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Creating normal maps on a character with multiple UV sets - ZBrush 3.5

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

I’ve worked out in 3.5 how to create a normal map from my high res sculpt (although I had to search before realising I hadn’t switched to my lowest sub division - doh!), however, the model I’m working on has 3 sets of UVs, and each set has overlapping sections (i.e mirrored / duplicated parts).

Viewing the UVs in max I have the following setup.

1 2
3 4
5 6

[If 3 is the central UV square - if that makes sense - i.e. bottom left corner of 3 would be 0,0]

1 = first set of UVs
2 = overlaps of 1
3 = second set of UVs
4 = overlaps of 3
5 = third set of UVs
6 = overlaps of 5

At present if I create a normal map, it seems to be making it up from all UV sets.

How should I have my UV layout so that I can export each of the 3 maps whilst ignoring the other UV information.

Many thanks.

Fozz

#2

objects need to be split at their UV regions.

you can go to tool>polygroups>UV groups.
then split the model (tool>subtool>group split)
then you can generate the normals for each region.

most of the time this will give you unwanted results in your normals as each UV region can’t be generated with the adjoining normals taken into consideration.

Most of the time I find baking easier in another application that can understand different UV regions while calculating normals/displacement.
I use xNormal or Modo401 personally.