normal map export size?

#1

Hey all,

I’ve been playing around a little bit with the 2009 demo, and I have a question about the size of normal map that can be exported. The program only seems to allow you to bake out a 4k size normal map - is this a restriction of the demo? Does the full version allow you to choose bigger sizes?

Thanks

#2

4k is the maximum. If you need more resolution, you can move some of the UVs to other tiles, that will make it export multiple 4k maps.

#3

I guess my only other option is to export the high rez model out of Mudbox and use ultimapper in XSI.

#4

There’s a reason why mudbox can’t export larger than 4k maps, it’s because they are not usually used or needed… 4k is plenty enough - and a 32bit 8k file is over 700 megs… not very efficient…

A

#5

Well I’ve been creating nude studies in XSI and I wanted to take it to a higher resolution. The last project was a female nude, and I used the skin shader for the first time and it worked great. Now since it’s a nude model there are no clothes or such to hide seems, so if I’m working in Mudbox, I’m working on the figure as one model and one UV. The texture files I used for the skin texture were 4000x4000 and they worked out fine, but I want a slightly higher resolution from the normal map - say 5000x5000. When I finally render it out I going to use different camera shots, some closer, some further away. The nearest shot would be a close-up on the model where you could see the pours and texture of the skin depending on the lighting setup. Obviously I would have to manage the flickering of the texture as well.

I guess I was a little surprised that it only went up to 4K, since I heard that in film it’s not unusual to use 8K textures - not that I would need to go that high, I’m not rendering out in HD. I just thought I would have the option of baking out a normal map at a slightly higher size.

Ultimately what this is coming down to is a decision to buy Mudbox or not. I just was expecting it would give you those higher resolutions.

#6

There’s no reason in the world that you can’t use a multi Uv set with as many 4 k tiles as you want…

Wayne…

#7

Ok, so I moved some of the Uvs to other tiles and exported the model out of XSI as an OBJ. Then in Mudbox I added detail across the surface of the model for the purpose of this test. I then baked out the detail as normal maps. Mudbox automatically baked out maps for each tile that was there. Now I have 5 normal maps and I’m not sure what to do next. The only thing I thought of so far is to create clusters to correspond with each UV set and plug the appropriate normal map to each cluster. Is this right or is there a better way to go about this?

#8

jupp… here is the rendertree for my uv tiled setup…

#9

I’m suprised that no one has wrote a script to automate appplying textures across multi UV’s for XSI yet,(or 3D Max for that matter!)

Wayne…

#10

yes a script would bee cool… indeed…
at the moment im working with a shader compound…

and the limitation that xsi can display only one tex at the time in the viewport bugs me also…

#11

How do you apply a texture to a different UV set other than uv space 0-1 (in Max)?
Does it have to be split in different material IDs?

#12

I split it into different may ids using a multi material. You ca doteh selectios fairly easily using the face selection mode in UV unwrap.

Wayne…

#13

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