Exported normals problem

[Aerovisual]

Hi,

I've started my 3DCoat journey just 5 days ago and I love the sculpting aspect of the software. However the thing that became a huge roadblock for me is the exporting part.

I'd like to export my sculpts to Substance Painter and Cinema4D but having difficulty with the normals.

 

Here are my steps:

Once the sculpt is complete I retopo via decimation and set the poly count.

Then I bake w/ normal map (per pixel):

https://imgur.com/S0lggXE

https://imgur.com/78JdCB5

I check the object with and without the normal map in the painting room:

https://imgur.com/UxfArhA

Notice the model looks correct with the normals on:

https://imgur.com/PE1TQop

 

Then I export:

https://imgur.com/4qe51Bu

 

When I open the model in Substance and add the normal map the model looks as if it doesn't have the normal maps at all:

https://imgur.com/IcaL5Ty

https://imgur.com/gb8AL06

https://imgur.com/undefined

 

I see the same result when I import the object in Cinema4D. Somehow the normals don't correct the model as they do in 3DCoat's painting room.

 

Here's the 3DCoat file that I use:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CoJ5iPt_l2JDKE6yHQxSoEVqJZfQDeJ_/view?usp=sharing

 

Thank you.

[Dmitriy Nos]

1 hour ago, Aerovisual said:

Here's the 3DCoat file that I use:

Hi! Try exporting the scene I attached. If it imports correctly into a third-party application, you need to change the scan depth before baking.

 

normals_test.3b

[Aerovisual]

Hi Oleg,

Thanks for the reply. I did try your file. Again it works in 3DCoat but when I import to Substance or C4D I get the same distorted model.

My export settings from your file:

https://imgur.com/NBkan4T

Model in Substance Painter with normal map applied:

https://imgur.com/wppJlKD

[Carlosan]

- Baking scan settings

- I changed snapping method

- Export Preset from baking

- Result on 3DC

normals_test.3b

- Export preset for paint room

- SP import

- painter

 

* remember to import the external baked maps

 

//edit

 

- Add preset

 

- Presets can be found on

C:\Program Files\3DCoat-2025\data\ToolsPresets\ExtTools

ExtTools.rar

[Aerovisual]

Where can I find your Normal map preset? When I bake with default Substance painter preset the normals come out empty.

[carrots]

[Aerovisual]

Unfortunately even Carlosan's project file looks deformed on my machine:

 

My export settings:

 

Substance:

[Aerovisual]

I have also tried in 3dCoat 2024 and updated the Nvidia drivers. Still cannot get clean results.

[Aerovisual]

Finally I've solved the issue. It was the Z-Up Coordinate system. I was using z-up because the orientation of the imported object was bothering me (making it hard to orbit the camera) in Substance Painter. 

With the fallowing bake settings I finally got a decent import in SP:

 

 

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

 

Edited July 5 by Aerovisual