Does anyone have a good config set up for XSI7? I have one now but it sucks. It has way too many seams in the thing.
The problem may be the shader in XSI7 you use. Can you tell about it it more?
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](javascript:zb_insimg(‘123582’,‘NormalShader.jpg’,1,0))
There is the shader I built. Normal map>image node>color channel split (to flip channels if needed)>channel combine>into normalbump>into material bump slot.
Someone was telling me I am setting up my normals wrong. They said a Digital Tutors video says how to do it right, but I really don’t want to spend $50 just to get my normals working inside XSI.
Also, if I simply use XSI to generate the normals using ultimapper how do I increase the intensity of the map? It always shows up very muted (i am assuming this is also because of my shader)
If I use Zmapper to generate my normals I get crazy seams. If I use Ultimapper, I still get some seams (not as bad) but there is no real value to my normals. Anyway, if Someone sees what I am doing wrong, please let me know.
Thte problem is with XSI rendering. In v6 normal map rendering was OK, but in v7 normal map rendering became a ****. Whatever you do, there will be seams…sorry, pal, that’s a bad news. I had to render my character in max because of this…
And to answer your other question, the best way is to increase the intensity, if you go into photoshop, and set the channels to use the whole range (via levels)
I render normal maps in XSI 7.01 all the time… no seams. Make sure you apply a Tangent property to your mesh… tangent space normal maps are prone to seams, but if the mesh has tangents computed it will line up just right with your map.
let me know if you need clarification, i can post some steps (its late and i dunno if im making sense)
all you need to do is apply the tangent property to your mesh, drop a material on it, add a XSINormalMap node with your normal map as an input, and then hook it up directly to the material’s bump. from the normal map node you will have to select your tangent space, just hit ‘new from vertex color’.
If you don’t set up tangents, you see black renders. So, believe me, I have the tangents set up. And the same scene rendered in v6.5 very well, but in v7.01 there is the seam.
hrm, I must have a magical version of XSI then :lol:
lets play a game… i call it “find the seam” 
I purposely left a huge gap going right down the center of this XSI-face to prove my point. Yes, you applied a tangent property- but are you using it correctly? Here’s my workflow in case it helps you guys:
- sculpt like normal, when finished either export level 1 subd or switch back to morph target (whichever workflow you use)
- open up zmapper, load the Maya Tangent Space (best quality) preset
- change the display mode to tangent so you can see the seams
- on expert pass 2, crank up the smoothing for all four sliders (UV’s/groups). Also play with the different tangency modes, whatever makes your seams less visible is what you want- typically i’ll go with short triangles.
- go to the normal map projection and turn on ray visibility, make sure the rays are not clipping.
- capture the current mesh
- calculate projected normal map.
- Load up XSI and import your level 1 mesh
- Apply a Tangent property to your mesh
- give it a material, and drop an XSINormalMap2 node on it and plug it into the material’s bump slot. Select your normal map as the map input.
** if you render it here, you will have seams! My guess is that this is likely where most people are screwing things up *** - inside the normal map node, next to the Tangents dropdown, click NEW and then color at vertices.
- Uncheck unbiased tangents (or leave it checked, depending on if you want unbiased tangents
- render
That’s why you don’t have seam. If you would heal the islands together, and let the seam happen at only on the back of the head (or under the chin, etc) you would have the seam. In games you have to map your face with the least islands, to have an efficient vertex data quantity. So let’s play further, let the head have one continuous island, with the seam at his back, and render that. I have no problem with a similar case, you introduced us. Lately I had a commission to make a character for game, but I had to render it to the client. When I was ready, and the character was OK in the viewport, I realized, that the render sucks. I had to render it in max (what a shame 
)…
right, because a seam isn’t a seam sometimes.
just for arguments sake I’ve wasted an additional 20 minutes of my life to put together the following screenshot further hammering home my point. If this doesn’t convince you that there’s nothing wrong with XSI7’s normal mapping, then you deserve to be going back and forth between three software packages to get anything done.
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](javascript:zb_insimg(‘124118’,‘noseams2.jpg’,1,0))
thx testure …
Testure, thanks for your extra 20 minutes, it helped me a lot! Stupid me, shame on me, and ash over my head, that I was so stupid…
So two things that I realized when I reopen the scene of mine:
- Unbiased normal map was ON, turning off killed the seam instantly
- Since the model was delivered to use with Max, I had to have inverted the G channel
Summing these, there were a ****ty render. It is my fault, but failures leads to success also, and I’m not ashamed when I learn from my own failures. And if there is support, like you gave, I really appreciate.
So thanks, and I’m happy that there is one reason less to even touch max
no worries man, glad it helped you out. If I seem a bit edgy about the normal map issue it’s because I’ve seen it come up several times in other forums and people always think i’m crazy when I say normal maps work fine in 7
Next time feel free to call me as reinforcement 
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you !!!