What is the use of baking textures from a low poly model?

[Yaroons]

Hi there,

I understand the whole idea of baking the details of a high poly mesh and projecting it on a low poly model. I think it is very logical and a genious method to keep things fast.
What I don't understand is the use of baking a low poly mesh and thus the function "Use Low Poly mesh as High Poly mesh". It seems to me that Painter is not gonna get any extra details when you bake the exact same mesh as the one you are working with so how does this benefit anything?
Is AI filling in some gaps? Am I missing something here?

Who can explain the use of baking a low poly mesh on the same low poly mesh?

Thank you!

[davescm · Accepted solution]

It does not make sense in terms of baking detail into normal maps etc.

However that function is often used when working only with a high poly mesh. Baking then makes sense in building maps such as AO, curvature, thickness, position and ID maps than can be used by materials.

To quote from the Substance documentation : 'This parameter is useful when working with a high-poly mesh directly. For example, when baking an ambient occlusion texture for a high-poly car with this setting enabled, the ray distance is ignored and the baker will produce a perfect bake (no ray misses or geometry mismatch).'

See here :

https://helpx.adobe.com/substance-3d-bake/bakers-settings/common-parameters.html

Dave

[Yaroons]

Hi Dave,

Thank you too for the clarification. And for the link to the common parameters. That's very handy!

[Cyril Dellenbach · Accepted solution]

Hello @Yaroons,

Thanks for the question.

Indeed, you won't get extra details from baking your Low Poly with the same mesh, but you'll still obtain the Mesh Maps (The maps from the baking). The AO for instance, will improve the realism of your model, so it's interesting to build it even without High Poly model.

In addition, Smart Materials and Smart Masks (which is a huge part of Painter), need the info from the Mesh Maps in order to work properly.

Therefore, I advise you to always Bake your model, High Poly or not.

Best regards,

[Yaroons]

Hi Cyril,

Thank you for the clarification. That makes a lot of sense.