Yes, so the workflow I was trying to do was a weird mashup of knowledge and gaps of knowledge. So, Blender is fine baking with a mirror modifier that is not applied. What I was trying to do was mash the workflow I learned for 3Ds Max in class into my Blender workflow, which is you unwrap one repeated object, duplicate, then move the duplicated UVs off into a different UV space or else the bake could get funky results. So, I applied the mirror modifier. Since it was one object, I think what was happening was it was trying to bake one side and then bake the other, which might explain the weirdness I got. It’s fine if you separate out the parts and bake after applying the mirror modifier. Does that make sense?
Personally, I work a lot faster in Blender than I do 3Ds Max, and if I’m truly honest, Max needs a BIG overhaul if it hopes to keep competing in the industry. The students are… less than pleased with it, at least the ones that have 3D modeling experience. But that’s a different story for a different time.
