Backwards Baking of Normal/Bump (Can I get high poly from displacement?)

Support Modeling
1

This is probably a very odd question because most people want to bake high poly to low poly. I’m asking about the opposite. :spin:

I have a game character with normal/bump image displacement. Is there any way to create geometry (like try and make a high-poly version) from this data? I’m wanting to print this character but there is not enough detail in the actual geo.

I doubt it’s possible but worth asking and thanks for any help!

2

Yes, you can add high levels of subsurf to the low poly model, and then use a displace modifier which uses the bump map to actually push that geometry and make it real. A normal map would need to be converted to a b&w bump map first before using it in that way.

3

Wow… that worked perfectly! Thank you!