Blender to DAZ Studio strange shading

Sandra Bonello

I am very new to modelling and I really tried to search for information without finding anything. I made a simple prop in Blender, then imported it to DAZ Studio and it gives me a really strange shading. Normals are ok I double checked. Can somebody help?

ebergerly

You probably first need to go into your Content Library and under Scripts you should see the Iray Uber Base shader script. Assuming you'll be rendering with Iray, it applies an Iray-compatible shader configuration to the object. 

So select the object, then under the Surfaces tab shift-select all the surfaces on the object, then double-click the Iray Uber Base script and it should apply the Iray shader. You can probably also find it under Shader Presets in the Iray section. I think...

After that you may have to go into the Geometry section of the shader and turn off smoothing, or change the angle or something. 

Sandra Bonello

I don't think it is problem of shader, it is based on uber and on any other object it's perfect. It is something to do with model or import in DAZ Studio but I can't get what it is.

Richard Haseltine

You may need to adjust the Smoothing Angle in the Surfaces pane, or you may need to add some extra edge-loops to the model in Blender.

ebergerly

Did you do as I suggested and in the Geometry section turn off smoothing, or crank up the angle? 

yxk03

It's also possible to prevent this in Blender, so you don't have to re-adjust the angle every time you apply a new surface. The problem is that DAZ tries to smooth any angle that's less than 90 degrees, and that distorts the faces. You can select the edges that don't form 90 degree angles in Blender and do an edge split in the edge menu.

You can also create two additional edge loops, one on each side of the problematic edge, and bring them close to the problem edge using edge slide in the edge menu. So for example you'd select one of the  diagonal edges on the lower base, do select->edge rings, do a subdivide from the tools menu, select the newly created loop and move it down towards the base with an edge slide. Then you'd select one of the vertical edges on the base and do the same thing, except moving the new edge up. This is more of a pain but it keeps the object connected to itself in Blender, which can make it easier to work with, and it also creates subtley rounded edges in DAZ, which is more physically realistic for many objects.

Sandra Bonello

yxk03 said:

It's also possible to prevent this in Blender, so you don't have to re-adjust the angle every time you apply a new surface. The problem is that DAZ tries to smooth any angle that's less than 90 degrees, and that distorts the faces. You can select the edges that don't form 90 degree angles in Blender and do an edge split in the edge menu.

You can also create two additional edge loops, one on each side of the problematic edge, and bring them close to the problem edge using edge slide in the edge menu. So for example you'd select one of the  diagonal edges on the lower base, do select->edge rings, do a subdivide from the tools menu, select the newly created loop and move it down towards the base with an edge slide. Then you'd select one of the vertical edges on the base and do the same thing, except moving the new edge up. This is more of a pain but it keeps the object connected to itself in Blender, which can make it easier to work with, and it also creates subtley rounded edges in DAZ, which is more physically realistic for many objects.

Thank you yxk03 - it was exactly I was looking for, will try out! Thanks again!

kenmo

I must try this fix as I'm having weird shader issues with an object I too modeled in Blender.

margrave

kenmo said:

I must try this fix as I'm having weird shader issues with an object I too modeled in Blender.

Don't try this fix.

Edge Split is an extremely outdated method of controlling normals. The appropriate way to do it now is to toggle Auto Smooth.

And creating edge/control loops can put unnecessary (and ugly) edge in areas where you don't want them. A much better option is to bevel your edges, either with the Bevel Tool or the Bevel Modifier.