Best way to get rid of normal map seams?
by Duion · in Artist Corner · 08/04/2013 (7:06 pm) · 47 replies
So I just made a individual texture map for a model to get rid of the seams just to see they are back there when I apply the normal map.
Any experienced artist here who has a good solution for this?
It looks like that:
And this is the original seamless texture without normal map:
I found that other engines and modeling programs seem to have some fancy buttons and options to play around with, but in Torque I have not found options for normal maps so far and in blender it did not look that bad.
Any experienced artist here who has a good solution for this?
It looks like that:
And this is the original seamless texture without normal map:
I found that other engines and modeling programs seem to have some fancy buttons and options to play around with, but in Torque I have not found options for normal maps so far and in blender it did not look that bad.
About the author
http://www.duion.com - Human Paradigm Specialist
#42
08/26/2013 (7:03 am)
The annoying thing to me is knowing the cause but cant figure out how to solve entirely. Just finding the best way to work around it ... 
#43
08/26/2013 (8:24 am)
Duion, you didn't prove baking is no different than generating the normal from a diffuse, you just proved that the displacement modifier doesn't work as expected in Blender. Making a high poly mesh and manually painting in the detail via sculpt mode and then baking the normals will probably be a good solution. Just add a Multires modifier and sculpt away.
#44
Here's just the seams in Blender
postimg.org/image/wco2zkqir/
Here's just the normal map
postimg.org/image/oxyr774n7/
And here it is with the diffuse
postimg.org/image/m55jn64ar/
Also, here it is in T3D. Again, no seams visible.
postimg.org/image/gnaa7xyd5/
So... yeah. Maybe you should just work on your UV unwrapping skills.
08/26/2013 (9:07 am)
I've just tried my method again and apparently I didn't get any seams visible.Here's just the seams in Blender
postimg.org/image/wco2zkqir/
Here's just the normal map
postimg.org/image/oxyr774n7/
And here it is with the diffuse
postimg.org/image/m55jn64ar/
Also, here it is in T3D. Again, no seams visible.
postimg.org/image/gnaa7xyd5/
So... yeah. Maybe you should just work on your UV unwrapping skills.
#45
Maybe you can upload your rock or send it to me.
If you really found a solution you could make a short guide or someone else.
By the way I can see the seams in your Torque screen, but it is hard to tell, since you need a reference picture always from exact the same position. And your seams are more diffuse seams, since there is not much normal effect.
08/26/2013 (9:36 am)
Does not prove anything also. First your normal map looks like almost 128 128 255 and the seam is only visible from a certain angle, even I have to search a while till I find my seams.Maybe you can upload your rock or send it to me.
If you really found a solution you could make a short guide or someone else.
By the way I can see the seams in your Torque screen, but it is hard to tell, since you need a reference picture always from exact the same position. And your seams are more diffuse seams, since there is not much normal effect.
#46
Here's the rock, hope it helps.
www.mediafire.com/download/lbzc90x9d498ziz/testRock.blend
08/26/2013 (10:04 am)
I'm not sure what you mean by 128 128 255. Here's the rock, hope it helps.
www.mediafire.com/download/lbzc90x9d498ziz/testRock.blend
#47
In your blend file the normal map was not active, if you activate it, you can see seams, but they are very small, since you used a lot of polys 10k on one rock and a huge texture 2048x2048 for it and it is almost round and your normal map has almost no effect, since it is almost flat.
My biggest rock is 1000 polys and I put 10 rocks on a 2048x2048 map, thats quite a difference. The higher the resolution, the tinier the seam gets.
08/26/2013 (10:28 am)
128 128 255 means pure normal map blue, means no geometry, means no seams.In your blend file the normal map was not active, if you activate it, you can see seams, but they are very small, since you used a lot of polys 10k on one rock and a huge texture 2048x2048 for it and it is almost round and your normal map has almost no effect, since it is almost flat.
My biggest rock is 1000 polys and I put 10 rocks on a 2048x2048 map, thats quite a difference. The higher the resolution, the tinier the seam gets.
Duion