Superspecular soft edges tutorial chapter 1

[pablobox]

Tutorial to improve Shading of your low poly models and get rid of hard edges or surfaces that heavy depend upon normalmapping.
It will introduce techniques i use that makes normalmapped model looks better.
Tutorial for Superspecular soft edges

tecniques i used on this model to let it perform good edge specularity without normalmap smoothing group with only a normal shader with some reflections to show the precision of shading(no bumps or deformations) compared to other unique smooth groups models.

[Zocky]

Nice tutorial man, just tryed it on cube and it works perfectly, so tnx a lot!

[pablobox]

now i'm working on the automatic script for any kind of surfaces i received some good feedback so I came with interesting ideas to change my specific hand selection script to a onebutto automatic script that works without hand selecting faces.

Please if you like it leave comments also on site maybe with links to images of your models you will do with this technique.

[Insulaner]

I just tried it in CryEngine2 and it doesn't seem to make any difference.
Did you make the screens from the tutorial in any game engine?

[Pankake]

It's possible the exporter resets the vertex normals. Is there an option to preserve them on export?

[pablobox]

yes depend upon the engine i don't know how far cry exports mesh but i can assure you that it works almost in 80% of engines.
In some engines you have the option to recalculate normal and this actually resets them.
Maybe cry engine resets normal to apply a conpression.
Before now it worked on 5 engines out 7 tested if we count also cry engine.
Try some exportation options or hope that also crytech likes this technique.

[pablobox]

I have added a video to the tutorial hoping it will be more clear. Superspecular soft edge videotutorial
If you make something using this technique send me an image with your name and homepage link so i can upload it in next tutorial on the subject.
For who wants to help me with the script to fix whatever model with one button in one second can contact me on skype looking for pablobox .

[pablobox]

the script is almost done and is superfast one button but have some issues with some models you have to fix by hand. i will release it soon.

i have released a video of the script here.
Superspecular Soft Edges Script | Deadline Proof Monk(ey)

[jrapczak]

Unfortunately Unreal Engine 3 does not support custom normals, either. We had to add support a few months back for our own project to get this and other techniques to work (like making trees look better).

[NautalusX]

Well? What do you guys think of his technique? Would you use this from now on instead of high poly modeling everything? Now you can just model out the extra details for normal map with floaters and use this for smoothing edges.