in Paint room, switch to OFF

 

[Carlosan]

Hope this help

 

[digman]

Ok, whether this file got corrupted or partial corrupted I can not say. Below is my method for fixing it.

First: 

Close 3DC and reopen the application. I do this whenever solving problems as 3DC seems to remember some information from scene to scene when not closing the application first and reopening.

Load the 3DC file.

Turn off any symmetry, at least in the paint room. it is now not needed in the baking process as everthing is ready to go. I normally do not have symmetry on when baking. Never have virtual symmetry on when baking as a rule of thumb. I do not think it was on but just given for your FYI.

Non- Uniform and Black top fixing.

As Carlosan said the Tab layer is non-uniform. You have the red warning at the bottom of the interface. Anytime you transform along a single axis you stretch the voxels or polygons out of uniform space. Correct as shown in Carlosan's picture by right clicking on the Tab layer and choosing Uniform Space.

Next, right click on the tab layer again and change the parent to Root..

Now you can go back to the "Top" layer, select a shader and it will appear correctly. Why this method fixed the problem, do not know but it worked.

Switch to the retopo room and re-bake. You should be asked to delete the object and layers in the paint room before baking starts. This is a must for correct re-baking. If you are not ask the question and it bakes anyway, go to the paint room and delete the now two paint objects in the paint room plus any paint layers. In the bottom of the paint layer panel is a small "X", click on that to remove any unused layers. Re-bake again.

Sculpt room model is correctly baked to the paint room. Be sure to hide the surface mode object in the paint room if it is not hidden already to revel the baked object. 

Done.

The above is how I fixed the problem and I re-baked a few times to be sure it kept working, 

EDIT... I just went through the above from the start again and  got the same correct results.

 

 

Edited July 5, 2017 by digman
corrections

[Kelvoid]

@digman @Carlosan So I followed all the steps you guys listed above. The rendering issue with the top was solved, yet I'm still not getting the proper result once I bake. I'm not sure if I'm missing something in the bake settings but I haven't had this issue in the past and I'm essentially using the default settings (only thing I change is setting the texture resolution to 2048) Its odd that both of you got the desired result yet I'm getting this now:

the normal and some specular/color is coming through?

Again, I appreciate all the help.

[digman]

Kelvoid... Did you close 3DC first and then reopen the 3DC file. What is the texture resolution you desire so I can rebake at the resolution plus save the file. I will upload the fixed 3DC file to dropbox and send you a link to download it, so you do not have to mess with it anymore... I will send you a pm with the link. If I here from you tonight  might not have time but can in the morning sometime.

Suggestion, save a backup copy of the file I send you... The good one.

Now do a re-bake and if it is incorrect again maybe a XML file has gotten corrupted.  Report back here if the rebake is incorrect again once you do a re-bake.

Edited July 6, 2017 by digman

[Kelvoid]

@digman Yeah I even tried closing and re-opening the program after each step haha. Still no luck same results as above. I even did a quick test on a new file with no problems so I'm pretty stumped as to what the issue could be, seeing as both of you got the desired results with the same file. if you want to send me the file I'd really appreciate it, and thanks for all your help!

[digman]

Link to the fixed file has been sent.

I encountered the same problem today. I opened the fixed file, did re-bake and got the dark grey instead of the vertex color being baked on the main can body. 

I believe you have encountered a bug. In my pm to you I posted about sending your original file plus a link to this thread to Andrew so he can figure out what is going on.

I did another test on the fixed file.

I exported the can body layer as a Ply file which saves vertex color information and then deleted the original body can layer.

Next imported the can body layer (Ply) plus I make sure the other layers have a shader assigned to them even though it might appear in the viewport they have one already. That is just to be safe.

Re-baked and now the bake once again is correct.

Edited July 6, 2017 by digman
corrections

[Kelvoid]

@digman I received the file and all is good on my end. Like I mentioned earlier this is the only time I've ever encountered this problem so it seems likely that this was all just an odd bug. Thanks once again for all your help, I've certainly learned a thing or two.