Baking Normal Maps (For a tree)

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone, 

I'm a little confused about baking my normal maps for my tree let me explain my workflow. 

1. I created a low poly mesh in maya with a good topology (trunk) 

2. I added some branches using 3ds max with attach, chamfer, target weld and bridge to connect the branches to the hole in my trunk. 

3. I made my uv mapping and uv layout in maya. 

4. I extract the branches from the trunk to create 2 group for texturing after in quixel suite 

5. I export my low poly mesh out of maya, and open zbrush and i duplicate it to create my high poly mesh by adding some details to bakes on my low poly mesh 

6. My result is ok but i see the edge of the branches when i apply my normal maps and i'm just not sure if it will give me some trouble later on.. I look in alot of tutorial that talking about "cages" baking or smoothing edge but i'm really confused about what should i do for this type of tree models and i hope that someone can give me a better idea about it. I also try with xnormal but i get the same result. 

I look this documentation too: 

http://leonano.com/portfolio/5-workflow-bake-details-zbrush-lowpoly/

Here's some photo: 

Here's the normal map: 

Thank you in advance!!! 

VB. 

[damaggio]

It looks pretty good Vincent, we would need to see this edge you are talking about, either as a Maya render or quixel screen grab.

[Anonymous]

 damaggio, 

I've made a quick test in Quixel suite and yes i don't know if it's just me that trying a bit too much to make things too great but is the visible edge for the branches is ok ? and my normal map also make a weird wrinkle in the bottom of some branches and I dont really know why. 

I tested a lot of things this week so also i'm pretty sure i can have a better result if I give more time to work on my high poly models (add smoother effect on the branches) but really I wanted to have the best results because i have 6 more trees to rework on with a good topology like this tree. 

Did is just me that exagerate a bit too much for the result? haha it can be! 

Here's photos: 

[Anonymous]

For Maya -> Unity I make hardedges based on uv islands. That way I always got clean results while baking in substance.

Also, use edge padding.

[Anonymous]

Some more questions :

1. Is that change anything in the baking normal map if i sculpt and connect the edge to the trunk in my high poly mesh (without dynameshing, just subdivise to 1mil poly)

2. About cage's i've never really did that as i see this is the low poly model that cover the entire scale of the high poly, is it really worth? Is it give really better result?
3. When you say edge padding i personally add 4 in xnormal is that ok?

My goal is to learn quickly some great and useful stuff to highly improve my workflow

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

1. I am not sure what you mean - thing that matter is to keep same silhouette for both lowpolly and highpolly. Way you create you highpolly (dynamesh/subd. in zbrush) doesnt really matter.

2. Use of cage depends on situation. Sometimes can help to get rid of artifacts. I dont do cage if I dont need one. (which is 99 percent of time ) 

3. Depends what you plan to do with your model. For game models, fill all unused texture space with dilation - it is not used for anything else anyway, and helps in game engines to get rid of visible seems in mipmaps.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for clarifying my question! 

For the first question i discover that for a tree this is not a good idea to DYNAMESH because after you hit that button you will have a 1mil - 2mil mesh which is look correct but if you look closely you can see that this step make your little branches being pretty destroyed like that : 

DynameshLow poly without sculpthighpoly without dynamesh just subdivisionAnother example of sculpt without dynamesh