Quick Bevel Modifier Hack

Updated - The new video below uses the weight normals add-on created by notallowed to fix the shading issues from beveling. Super awesome add-on you download get here.

Would it be possible to implement this in bevel modifier as automatic operation ?

I’m sure it would be possible to add a sort of falloff option. I mean the profile option does something similar by changing how much the bevel effects certain segments but it stops short of being able to exclude the outer most segments unfortunately. I wouldn’t know where to begin doing it myself unfortunately, but might try getting in touch with a dev about it.

Tnx for tutorial.

I often use Sharp Edges or upon export apply weighted normals:


I do not know my default Bevel behavior does not appear as bad as yours. I do have a slightly customized modifier though

Hey cgstrive, yeah someone commented on the youtube video about a weighted normals add-on which is extremely useful. I updated the video above to use that add-on. Is that what you use when you go to apply weight normals or is there something already in blender for that?

I use weighted normals mostly when I export for games (e.g prebake for substance designer/painter). However that dictates collapsing of the modifier stack. There appears to be GSOC project that will bring weighted normals in modifier form, fingers crossed for that. For now though if you mark your edges SHARP before using bevel modifier, then it will result in relatively nice shading as seen in the middle screenshot.

Using the loop-cut method you demonstrate at the beginning, don’t you end up with a lower vertex count at render time? And isn’t it far less complex to implement (as well as easier to remember how to implement) and don’t you end up with exactly the same results?

And if this method were used on a large number of objects in the same scene, wouldn’t the higher vertex count increase render time?

The original video showing the shrinkwrap method ends up with a higher vertex count technically but doesn’t increase render times because the original mesh isn’t rendered in the end. The only increase in render time would be the time it takes to calculate the modifier which is a fraction of a second. And for more complex objects manually adding in edge loops everywhere you need them can be extremely time consuming which was the idea behind finding solutions to automate that, especially solutions where you don’t need to apply the bevel modifier.

This topic turned out to be a lot more extensive than I first thought. There’s a lot of different ways to go about fixing up the shading, including the add-on in the updated video above for weighted normals which does a great job. However it doesn’t give perfect results and requires applying the bevel modifier unfortunately. So if cgstrive is right and they bring this to modifier form that’d be fantastic and I’d consider it the best solution. There are other methods too, including other normal weight add-ons, using the data transfer modifier, and other methods, but I haven’t yet found that perfect solution. They all have their pros and cons.

In the end I guess the best solution for bevel issues is something I’ve seen requested quite a few times here and there, an option to define the bevel shape. This would allow complex and unique bevel shapes as well as allow the user to define a falloff that could keep the outer most bevel segments flat before everything starts curving in.

3 different options, all useful in different situations, handy to know all options :slight_smile:
naught blender and it’s vert counts, N-gons where and how many hidden edges are you hiding,
1st method looks nice, less selectable faces and edges,
2nd method lower vert count and better control when triangulating for games etc
3rd method good for continuation of modelling retangular faces, easier.

would love a edge group option(like vert groups) so you can stack bevels effecting different edges, the vert group option is cumbersome and requires extra edgeloops, also a ngon to quad would be nice.
Are we still using ngon>triangulate>tri-quad?