VrayNormalMap & Proxies Issue

[ohio_state]

I recently noticed a problem with putting a VrayNormalMap on a proxy and having all the proxy's smoothing go away. I'm using LWF so when I put the normal map into the slot in the VrayNormalMap I use an override value of I to compensate, rather than the system value (but it doesn't matter anyway, I tested it). Here's the results I'm getting. Both lowpoly spheres are proxies. The one on the left has a regular bump map and the one on the right is the same proxy but with a VrayNormalMap in the bump slot. The smoothing goes away completely. This is a brand new proxy I made to illustrate the problem, but it happens with older version proxies as well.

Can anyone tell me why this is? Am I missing the elephant in the room? Is there something so simple that everyone takes it for granted that I've missed? Or is this a bug?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[IMG] By werre at 2009-12-09[/IMG]

[jacksc02]

how is the smoothing applied to the sphere?
Is it in the stack or is it just a smoothing group?

[ohio_state]

how is the smoothing applied to the sphere?
Is it in the stack or is it just a smoothing group?

The original (before export to proxy) used the default geometry smoothing. No other smoothing was applied. I've tested it also with applying a uvw map sphere to it as well before export and it still has the same issue after becoming a proxy.

[jacksc02]

if you add a mesh/turbosmooth on top of the stack before you export the proxy does that help?

[ohio_state]

if you add a mesh/turbosmooth on top of the stack before you export the proxy does that help?

Yes, that does work, both in increasing the polys and keeping the smoothing, but that doesn't fix the root problem that when applying a VrayNormalMap to a proxy the smoothing stops working.

[ohio_state]

Bump

Any other ideas on this?