blender-texture-baking

1# Texture Baking (Cycles)
2 
3The execution model is in `blender-core`. UVs come from `blender-retopology-uv` and materials from `blender-pbr-materials`.
4 
5## One call
6```
7scripts/bake_maps.py -- --low SM_Crate --high Crate_high Crate_bolts --maps normal ao curvature id \
8   --res 2048 --samples 64 --margin-px 16 --pack-orm --out //textures
9```
10Self-bake (procedural → textures, no `--high`): `--low SM_Crate --maps basecolor roughness metallic normal --pack-orm`.
11The script picks the GPU (OptiX/CUDA/HIP/Metal/oneAPI) and falls back to CPU, creates the target images with correct color spaces, cleans up its temporary nodes, and saves `T_<name>_<N|AO|CURV|BC|R|M|ORM...>.png`.
12 
13## Preparation checklist (most bake bugs come from this list)
141. **Low poly**: UVs unwrapped, no overlaps (stacked/mirrored islands moved +1 U), padding ≥ 8 px at the bake resolution, scale applied.
152. **Hard edges = UV seams** on the low poly. Use either smooth shading with the bake handling gradients, or hard edges split at seams. Never put a hard edge inside a UV island.
163. **Triangulate the low poly the same way the engine will**, or export the triangulated mesh. Mismatched triangulation shows as shading seams.
174. **High poly** covers the low completely and pokes out of it only a little. Floaters (bolts, panel details) can hover just above the surface, but must stay within the extrusion distance.
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