Support/Maintain Explicit Vertex Normals in Symmetry/Mirror Modifiers

[dswahn]

Vertex normals are often explicit in imported meshes coming from various CAD scenes.

The shading that comes from the explicit normals are often crucial to maintain as the topology in CAD models is not always ideal. This means that resetting vertex normals (and use Smoothing Groups) will alter the look of the surface shading far too much. It is therefore crucial to maintain the explicit vertex normals in these models.

Modifiers like Symmetry and Mirror are very useful when working with complex symmetrical objects, such as automotives. But it seems that these modifiers reset the explicit vertex normals when applied to the geometry.

I urge that these modifiers need to support Explicit Vertex Normals.

Perhaps make it a mode were the user can select whether to maintain or reset vertex normals in the geometry.

In my mind the modifiers need to flip the explicit vertex normals across the mirror/symmetry axes rather than resetting them. Any new vertices introduced should perhaps be made explicit as well for consistency (or make this an option the user can set by preference).

[Kranos_Orphydian]

big issue here!

[Tansuahmet]

Please implement this! 

[stephan_reischer]

 Just to remind: even adding a "edit_mesh" modifier can break explicit vertex normals. This is bad when - lets say - edet submaterial numbers!

[massimo_bongiorno]

As a realtime 3D Vehicle Artist i can say that this is a pain in the a..

3DSMax should handle it symetry is very something basic in 3D that artists do X time a day.

To solve my pain, i got to make a tool myself that solve it ...

[Kranos_Orphydian]

still not addressed in 2024.2 update?

[massimo_bongiorno]

@Kranos_Orphydian No, not yet.