So, you're diving into the wonderful world of baking in your 3D software, and you're faced with a crucial question: do you *really* need to bake each object individually? The short answer is: it depends!
**Generally, no, you don't HAVE to.** Baking separate objects together can often streamline your workflow and save time. Software like Blender, Maya, and others allow you to bake textures for multiple selected objects onto a single texture map. This is fantastic for optimizing performance and reducing draw calls, especially in game development.
**However, there are caveats:** overlapping UVs between objects baked together can cause artifacts, so good UV unwrapping is crucial. You might also want to bake objects separately if you need very high resolution textures for certain elements, or if their materials differ significantly and need individual control.
**The Verdict:** Experiment! Start by baking multiple objects together, but be prepared to separate them if you encounter issues. Careful planning and UV mapping are key to a successful baking bonanza!
