baking normal map using cycles does not support custom vertex normals on the baking target mesh #53498

New Issue

Bram Eulaers · 2017-12-07T07:45:09+01:00

Bram Eulaers commented

2017-12-07 07:45:09 +01:00

System Information
Windows 10

Blender Version
blender-2.79.0 2bf3825

Bug Description:

When baking normal maps from a high poly mesh to a low poly mesh using cycles, if the low poly mesh has customized vertex normals, cycles will not use them.

I uploaded a test file here which contains a simple highpoly (using a material with the new blend node) and lowpoly with custom normals (created using the Y.A.V.N.E. plugin):

http://www.brameulaers.net/blender/debug/cycles_baketest.blend

Using cycles for baking I consistently get incorrect normals baked down.

Custom normals are very often used in game development to get higher quality bakes and more flexible normal maps. Getting this feature to work correctly in Blender, used together with the new bevel node will make Blender a very powerful tool for producing PBR ready game art.
If anyone has time to take a look at this, I'd be very grateful! Hit me up if you need more test cases to work with and I'll gladly set them up.

**System Information** Windows 10 **Blender Version** blender-2.79.0 2bf3825 **Bug Description:** When baking normal maps from a high poly mesh to a low poly mesh using cycles, if the low poly mesh has customized vertex normals, cycles will not use them. I uploaded a test file here which contains a simple highpoly (using a material with the new blend node) and lowpoly with custom normals (created using the Y.A.V.N.E. plugin): http://www.brameulaers.net/blender/debug/cycles_baketest.blend Using cycles for baking I consistently get incorrect normals baked down. Custom normals are very often used in game development to get higher quality bakes and more flexible normal maps. Getting this feature to work correctly in Blender, used together with the new bevel node will make Blender a very powerful tool for producing PBR ready game art. If anyone has time to take a look at this, I'd be very grateful! Hit me up if you need more test cases to work with and I'll gladly set them up.

Bram Eulaers commented

2017-12-07 07:45:09 +01:00

Changed status to: 'Open'

Bram Eulaers commented

2017-12-07 07:45:09 +01:00

Added subscriber: @Leukbaars

blender-admin commented

2017-12-07 07:45:09 +01:00

#62370 was marked as duplicate of this issue

blender-admin commented

2017-12-07 07:45:09 +01:00

#54460 was marked as duplicate of this issue

Sergey Sharybin commented

2017-12-13 14:14:17 +01:00

Added subscribers: @dfelinto, @Sergey

Dalai Felinto was assigned by Sergey Sharybin

2017-12-13 14:14:17 +01:00

Sergey Sharybin commented

2017-12-13 14:14:17 +01:00

Uploading file here: cycles_baketest.blend

@dfelinto, something you can have a look? :)

Uploading file here: [cycles_baketest.blend](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F1390266/cycles_baketest.blend) @dfelinto, something you can have a look? :)

Philipp Oeser commented

2018-04-23 14:48:15 +02:00

Added subscribers: @SakariLeppa, @lichtwerk

Joanna Vetulani commented

2018-05-12 23:03:45 +02:00

Added subscriber: @Jasiek

Joanna Vetulani commented

2018-05-12 23:03:45 +02:00

Any progress on this?
Doing a model with custom normals on the low-poly and the expertimental dispalcement on the high poly... and kinda can't progress until this is fixed, is there an ETA?

Any progress on this? Doing a model with custom normals on the low-poly and the expertimental dispalcement on the high poly... and kinda can't progress until this is fixed, is there an ETA?

Nate T commented

2018-05-17 17:06:43 +02:00

Added subscriber: @Clean3d

Agustin D'Alessandro commented

2018-08-31 07:04:33 +02:00

Added subscriber: @AgustinDAlessandro

Agustin D'Alessandro commented

2018-09-12 01:55:18 +02:00

For what I can see the normals are baked correctly, at least in 2.79.6. The problem that I noticed was the rendering of the object, custom normals and normal maps are still giving problems to cycles{F4670131}. Can anyone Upload another example, maybe I'm missing it.

For what I can see the normals are baked correctly, at least in 2.79.6. The problem that I noticed was the rendering of the object, custom normals and normal maps are still giving problems to cycles{[F4670131](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F4670131/Bake.png)}. Can anyone Upload another example, maybe I'm missing it.

Joanna Vetulani commented

2018-09-12 10:51:51 +02:00

I tried baking a simple model with Cycles recently and the problem persists, the low poly mesh had edited normals using the blend4web plugin, and cycles ignored them during baking, while internal gave me a correct, and quite visibly different result of the bake.

I can provide an example file later today.

Here is a recording of the process, where I first try and bake it out in cycles and am getting an unwanted result, and in the end I use internal and the result is correct :

This was recorded during a stream, so you may have to skip through the video. It contains the normal editing process, baking in cycles and internal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b23nwQb_qLI

I tried baking a simple model with Cycles recently and the problem persists, the low poly mesh had edited normals using the blend4web plugin, and cycles ignored them during baking, while internal gave me a correct, and quite visibly different result of the bake. I can provide an example file later today. Here is a recording of the process, where I first try and bake it out in cycles and am getting an unwanted result, and in the end I use internal and the result is correct : This was recorded during a stream, so you may have to skip through the video. It contains the normal editing process, baking in cycles and internal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b23nwQb_qLI

Agustin D'Alessandro commented

2018-09-12 15:09:08 +02:00

Will check it out

Sebastian Parborg commented

2019-03-09 12:49:19 +01:00

Added subscriber: @Vyach

Steffen Dünner commented

2019-05-06 21:14:33 +02:00

Added subscriber: @SteffenD

Eugenio Pignataro commented

2019-06-12 18:48:05 +02:00

Added subscriber: @EugenioPignataro

Eugenio Pignataro commented

2019-06-12 18:48:05 +02:00

Same problem for me.
I'm in 2.8

Same problem for me. I'm in 2.8

Dalai Felinto removed their assignment 2019-12-23 16:36:26 +01:00

Philipp Oeser commented

2020-02-10 13:05:37 +01:00

Changed status from 'Confirmed' to: 'Resolved'

Philipp Oeser closed this issue

2020-02-10 13:05:37 +01:00

Philipp Oeser self-assigned this 2020-02-10 13:05:37 +01:00

Philipp Oeser commented

2020-02-10 13:05:37 +01:00

It looks like this has been resolved?
In 79003fa0c4 I get:

2.8 Cycles with Split Normals

2.8 Cycles without Split Normals

whereas in 2.79 these looked the same with or without the split normals...

[looks like this has been resolved somewhere between 8aa87972ca and 9ab0247b6e, probably c8e3fe608e]

So will close as resolved, feel free though to comment again if issues persist...

It looks like this has been resolved? In 79003fa0c4 I get: 2.8 Cycles with Split Normals ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F8332398/image.png) 2.8 Cycles without Split Normals ![image.png](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F8332395/image.png) whereas in 2.79 these looked the same with or without the split normals... [looks like this has been resolved somewhere between 8aa87972ca and 9ab0247b6e, probably c8e3fe608e] So will close as resolved, feel free though to comment again if issues persist...

Joanna Vetulani commented

2020-02-10 14:26:01 +01:00

At a quick glance the sides of the screws (I assume that's what it is- the two vertical strips on the left) look incorrect - like world space normals. It could be a problem with the model, will test it out on my own model.

Just making sure here too - the issue at hand is surface weighted normals on the low poly, not the high poly - as in, an ingame model might have both a baked normal map and surface weighted normals, and they need to be baked to the low poly with the weighted normal taken into account.

Thanks!

At a quick glance the sides of the screws (I assume that's what it is- the two vertical strips on the left) look incorrect - like world space normals. It could be a problem with the model, will test it out on my own model. Just making sure here too - the issue at hand is surface weighted normals on the low poly, not the high poly - as in, an ingame model might have both a baked normal map and surface weighted normals, and they need to be baked to the low poly with the weighted normal taken into account. Thanks!

Philipp Oeser commented

2020-02-10 15:00:37 +01:00

Changed status from 'Resolved' to: 'Needs User Info'

Philipp Oeser reopened this issue

2020-02-10 15:00:37 +01:00

Philipp Oeser removed their assignment 2020-02-10 15:00:37 +01:00

Philipp Oeser commented

2020-02-10 15:00:37 +01:00

Thx for getting back.
Yes, please check again, if it turns out there are still issues, please also upload your own file here...

Thx for getting back. Yes, please check again, if it turns out there are still issues, please also upload your own file here...

Campbell Barton commented

2020-02-24 03:39:42 +01:00

Added subscriber: @ideasman42

Campbell Barton commented

2020-02-24 03:39:42 +01:00

Changed status from 'Needs User Info' to: 'Archived'

Campbell Barton closed this issue

2020-02-24 03:39:42 +01:00

Campbell Barton self-assigned this 2020-02-24 03:39:42 +01:00

Campbell Barton commented

2020-02-24 03:39:42 +01:00

More than a week without reply or activity.
Due to the policy of the tracker closing for until required info/data are provided.

If the problem persists please open a new report with the required information.

More than a week without reply or activity. Due to the policy of the tracker closing for until required info/data are provided. If the problem persists please open a new report with the required information.

Adam C commented

2020-11-06 13:58:37 +01:00

Added subscriber: @BadSpleen

Adam C commented

2020-11-06 13:58:37 +01:00

Hi. I was having the same problem where the custom split normal data wasn't being used when baking down to a low poly mesh. I noted in the documentation that FBX files support split normals. I exported my object as an FBX, then reimported it, and the normal map baked out as expected, using the split normals.

Hope this helps in some way.

Cheers,
Adam

Hi. I was having the same problem where the custom split normal data wasn't being used when baking down to a low poly mesh. I noted in the documentation that FBX files support split normals. I exported my object as an FBX, then reimported it, and the normal map baked out as expected, using the split normals. Hope this helps in some way. Cheers, Adam

Vyacheslav Kobozev commented

2020-11-06 14:12:28 +01:00

Removed subscriber: @Vyach

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baking normal map using cycles does not support custom vertex normals on the baking target mesh #53498