How to bake normal maps in Modo

Here is a step by step visual representation of how to bake out normal maps in Modo.

In class Normal and AO mapping art test!

        I used to be a max man. 100 percent committed to max. I was married to max. But today I realized that some things are done better outside of max. I took off my blinders after 2 frustrating hours of trying to bake out and generate normal maps in max. Within 5 minutes I had accomplished both map generations in Moto.  I have discovered that you can use more than one software package when 3d modeling. I was always skidish about venturing into unfamiliar territory without mastering my current software first. Boy was I wrong. I feel like staying within the confines of max has forced me to narrow my scope and my perception of 3D modeling as a whole. Now that I have ventured into other environments, I feel I may in fact be ready to branch out and learn other packages.

This is my normal map. Looks great! Not much left to tweaking!

This is my AO map, ready to conqure the world!

Finished Product Gas Pump

Hello everyone,
I have some issues getting my AO map to show in Max. Other than that, I like the way the render and textures turned out. It was a great learning experience, I can't wait to dig into more texturing projects!

Gas Pump Texture WIP

Good Day everyone!

Welcome to my texture WIP. I have spent almost 17 hours on this, I feel it can use some work in some areas. I tried to create my own special design based off of a couple of gas pumps. I designed the color scheme based off of the classic colors that shell used. I tried to mix up a few texture styles while getting some base materials off of the web. I'm glad that we finally got to dig into actual texturing!   I tried to dig into Modo, it just isn't time effective at this point, it is a new platform for me to master and I feel like I need more time with it before I commit to using it full time (plus I still need more time with Max). This was definately the most fun I have had in this class, and I am just barely scratching the surface with texturing (pun intended).

My attempt at normal mapping

Good day everyone!

I have come across quite a few issues when attempting to create and render my normal maps and my ambient occlusion maps. The renders of my normal maps came out all red or did not come out at all. I am assuming that my model integrity was not good enough to allow normal maps render properly. I did in fact manage to project the high poly items to the low poly items, so, the normal map showed up in the active view port, but, did not show up in the render. I've matched my setting and followed the instructions on a handout and my peers. The result was the same every time. In conclusion, I feel like I should scrap my model and remake it with the idea of normal mapping min mind, if I had known what normal mapping and ao mapping entailed I would have made my models differently. Another issue I experienced was that I could not render all of the items (normal mapped) in the same render.
*update: After speaking with the professor, he suggested that I detach each piece of the model one segment at a time in instead of grouping and exploding. Also, I've learned that you need to seperate each piece so they are not touching! I have to redo this assignment and rework and re-unwrap my model.

WIP 2 **FINAL UNWRAP** *updated*

Good evening everyone,

Hopefully it is packed tight enough and the proportions are accurate.

I feel like I have made strides in unwrapping in 3DS max. I still feel a little new, I would love to put a texture on this model, time will tell. It's been fun and challenging, I chose a pretty hefty bot to model, so it has been a very steep, but, fruitful learning experience. I'm glad I chose a challenging model, all it did was give me a crash course in unwrapping and an experience in a wider array of potential problems when modeling. If I had known I was going to be unwrapping this, I would have designed my components differently for sure. I'm guessing that's part of the lesson here.

Thanks everyone!

--Danny
**I noticed that I missed a part, so I'm updating my uv map final build.

Work In progress! Unwrapping my low poly Izmojuki 3D Model

Greetings everyone!


Welcome back. Today I will be discussing the theories behind a good unwrap. The first lesson is making sure you have nice poly flow! Good topography is key to a good unwrap. I have discovered quite a few anomalies while I was unwrapping my bot. There are a few points I would like to discuss on this blog/forum about unwrapping in 3DS Max.

1. Overlapping: This is a very big deal and can go easily unnoticed, especially when unwrapping a cylindrical object. When unwrapping your object be sure to keep tabs on it in real time in the view ports. I would suggest having multiple view ports open during the unwrapping process. Have a wire frame as well as a shaded view port visible, this way you can check your unwrap and see right away if your poly faces are stacking (overlapping), you can remedy this issue by trying out a different type of projection.

2. Keeping your poly faces and sizes relative to the object size and shape: This factor will affect your over all texture appearance, if you do not keep the UV map sizes consistent, you will run into all types of graphical anomalies when trying to apply a texture!  The texture quality and the way the texture appears on your model will be wacky and inconsistent.  

3. A bug within the UVW mapper in 3DS MAX!: This is pretty annoying, I have yet to discover a workaround for this. I've noticed when I select the area that I want to unwrap, I have to switch between vert mode and back to element mode in order to manipulate the size of the object in ANY way shape or form. This is very annoying and it adds an extra step to every single unwrapping object.

4. Keep your unwraps separate: When I finish an unwrap, I place the finished pieces all together and clustered up in a space that I has yet to be populated by another cluster, this way, when you complete your unwrapping operation you can easily determine which cluster adheres to each corresponding part, so that you have some level of control over which UV maps go to each specific part, so that you may line up your textures properly and make adjustments where needed.

5. No two unwraps are the same!: You have to come to grips with the fact that most of your objects will not unwrap the same way. You have to try multiple projecting options and methods to get the desired result. The more accurate you are the first go, the less times you have to go back and tweak your unwrap. You have to think about the future, and how your texture is going to behave when it is applied to your objects. Take a few minutes and dig up some old models and practice applying textures to objects using the uv mapping tool. This will give you an idea of how to anticipate unwrapping properly and efficiently.

Here is my current work in progress:

This is a screen cap of a work in progress, this is also a prime example of why you should keep in mind the unwrap positions on each object so they are not stacked. I have created more work for myself because I may have to go back and sort this stuff out.

Here is a side by side comparison of my Robo Renders! **Updated wireframe and shaded screen grabs**

High poly screen grab

Low poly screen grab.

I have been prompted to display both of my Izmojuki bots with proper labels. Here they are in all of their glory!

 The render is the low poly. It has a 14k poly count.

The second render is high poly. It has a 50k poly count.

Thanks for viewing.

--Danny

Good evening everyone!

Welcome to another exciting dose of 3ds max assignment fun! So far this week our assignment consisted of unwrapping a 3d model provided to us by our professor Joe Gardner. He was kind enough to provide a lovely 3d rendition of an Izmojuki concept drawing. The model consisted of tons and tons of tris, a shape that I have learned to fear! This project was designed (in my semi professional opinion) to alleviate your fear of tris and unwrap the nightmarish qualities right out of them. This was an excellent index finger workout as I clicked my way to victory in only 10 hours flat!

Issues that I've encountered: Keeping the integrity of the base shape was a little problematic, when you are projecting you map onto a 2 dimensional plane, the object was to keep that object as 2 dimensional as possible. Through experience and trial and error, I started to slowly pick out potential problem spots and more accurately predict what my UV map was going to look like.

Be a genie and tell the future! As I clicked my way to infinity I slowly started unwrapping objects in my brain and figured out the best route clickery to achieve the most desirable results. I do not feel in any way shape or form that I have mastered the art, I do feel that I am a step close.

Follow the dotted line! In some areas where the projection was off, I lined up my projection using the checker board grid as a guide and lined up as many verts as I could. I hope this is a legit practice.

All in all this was absolutely a time vacuum, but, with that being said, I have become more comfortable with unwrapping after this exercise. I'm onto the next assignment, which is unwrapping my own abomination! There are less tris, but it's a slightly more complex model. I hope my projections are correct!


**Joe, it appears on the render that the top maps are overlapping, they are actually not overlapping, the resolution of the render bled some pixels causing the illusion of overlapping! 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my blog!

--Danny

Final Build of the high poly model

Greetings all,

I have done a few more tweaks and modifications to final build of my Izmojuki bot concept, I am going to display it on here with the proper backround color and tweaks.

Thanks

--Danny

Final product of my rendition of some Izmojuki concept art! (Low Poly 3D model) **updated**

Hey guys,

I have completed the low poly build of my Izmojuki 3d model... At least my rendition of his work. I'm sure its not perfect, I've even had to imagine some areas. The toughest challenge was dealing with the perspective of the image; The weird angle  threw me off a few times.

So, here it is!

Again, thank you for checking out my blog.

--Danny

**Update**
The model that I showed has a poly count of only 14k! I have increased the poly count to 51k with my latest iteration.
Low Poly Model: 14k Poly
High Poly Model: 51k Poly

I could have tweaked a little more, but there aren't enough minutes in the day!
 Thanks for reading.

Adding material suggestions and one more render of a work in progress on my Izmojuki robot concept!

Hello all!

                So I have been working on getting my model up to par. Its been fun, but also a time consuming endeavor. I have been working out the components and I am almost ready to assemble it. The finished product will be posted sometime tomorrow. I learned something from a fellow student that will probably assist in making a high poly rendition of my project.  It's called sub d modeling, its a term and a methodology that I am not familiar with. I have heard the term used loosely here and there, and, as it turns out, is a very important modeling method that I have completely overlooked in my year and a half modeling in 3DS max. So, I will try it tonight once the low poly model is completed, hopefully, I can squeeze more poly's out of my model and crank up the poly count! (also increase its visual ascetic in the process).

               I've searched the internet for material examples and managed quite a few! I have collected and compiled them into one image as per assignment criteria. I will be posting them here along with the render of my work in progress.

Again, thanks for reading!

--Danny

Work in Progress! Robot parts render.

Greetings everyone!

Tonight I am presenting a work in progress for an assignment. I am attempting to build a 3d model of some concept art from famed concept designer Izmojuki. All I know about this piece is that the name of the jpg is Izmojuki_81wt. I think there could be a google search done on the file name for more information.

I've come across some challenges with getting the joints and rivets to behave properly.  I have been utilizing the pro boolean tool for a few things here and there. Using that tool seems to illicit some strange behaviors out of the poly faces. I am going the focus on one part at a time and assemble it later route, this feels volatile and dangerous. I also feel like I may be creating more work for myself in the long run, but, this way I can focus in on one object at a time and attempt to emulate most of the characteristics and elements without losing focus by not taking in a mammoth piece opposed to small, edible, bites. The design seems simple enough at a glance, but using 3DS max exclusively feels like it may increase the difficultly. There may be better software out there to tackle a job such as this, but, I am a slave to 3DS Max because its the only software environment I am somewhat versed in!

Thanks again for taking the time to read over my blog. Hopefully it may be of some use to anyone who reads it, probably not, but, for my assignments sake, I have uploaded a copy of a render of what I have completed thus far.

Thanks for reading,

--Danny

So, this is what a blog looks like?

        First I would like to welcome everyone to my blog! This will be a gamer based blog and I will try to keep the subject matter video game centric.

        A little about me: I have been a hardcore gamer since I was 6 years old. I have discovered my passions and loves early in life. I am highly enthusiastic about the future (of gaming) and the potential that the industry has to offer the main streamer populace.  

        I am currently attending the Art Institute of Houston in a degree plan...you guessed it, Game Art and Design. I am new to the industry in every sense of the word, but, with my extensive experience with gaming, reading about games, studying them, mastering them, I feel like I have been in the business for years.

         So, the purpose of this blog is for me to express my take on gaming and the industry as a whole. My opinions and perspectives are definitely not the only ones out there, so I will always remain open for discussion because I feel that every point of view is worth listening to.

          Thanks for taking the time in reading this and I hope to stay active in this blog and keep gaining momentum while I move forward with my new career.

-Danny