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I'm trying to add a tiny bevel in my low poly model. I want the bevel to be "curvy" but keep original faces flat. In theory I can achieve this if I don't add vertices or modify normals. This is my plan: (red arrows are normals)

enter image description here

Alright. How do I achieve this? Creating the bevel manually isn't an option, too much work. Bevel modifier adds the kind of bevel I want but I don't have precise control over the normals or vertex splits. Creating a script isn't a problem but I'd need some guidance and wouldn't like to do it before asking for other options.

If I need to take the scripting path, could I make a custom modifier that creates the kind of bevels I want (never done a modifier before)?

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  • $\begingroup$ You could add EdgeSplit modifier after Bevel modifier to split normals based on certain angle threshold. I don't think it's possible to add beveling to mesh without changing any of its vertices normals - face itself created with bevel has to have normal vectors. $\endgroup$
    – Mr Zak
    Commented Mar 21, 2017 at 8:38
  • $\begingroup$ Not sure about blender terms, but conceptually a face doesn't have a normal. Vertices have normals. The new bevel face can share vertices with the flat faces. $\endgroup$
    – Lof
    Commented Mar 21, 2017 at 8:46
  • $\begingroup$ If a vertex is connected to 2 edges on the left in your image there are 2 normal vectors. If it's connected to 3 edges there will be 3 of them and shading wil change because of that. You can't add a face splitting those 2 faces like on the right and avoid creating additional normal vector from that vertex and that will break shading. You can split normals as desired afterwards. EdgeSplit modifier is one way. $\endgroup$
    – Mr Zak
    Commented Mar 21, 2017 at 8:57
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, I have 2 normal vectors and therefore 2 vertices on the left side. On the right side I still have 2 normal vectors and therefore 2 vertices. The shading is not broken, it's exactly what I want, the beveled face is "curvy" because of normal interpolation and the original faces are flat because the normals are perpendicular. $\endgroup$
    – Lof
    Commented Mar 21, 2017 at 9:05
  • $\begingroup$ Just found this related question but the suggested solution isn't a viable option. Also the bevel isn't created with a modifier as it is in my case, which might offer some extra option? $\endgroup$
    – Lof
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 9:09

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