How to bake textures with Normal Map only

[It's_Billiam4393]

Hello!

In previous versions of Substance Painter, I was able to bake textures (AO and Curve) using only a normal map instead of a high poly. Can I still do this in 8.3.1? If so, how?

Thanks!
-William

[Cyril Dellenbach · Accepted solution]

Hi William,

Thanks for the question.

The Curvature can be baked from the normal map, you'll only need to switch the Method.

The Ambient Occlusion cannot be baked from the normal map, but you can use the Low Poly mesh. In the common settings, Use Low Poly mesh as High Poly Mesh.

You could also use the MatFx HBAO filter to create an AO from the normal map, but you'll need to create an AO channel before drag and dropping the filter on top of the layer stack.

Best regards,

[Aleksandr36232822mzgh]

Hello! I checked the "Use Low Poly mesh as High Poly Mesh.". But substance cam bake AO from normal map without this function. 

Can you  explain what this function "Use Low Poly mesh as High Poly Mesh"  is for? Because everything works fine without it.

[Cyril Dellenbach]

Hello,

The option force the baking process to be made with the current Low Poly mesh instead of a High Poly. That being said, this option will be natively used if no High Poly mesh has been added to the project.

Regards,

[Aleksandr36232822mzgh]

What practical benefit does this tool provide, given that everything bakes perfectly fine without this checkbox, just like in the earlier versions of SP before the introduction of this checkbox?
U can bake all maps without this checkbox tools. 

[Cyril Dellenbach]

In case you already have an High Poly mesh, but need to do a different pass with the Low Poly. This checkbox allows to overlook the HP file, and process with the LP.