smoothing groups not working when texture X scale minus

http://img211.imageshack.us/my.php?image=smoothinggroups15kn.jpghttp://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?image=smoothinggroups29on.jpg

When Texturing in Align(World) mode, to stop mirroring when going round corners, I usually just change the X Scale to Minus, which flips the texture back to its correct direction.

But I recently discovered that when Smoothing Groups are set on these surfaces, there is a noticable light change where the textures were flipped.

In the Image, top Surface is Face aligned, then smoothed. Bottom is World Aligned & half Minus X Scale. Notice the big step from light to dark.



The Problem is, I like texturing in World align mode, it seems easier to align textures without always having to manually align each face. I only need to align the 1st face of a multiface wall for example, then with the 1st aligned face selected, right click through the other faces to align with the 1st face.

Any tips on this?

I never knew the "correct" solution, but whenever I came across a texture that looked similar to this I copy/pasted the one that worked, and deleted the one that didn't.

Now, I can only see the image you posted, but it looks as if the above portion is good, and the bottom is odd for that narrow strip of off color, right?

Copy the top half, and slid it down.

For some stupid reason, there is no explanation for oddities where texture application is concerned.

I have even seen cases where, if you build it someplace else, and move it to the correct location, it will be OK, but if you make it where you need it, it will be wrong, no matter what you do.

Another thing to consider, the plane its on, or angle if you like, may not want that texture on it for some stupid reason. you might need to rotate it. (the solid, not the texture)

Lastly, you may only need to shift the texture sideways. In some cases, sideways is the best solution.

Then again, I may be wrong in all examples and you will have wasted precious moments reading this post. :biggrin:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I suffered from the same problem numerous times when I was making Echo, but never noticed that using align to face fixed the smoothing issues. I just tended to put it down to an issue that was mostly unavoidable after trying my best with smoothing groups. Than again, I didn't have any areas in that map that would have made the issue as obvious as your example either, as my curved surfaces were mostly concave arched doorways and the like.

To me it sounds like you have found your solution, even if it isn't ideal for productivity :sad:

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Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Remember you can left click the texture that works and then use ALT and
right click to paste all properties to the face that doesn't. Shift and
right click will texture the entire brush.