Content Dev:CC Normals Bake
- Main article: CC Content Development.
The Current Problem
Lax normal implementation for general props in iClone will have no problems. However, when the same normals implementation is applied to a skinned mesh and brought into iClone, problems do occur. This is because normal recalculations inside iClone will result in shading artefacts.
Before the application of skin weights.
After the application of skin weights.
Particularly obvious are the concave shading effects on the skinned mesh. Working backwards to fix the normals for the skinned mesh will, in turn, cause shading problems when applied to a prop. Continue reading this article to acquire the know-how for creating normal maps that is compatible with both props and characters inside CC and iClone along with any other major third party 3D software.
Normals Baking Process
Basic Workflow
Prior Problematic Workflow
- Align the high and low poly geometries.
- Completely smooth the surface normals for the low poly geometry as a single smoothing group.
- Create the offset cage.
- Bake the normal map from high to low poly.
Latter Improved Workflow
- Align the high and low poly geometries.
- Apply appropriate smoothing groups to the low poly mesh.
- Split UV seams along hard edges according to the smoothing groups.
- Create the offset cage.
- Bake the normal map from high to low poly.
- ⚠ Most drastic changes in the new workflow is in the handling of smoothing groups, UV splitting and bake cage creation.
Important Points
Smoothing Groups
The point of smoothing groups is to create hard and soft surface shading. This relieves the normal map from having to change a smooth look to a hard look for broad surfaces, and vice versa. Instead, the normal map can be used for it's strengths, which is the rendering of fine details.
Smoothing group set to soft.
Results in shading artefacts.
Smoothing group set to hard.
Results in correct shading.
As illustrated, when a hard surface object does not have proper smoothing groups, then the baked normal map will create a gradient effect across mesh faces of large surface angles. This also has a slight effect on the lighting of object. Smoothing groups should be set when dealing with hard surfaces with acute surface angles.
