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normal maps in 3ds max 2010

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi all.

I have a problem with rendering zbrush normal maps in 3ds max 2010.
Everything worked nicely in max 2009 but with same models and maps I get messed up results in 2010. It appears that some of the uv segments have been inverted or are shadowed incorrectly and there’s also some tiling.

I’ve tried to swap red and green and flip them and probably every possible combination of them but it doesn’t help.

Has there been some changes in how max handles normal maps?
I tried to ask in Area forum but I never got answer.

Normal maps were made in Zbrush 3.1 with the settings from file named 3dsmax8modifiedE.zmp which was recommended for earlier max versions.

Attachments

bugged_normal_map.jpg

#2

Have you installed SP1? It solves some issues with displacement maps, it may do the same for normals maps.

#3

Yes I have SP1 installed. I forgot to mention it. It didn’t do any good though. :confused:

#4

Thanks for answering. :slight_smile:

Yeah, I have installed sp1. I forgot to mention that. It didn’t help though. :confused:

#5

Hmmh. Well, my first message got here too. That took quite a while. I wonder why there’s so long delay in my posts. Sorry for “double post” :slight_smile:

#6

seems like a problem of flipped channels and wrong smoothing groups, just flip some channels on the nromal map until its ok.

#7

Hmmmh… Yeah that’s what it looks like but I’ve tried to flip channels and swap colors and combination of those but it doesn’t help. The position of that darker area just moves to different uv segment at some combinations.

What could be wrong with smoothing groups? The whole model has just one smoothing group.

#8

I think you have to flip the green channel.

#9

I’ve tried that. The result is that the area which is too dark in the upper pic is now bright and obviously the other area is now too dark. :confused: It just kinda inverts the problem. :confused:

Attachments

green_flipped.jpg

#10

how does them model look with the normal map turned off and rendered?

#11

It seems to have some shadow bugs but they might get fixed by messing around with light settings. But otherwise it’s just smooth and light grey. :slight_smile:

Attachments

normal off.jpg

#12

upload the model and the normal map, o just schow us the normal map.

#13

There shouldn’t be anything wrong with my model or normal map. They aren’t perfect but work just fine in 3ds max 2009. For some reason max 2010 ruins the normal map.

The attached pic is rendered in 3ds max 2009 and doesn’t have any major problems. :confused:

Attachments

3dsmax09.jpg

#14

so meybe its just a bug, but still i think it somehow the foult of the flipped green channel, look at the results.

#15

Hmmh. Well the zmapper settings flle I use flips the green channel by default. So far it has worked nicely but maybe max 2010 doesn’t need to have the channel flipped.

That doesn’t explain why flipping the channel in max doesn’t help though. :confused:

#16

flip it in ps, i wouldnt trust the flipping in 3d max option ;]

#17

If you can’t fine a solution here or on your own, try Autodesk’s AREA forums, or perhaps try Game Artisans…lots of folks using normal mapping there.

#18

Thanks for replies.

I haven’t found a way to fix the problem, but I think it has something to do with incorrectly mirrored uv segments. When I flip some segments horizontally with uvw unwrap modifier it fixes the error in few areas. Some areas stay too dark no matter what I do. There’s also that annoying “faceted” look on some areas.

I tried to ask about this in Area forums already but I didn’t get any replies.

I just can’t understand why the models and normal maps work without any problems in max 2009. :confused:

#19

Have you checked your gamma settings.
2010 has moved towards the gamma 2.2 settings for rendering etc. so if these are turned on you may have problems.

I’m pleased to say I’ve got in working in 2010 and no seams ! Check out the image.

It’s hard to say what are the right settings for you as I don’t know what your Gamma is set to - mine are 2.2 for everything.

The normal map for this fish was done in ZB 3.5r3 - on the left you can obviously see the seams but forcing Max to interpret the map as Gamma 1.0 fixed my seam issue. Again it will be dependant I think on you Gamma but play with that…

Fish.jpg

#20

Thank you very much :slight_smile: Setting all gamma settings to 1.0 fixed the problem for me :smiley: Hmmh… I wonder why they default to some other value. :confused: