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Normal Map Seams


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  • Contributor

Hello 3D Coaters,

Problem:

Once again I am getting normal map seams that are visible in Maya mental ray render.

My Process:

I made a model in Voxel room, made low poly mesh in Retopo room, made UVs using "Unwrap" then selected all islands, then clicked "to LSCM" option, then "Pack UV", picked "Merge with NM (per-pixel)" from Retopo menu, and ended up with lots of seams on "Normalmap" layer in per-pixel Paint room.

Question:

What can I do to avoid getting these normal map seams? Should I create a different kind of UV map? Do I need to choose different options before sending to Paint room? What should I do?

I am using Windows 3D-Coat version 3.5.26A(CUDA)(DX 64Bit) on Xeon 4 core 6 GB RAM with Quadro FX 3800 graphics card dual-monitor setup with Cintiq 12WX

Thanks!

-Tim Z.

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post-3260-0-97985400-1319179083_thumb.jp

post-3260-0-02648200-1319179094_thumb.jp

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  • Contributor

Looks like padding is missing, it is really strange. If you will send me scene to support@3d-coat.com, I will tell exact reason.

I just sent you a download link to the scene file (it is 106MB). Thank-you for taking the time to look at this!

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  • Contributor

I got file and now the reason is obvious. Using sharp edges+baking will always give bad result. Edge is starp but texture interpolation is smooth and can't beat that sharpness. So just don't use smoothing groups in import dialog.

Thank you Andrew! I turned off auto smoothing groups and changed around some of the UV edges and managed to get a much better result. There was however still one really bad seam near the sharpest edge of the object that I could not get rid of. I had to actually make the edge thicker in the voxel room and then add some faces to it in the Retopo room in order to make it go away. It seems that sharp-edged objects don't work too well with normal maps, or at least the ones that are generated in 3D-Coat. I will keep this in mind as I finish off this project. Thank-you again for your help!

-Tim Z.

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