Making Time For Art #3 - "Clay Time"

[Pixolator]

1300

Hi :)

Here at Pixologic, it is always exciting when we get ready to release a new version of ZBrush.

I would like to share some of this excitement with you by posting a recently recorded movie in the Z4R2 beta.

The movie is a recording of my 'Clay Time' sessions, which are one hour recording condensed into 5 minutes of playback.
In "Clay Time" sessions, I simply select a simple mesh (such as the 'default sphere'), activate DynaMesh and start creating.

As demonstrated in the movie, DynaMesh enables you to explore multiple concepts in a very short period of time.
You do not need to create a base mesh to fit your target-concept, or even have a specific concept in mind. You may simply select a sphere, activate DynaMesh, and let your creative juices flow!
It is exhilarating to freely shape the mesh and quickly explore many ideas until you arrive at a concept worthy of progressing into finer detail.

I hope that you enjoy this demonstration of DynaMesh and I am looking forward to seeing your "Clay Time" sessions beginning September 20th :)



<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/promo-sp3-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>











-Pixolator

[ghostdancer]

cool cant wait

[snorcack]

DynaMesh FTW !!

[Santis]

Wow, so this is Zbrush answer to Voxel sculpting?

[HaloAnimator]

My character/creature modeling just got easier... but I hope this doesn't replace using Zspheres, unless i can activate dynamesh on that too...

[lazy noob]

woah, artist dreams come to be true with this new version !!!

[cvetnosplav]

The most needed update to the most used tool in the digital sculptor's toolset!
I have been waiting for this for a long time now :)

[TrappedInFlesh]

I can't wait to use DynaMesh. Can it be activated after creating an Adaptive Skin from Zspheres?

[Klicek]

wow :O

[Bas Mazur]

Wow, nice!!! Can we dig holes?

[Scythe]

Oh yeh oh yes oh yes ! I kept dreaming of a future where i would be able to do that ! It's not that far away now, thank you pixo's !!

[rulonis]

This is a completely new stage, that is so many new possibilities and freedom. Great!

[lildragon]

I'm totally happy and loving this. I especially dug how you cut away a chunk of the mesh like you were using clay :)

Cheers!

~t

[JoseConseco]

It is just like sculptris+meshmixer in one.

[Sigmund Hentze]

Great more sleepless nights waiting... Pixo you bring the kid out in me....:lol:

[sar7iel]

oh my god! That's amazing!!!

[InkySpot]

Man, I am speechless. Wow!
Me really want!

[gasoil]

this is great!

now relaxing facial features an resculpting is something we can already do....extending dynamically the mesh now that is very cool... cutting it very cool too now we only need the ability to carve or scoop out holes qnd negative spaces and also merge shapes and then only we would be entitled to call this digital Clay...Clay allows me to make a hole or blend two separated pieces ...not until Zbrush can do just excatlt this it will be clay

great work !

[rodion vlasov]

WOW AWESOME :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu:

[Deathmetallist]

er ... if you are to animate it ... it will make for horrible topology no ? still pretty cool ... for concepts it's gonna be great , so , I'm not gonna spoil the joy , cause it's overall great news ^^ just raised a few questions in my mind ( but it's cool , it's better to have criticism because you innovate rather than get no attention of all because you stagnate hu ? )

[Mahlikus The Black]

Love it!
Love that DynaMesh, Love the speed and freedom, and I love that real time SSS Mat/lighting!

Three more weeks of sleepless nights!

REALLY can't wait to play with the new Z. I love all the mechanical stuff but I'm an organic man, ballz to bones!

Thank you for this wonderful movie!

~MAH~

(Just in time for my new Qosimo too!)

[BooMMooB]

Very nice. I see alot of Sculptris influence here.

I'm pretty sure towards the end of the movie, I saw a presculpted ear and mouth being applied and merged with the base model. I'm really looking forward seeing more of this tech (and if it will apply to the more traditional zbrush modelling) and how the tech is really applied.

Sep. 20 can't come soon enough :)

[Support]

this is great!

now relaxing facial features an resculpting is something we can already do....extending dynamically the mesh now that is very cool... cutting it very cool too now we only need the ability to carve or scoop out holes qnd negative spaces and also merge shapes and then only we would be entitled to call this digital Clay...Clay allows me to make a hole or blend two separated pieces ...not until Zbrush can do just excatlt this it will be clay

great work !
You'll be glad to know that DynaMesh can do that.
See more 'DynaMesh in action' at Sneak peek #2 of ZBrush 4R2 (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=152654) thread.

[SolidSnakexxx]

WHOA....This is BRILLIANT!!!

[Mahlikus The Black]

Now, maybe a plugin that will set a custom button...like *(number pad) to save the tool with an incremental naming convention!

Wish I knew more about writing those things from scratch.

If that were my modeling session, I would have at least a dozen potential heads saved without even missing a beat. Just *Drop those babies!

[Uber]

this is just amazing! :eek::eek::eek: and I really like the matcap used in this preview! hope it will be included in the upcoming build! thank you very much zbrush team! :tu:

[Freerunner]

Wow, I am drooling already that looks like SOOO much fun. Creation without the restraints of any form of topology, just yummy.

[phrenzy84]

Wow amazing, i cant wait, model....... clone, another iteration, model, clone another iteration :)

I wonder if this will work with poly painting too? Or will have a poly paint mode. If an area doesn't have enough polys it will dynamically tessellate so you can paint more in that area. Then with either topogun or zbrush topology tools transfer that stuff over.

If not, no worries, maybe something to think about for future versions. :)

[pille]

oh my god...im speechless

[Sriprem]

wow :O

[Support]

this is just amazing! :eek::eek::eek: and I really like the matcap used in this preview! hope it will be included in the upcoming build! thank you very much zbrush team! :tu:
It's not a MatCap. It's a new Wax modifier that can be applied to any material.


Wow amazing, i cant wait, model....... clone, another iteration, model, clone another iteration :)

I wonder if this will work with poly painting too? Or will have a poly paint mode. If an area doesn't have enough polys it will dynamically tessellate so you can paint more in that area. Then with either topogun or zbrush topology tools transfer that stuff over.

If not, no worries, maybe something to think about for future versions. :)
Yes, DynaMesh works with PolyPaint too.

[ZedHead]

Impressive :cool:

[Mahlikus The Black]

It's not a MatCap. It's a new Wax modifier that can be applied to any material.

*hurls*


IYes, DynaMesh works with PolyPaint too.

*hurls again*

[michalis]

Dynamic tessellation then, at its best if I understood correctly. I noticed boolean operations, is this correct?
:tu: :tu: :tu:
Some information as performance limits or, are these tri meshes or quads?
I can't wait to have it. Though a sculptris and 3dcoat fun.

[Laticis]

You guys ROCK.....brilliant, just brilliant.

[phrenzy84]

Wax modifier...... ridiculous :)

and poly painting works with it too..... ridiculous. :)

This has far transcended amazing program level, its the digital equivalent of the printing press.

Such an amazing tool.

[Dman3d]

I feel all weird inside now:eek:

[cresshead]

excellent video, looking forward to trying out this new version.
thanks for all the hard work put into this new version, hi 5 to the coders!

[SpiritDreamer]

Great blend of Sculptris advantages and ZBRUSH advantages...AWESOME creation of a digital hybred sculpting technique that puts the fun back into digital sculpting by eleminating the problems that have plaqued it so far..Evolution at it's best..:) Can't wait to give it a shot..:D

Thank You..Thank You..ThankYou to it's creators..:tu::)

[bucanero32]

That's sooooooo cooool...i want to sleep from now till the 20th of Sept :D

[julien n]

i really gives the feeling of clay, can't wait for this...

[michalis]

Noticed the density counter up there? Not live refresh. Does this means that we have to click on a 'remesher like' palette from time to time? Is this a remesher automation or something similar? When they don't give you informations... only dark thoughts.

[Mahlikus The Black]

Only in a dark mind. All happy thoughts over here. Don't thing anything needs to be pressed...could be wrong though.

[karmajf]

Awesomenesssssssss :O you guys are the best

[michalis]

@Mahlikus The Black
I'm impressed with the tool, can't wait to test it. Just noticed right now a non live update of poly counter, that's all.

[Mahlikus The Black]

Yeah, there is only so much we can estimate. And you're right...unless they clarify, we'll just have to wait 3 more weeks.

[RappyBMX]

freaking awesome :D

[funshark]

We still don't know if it is some sort of voxel, some poly like sculptris or a derivated poly algo which create quads instead of tris.

Do we have to "remesh" the sculpt at the end? What about the preservation of the level of detail?
:)

[nickz]

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D ;)

Can't wait! :)

[Sebcesoir]

Amazing! Finally there's just just nor more constraint to geometry at all...

Great addition!

[Sebcesoir]

I'm just curious...
At some point a clip brush is used to cut the mesh.

Would you be able to create holes in it?

[SpaceMan]

Really Awesome :cool: :tu::tu::tu:

Please provide very detailed how to videos with the DynaMesh - like using it with masking, etc

[duhex14]

When I am looking this video,I don't already impatient at waiting...

[stankovigorro]

winning:D

[Mike Rhodes]

Ahh...that's the stuff :)

Go team Pixologic!

[Mahlikus The Black]

I'm just curious...
At some point a clip brush is used to cut the mesh.

Would you be able to create holes in it?

by what I've seen in the other videos, yes.

[cuffi]

seems DrPetter is doing a good job at Pixo... :D

GREAT!

[michalis]

I'm just curious...
At some point a clip brush is used to cut the mesh.


Some boolean like operations. A remesher. You can probably make holes with it.
My question now, LOL, will it be possible to drop an already constructed mesh there?

[/idkfa]

Madness! Can't wait for this!

[b2przemo]

Evolution - Revolution :tu::tu::tu:

[salki]

Oh man this looks good, lunch crunch's are going to get even better!

[JaAzura]

wow, this makes such excellent use of zbrushes dynamic creative flow from zsphere sketching, but makes it so much fun~

Nice work Zbr Team!!

[jpvikholm]

Great presentation as always. Just can't wait nothing else from Pixo. I did like that "add ear -brush"... something like meshmixer or something to do with normals? ... it's hard to wait. Does anyone know how to get rid of this continuous drooling... before september 20th ?

[xexex]

the new zbrush is incredible! (is what i have always dreamt) , but also you are an excellent sculptor!!!!!!!

[Lucky_1]

Super coool :)

[hotknife]

This all looks brilliant, one thing that really stands out is towards the end of the video the user draws some ears and then a mouth onto the characters head.

Are these new sub-tools or are they being merged into the existing mesh as one object ?

It does look like the meshes are being combined and drawn over which would be a great advancement :)

[hotknife]

On closer inspection of the vid the brush palette changes to an ear and then a mouth and is then added to the model which looks super cool.

Does that mean I can build a favorite ear, mouth whatever and add it to any model ?? That will be cool.....

[manzarek123]

ZBrush, ZBrush... you are the main reason why we love to do digital art, this is truly amazing and a huge improvement, i can't believe that now we can do this in ZB, something i really wished for long time.... aksjdhklasjdhsailu but still 3 weeks left to have this beauty, damn!:tu:

[magalhaes]

Damn, impressive !

[nickz]

The portion of the video that had me the most interested was the part where there was an ear that was created off line and then fused with the head.

If this type of workflow is now possible this will open all types of modeling possibilities where you can build up libraries of parts and then fuse the work together to make new model combinations.

As someone that has worked with traditional sculpting I have been waiting for the day when we can make very simple shapes and then fuse them together and then start sculpting with those shapes. Looks like that might be the case very soon.

If this is the case then ZBrush has taken another true leap forward! ;)

[CrazyMatt]

WoW, really awesome stuff!
I can see this literally helping me find traditional a proper word for the digital realm of 3D sculpting being now totally incorporated! :)
[I really love how it looks like Super Sculpy!] :D

[KittyLover]

Very exciting stuff, thank you so much! :)

[jmenna]

Cannot Wait!!!!!!!!!!!

[Knacki]

Top Row :D
Love what I see.

Would be so cool to save the complete creation process as an animated mesh.

Will there be a sculptris like navigation for zbrush? Looks like sculptris won't be my main sculpting tool anymore next year. ;)

Congrats to Dr Petter and the Pixologic team.

[T.S.Wittelsbach]

Amazing! Finally there's just just nor more constraint to geometry at all...absolutely compelling and exciting..........

but.... ... . .

I hope these can be brought back into a real world poly count so they can be fabricated. I kill my self already sculpting in the 15 -20 million range and decimating back down into the 300,000 range.

beyond that - exciting as hell, just a little little little hair of apprehension ;)
one more step towards a true digital clay.

most wonderful.
you guys are the dream company. always trying to better your product for the products sake..

thanks again.

[--E--]

Originally Posted by NickZ
The portion of the video that had me the most interested was the part where there was an ear that was created off line and then fused with the head.

If this type of workflow is now possible this will open all types of modeling possibilities where you can build up libraries of parts and then fuse the work together to make new model combinations. This functionality has been in zbrush for quite some time.

http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Mesh_Insert_Grotesque_Tutorial

[lukx]

I got a feeling that if there won't be 64bits support in R2, dynamesh might become really painful to work with :)

[KrakenCMT]

Simply beautiful the way Dynamesh seems to work! Busting out concept after concept with no worrying about polyflow or distorted or pinched polys. As usual, I'll be anxiously waiting for Z-Day to come around!

[stolestone]

That looks handy!

Does anybody know what song is that?

[nicholasmarks]

Lips Brush!?????

[HaloAnimator]

And if this Dynamesh works with polypaint, you guys just opened up a new dimension in texture painting :)...

And whoever mentioned Z-Day, this should be a holiday

[n-drew]

i love to work with sculptris so no need for scuptris anymore with dynamesh? i would like to see how dynamesh works (pls turn lines on in next vid) :)

[surajit sen]

Really cant wait............count the days......

[hotknife]

@--E--
Here we have integrated much of the different meshes so they look like one skin from the tutorial, key word being 'look' like one skin.

Aware of that tutorial and it's not the same I'm sorry as what we're looking at in the video.

[Robert.B]

Thank You Pixologic Gods!

[Bischoff]

looks really sweet.. can't wait to do some sketches!

[--E--]

@--E-- Quote:
<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="alt2" style="border: 1px inset;"> Here we have integrated much of the different meshes so they look like one skin </td></tr></tbody></table>
from the tutorial, key word being 'look' like one skin.

Aware of that tutorial and it's not the same I'm sorry as what we're looking at in the video. Regardless if it actually welds the meshes together or not you are most likely going to have to do a re-top anyway, so it doesn't really change workflow.

[koshey]

Damn.

[Nordlicht]

This looks really nice.. :) probably will feel a lot more like real sculpting, which will make it easier for me to use ZBrush. Or better, more intuitive, because I come from real sculpting with clay.
I am really looking forward to using that feature!

[jbartley]

Very cool. I absolutely love the new feature.

But.... A few questions...
After I have done my "Clay Time" with DynaMesh activated, whats next? What issues will I have in respect to resolution without dynamesh being activated in regular edit mode. Can all brushed be used with DynaMesh?

[spaz8]

I also can't wait. I've played with meshmixer and sculptris. It will be wonderful to have things consolidated under zbrush.

Now.. retopology tools?

[patokali]

This is awesome!!! I hope bring new things for retopology most easier to. :D

[Gumpshmee]

This is really great!

There are 4 things remaining that this program needs to clearly beat the competition:

Retopo that rivals it's competitors
A more predictable camera behavior
Layered texture/poly painting (with blending modes)
64-bit (probably the most important actually)

[qoyun]

Simply awesome! Cant wait:tu:

[Poniu]

Pure Power. Cant wait! :)

How about masking and then using move/rotate/scale tools? Can masks be blurred and sharpened? What when I pull out hand shape and then want to pose my model?

[1 soul]

ahh looks freakin awesome! i love that new wax modifier for the materials.

I have my calendar marked for sept 20th. :tu:

[sclptr]

Very nice.

I hope retopology tools are the next big thing that you will focus on. As in more options, like drawing lines on a tool for your poly flow and less steps to just retop a tool.

[weipai]

looks like this will be another one of pixo's innovations that make us wonder how we ever lived without them :D

[geniesjan]

why this called Z4R2?
This is Zbrush "5" ok?!!?!?!?!?!

[Mahlikus The Black]

Very nice.

I hope retopology tools are the next big thing that you will focus on. As in more options, like drawing lines on a tool for your poly flow and less steps to just retop a tool.

I agree.
I think they are already on it though. My speculation is UV Master was the start of a new topology exploration. That and adding curves into the softwares functionality.

Just assuming though.

[kpamir]

This looks absolutely amazing.

But I still would rather have 64bit now and all this other good stuff in another release!

[nightwoodwolf]

looks awesome, cant wait for the next ver ;)

[Mahlikus The Black]

why this called Z4R2?
This is Zbrush "5" ok?!!?!?!?!?!


Nope. This is the standard Pixologic Procedure as I have seen it for almost 10 years:
Revision updates have big changes for ZBrush, New Version Releases change 3D and Artists of the world. This R2 is blurring those lines a little but I'm not surprised...its Pixologic we're talking about.

[jinchoung]

daaaaaaaaayyyyyummmm....

jin

[agansert]

I am counting down the days until the new christmas, september 20th

[vikhyath09]

this is amazing....

[uaun]

VERY impressive!

[Mahlikus The Black]

Love the way eye sockets are made!
Learned something by watching it over and over. :D
You can best see it @ 02:33.

[mbongeni]

wow! coool! stuff but im looki forward to zbrush retopo
zbrush retopo
zbrush retopo
zbrush retopo zbrush retopo plzzz

[Altermind]

holy........ well... that's it for me.....dang!

[Jester]

Amazing. Is it possible to see wireframes also? I am curious about what topology DynaMesh generates

[Justinlewers]

Thats Awesome, thank you!

[Moss]

Did I see vector displacement?

[Mahlikus The Black]

Did I see vector displacement?

Since I don't know what that is...I'm gonna say no. :p

[MacRobi]

Does anyone know what music this is? I need it when I play with Z4R2 in September :D

[Gunnahan]

post edited away
forgot to quote and read before posting *sigh*

[Moss]

How did the subtool of the ears get attached to the head then? What is going on? I need to take a breather.

[Mahlikus The Black]

How did the subtool of the ears get attached to the head then? What is going on? I need to take a breather.

Just like the second video shows Boolean and mesh merging, I am assuming mesh merging isn't exclusive to just primitives (e.i. make your own).

[chemkid]

@MacRobi

funny! and you'll need to model at 20x the time as normal, too - to make it fit to the music better... hahaha!

chem!

edit: for the music, i'd recommend some newer tracks from juno reactor... since i dunno the track used by pixolator... (sorry)

[Sparky3d]

Niiiiiiiccccccceeeeeee!!!!!!!

[Vokram]

That's amazing, can't wait for R2 :D

[rodia]

insane! your getting close to perfection here!

[MacRobi]

@ chemkid: What are you talking about? – That's my normal work speed :cool:

Thanks for the tip. Sounds interresting.

[hotknife]

Regardless if it actually welds the meshes together or not you are most likely going to have to do a re-top anyway, so it doesn't really change workflow.
I think it will affect workflow.
Looking at the Dynamesh you will always have to re-top. I think the point is that the new mesh type will give a whole new level of modelling freedom. If what you add to the mesh is dynamically added and can then be sculpted freely, adding detail etc regardless of topology that will be quite an improvement.

It looks a similiar process to this :
http://www.meshmixer.com/index.html
But obviously just guessing until we get the final product - certainly looks interesting though.

[sculptor.zb]

Awesome!!! :eek: :tu: Love you PIXOLOGIC!! :tu: :D

[michalis]

Its clear for me
"it is exhilarating to freely shape the mesh and quickly explore many ideas until you arrive at a concept worthy of progressing into finer detail."
'Into finer details' pixolator says.
Of course you gonna need retopology, but a simple question here. We always can join subtools and retopo on a single mesh in the end. We can still work with clay on joined meshes. In very hi density too.
We still have sculpris and the very effective GoZ applink.
This into finer details after, it frightens me.
What are the limitations of this new dynamesh? Are these tris or quads?
Is this an auto remesher based on voxels? How dense is the mesh it produces?
I don't like the music of this video... and my pessimism is well known :lol:
In a few weeks we'll put this to test anyway.
For the lucky users that also have 3dcoat, these new goodies are for the birds, aren't they? Don't misunderstand me, my workflow leads always to zbrush in the end because I love it as it is and as it will be.

[mykyl]

This into finer details after, it frightens me.
What are the limitations of this new dynamesh? Are these tris or quads?
Is this an auto remesher based on voxels? How dense is the mesh it produces?
I don't see anything frightening about that. Its what we always do regardless of the app. We play around with form etc and then when we have something we like we progress onto sculpting the finer,or perhaps better the final, details that finish the model. He says it himself when you don't pick and choose the words from a quote.
The entire line states "it is exhilarating to freely shape the mesh and quickly explore many ideas until you arrive at a concept worthy of progressing into finer detail."

Very much looking forward to this.

Mike



Mike

[CyberSpawn2100]

Wow, so this is Zbrush answer to Voxel sculpting?Nope ZSketch was for that in my view.
However, now with Zspheres, ZSketch, RemeshAll; Shadow Box, Mirror & weld... I think its safe to say we now have numerous ways of going from A too Z however we want.

[3dzeiro]

i'm very excitate. perfect, thanks zbrush!!!

[michalis]

@mykyl, and lot of other zb users here.
Always surprises me how this community doesn't care about sculptris and the excellent GoZ link, these apps work like one, they share the same shortcuts too. The vision of pixologic isn't clear for me.

[mykyl]

@mykyl, and lot of other zb users here.
Always surprises me how this community doesn't care about sculptris and the excellent GoZ link, these apps work like one, they share the same shortcuts too. The vision of pixologic isn't clear for me.Actually I do use sculptris. Its fun but I would much rather have it all in one app. I use goz to pass files between zbrush and modo and sculptris regularly. I only hope that its not tris within zbrush.

Not everybody can afford Zbrush. In my opinion Sculptris being out there can let a bunch of those folks work and learn to sculpt and when and if they can afford zbrush, they will have a feeling of already knowing how to sculpt digitally.

I may be wrong with the above but I know that a cousin of mine who has been on the fringes humming and hawing about whether to get zbrush has now made up his mind to go the whole hog and purchase zbrush purely from his experience of sculptris. Well perhaps not that alone. I do keep him informed of all the new tools coming and that I will do the boring retopology side of things if he needs it. (3dcoat by the way not zbrush for topology. ;) )

Mike

[michalis]

mykyl, lol, I know you use sculptris. Tris don't matter really after retopo.
To go for hi frequency details in zb, retopo and project isn't wise either as in most cases you'll have to resculpt some parts. So. I still don't get it.
New features, OK, reminds me zsketching... I never used it really. I always prefer to join sub tools, simple cubes or spheres sometimes, do something fast with move tool and remesh-project. Never mind a better sketcher now, but I didn't see pixolator to sculpt a hand. Just to make me feel less nervous. :lol:

[Mahlikus The Black]

Will we ever enjoy a teaser without a slice of mud pie?
Its quads people...with Tris only where it desperately needs them.
That's what SneakPeek #2 shows and that's what Siggraph showed.
Also, they could be keeping the really big goodies for a for a Z4R2b,
Z4R3 or even a ZR4.5

It truly is a better life when we try to not borrow trouble from tomorrow.

[John Strieder]

Amazing! :D

[mykyl]

Hehe. Although I didn't see a hand being made I did see a very long thin bony arm in that video. 3:22 and 3:47 show very thin parts being created and I guess you could say fingers of sorts. Could even make a bunch of ready made hands to add in if it does what it looks like.

Oh and to those hoping it can be used with other brushes. Watch the video. Its used with all sorts. Just seen the snake hook brush being used. :D

Mike

[Teyon]

Since I don't know what that is...I'm gonna say no. :p
That's what it looked like to me and if so - I am SO going to be all up in it! lol.

[ChrRambow]

@mykyl, and lot of other zb users here.
Always surprises me how this community doesn't care about sculptris and the excellent GoZ link, these apps work like one, they share the same shortcuts too. The vision of pixologic isn't clear for me.I just can speak for myself. Sculptis is fine to dive into the world of digital sculpting but while sculpting in sculptris, it seems to lag or feel soft in a strange way. Sculpting in Zbrush is more "direct" so i prefere zbrush even for creating basemesh blockout with diffrent subtools an then remesh all.

Now with dynamesh it seems to be much more comfortable, just open zbrush and sculpt without topology restrictions.

GREAT UPDATE PIXOLOGIC! :) :tu:

[victorfornes]

This is exactly the type of modeling that I love and I was looking in Digital, congratulations for a really good improvement.

[Mahlikus The Black]

This is exactly the type of modeling that I love and I was looking in ...
I grew up in a pottery studio. Clay is home. It was the reason I started using Z back in '02. Now, so many years later...technology caught up with the dream. This, so far, is the hardest wait yet.

[mbongeni]

lookin forwar to retopo

[ItbeRufus]

This is just such an incredible advancement. I can't wait to dive in. It's so free forming. I am already seeing ways I can implement it in my work and teaching! :D Hooray! You go Pixo!

[martiangirl]

I can not wait !!! Happy Happy Joy Joy, thank you sooooooo much Pixologic, so excited hurry up September 20th.......how many sleeps?

:)

xxxxxxx

[Mentat7]

It's been a while since I have put much time or effort into making anything in Zbrush. Part of it I think is that as the program has evolved it has become a bit over-tech for me - meaning that there are so many options/settings/procedures that for me to make something from mind to computer I feel like I am sometimes engaging in a technical marathon. This whole clay-dynamesh approach is just what I need to get back into just creating for the sake of creating. I am looking forward to putting my thoughts and ideas back on the digital canvas.

[pluMmet]

It is just like sculptris+meshmixer in one.Exactly what I thought. My only concern is that Sculptris has a much more natural navigation method and I hope Pixo is smart enough to allow it in this.

[namdoyle]

is Voxel sculpting need a GRAPHIC CARD(HARDWARE RENDERING)? :o

[mustan9]

Not fair!!!!! I want to see.

Can someone please post a youtube/vimeo mirror. As the video is not playing, and the zbrushcentral.com website appears very slow today.

Maybe to many visitors!! :)

[Slice]

This does look like it starts out at high subdivision level, or does it work in a different way..?

Care to explain?

[gnareffotsirk]

An option to change nav controls and save them would be nice.

I don't understand why the controls are hardcoded, but I'm sure the programmers can do something to add this feature.

[bLawless]

I also wonder if the new dynamesh will be using CPU or GPU (computer processor or the graphics card). Wonderful video.

[mykyl]

"Not fair!!!!! I want to see.

Can someone please post a youtube/vimeo mirror. As the video is not playing, and the zbrushcentral.com website appears very slow today.

Maybe to many visitors!! :)"

Its already up on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us5Nh_jx1D4

M

[HaloAnimator]

And damn, R2 comes out the same day as gears of war 3... ahhh the fun that will be had...

[ryankittleson]

Here's a very simple feature I'd DIE for. simply turn the cursor blue when in symmetry mode. I can't even begin to count the times when I've had symmetry on when I didn't want it or vice-versa because there's no obvious way to tell when just looking at one side of the model.

[ghostdancer]

Here's a very simple feature I'd DIE for. simply turn the cursor blue when in symmetry mode. I can't even begin to count the times when I've had symmetry on when I didn't want it or vice-versa because there's no obvious way to tell when just looking at one side of the model.now thats a good idea

[bentled]

I can't wait

[lildragon]

+1 for this also... very simple and effective idea.

~t

[DanaArts]

Looks fun. Can't wait.

[pluMmet]

Here's a very simple feature I'd DIE for. simply turn the cursor blue when in symmetry mode. I can't even begin to count the times when I've had symmetry on when I didn't want it or vice-versa because there's no obvious way to tell when just looking at one side of the model.+3

[Mahlikus The Black]

I am looking forward to putting my thoughts and ideas back on the digital canvas.

I'm looking forward to that too Lon! Missed seeing the stuff you make.
I know what you mean about the Techn Dancing needed for Z. I really can't
wait to get back to just sculpting. I was also thinking yesterday, I miss ZScript
tutorials...with all the annotations and just the wonder of watching it being
recreated in the software (and at the end, getting to play with it.)

[spiraloid]

wow. this looks wonderful Ofer. can't wait to use this.

[Mikademius]

.......

[Gilberto Magno]

Wow... Great tool... much weight .... was missing!:tu:

[slocik]

iu dont get it, are those voxels ? Or some king of tesselation ? If so, wont it be absolutely useless, sicne only ppl with the most powerful cpsu ion world will be able to use it, since zbrush dosnt use gpu acceleration ?

[magbhitu]

i came across this today http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Pixol

apparently zbrush has had a type of voxel all-along it's just been in 2.5D mode only. i'm betting this new dynam-a-clay thingie is implemented with pixols.

[Arran J Lewis]

you know what?! ZBrush owns me!!

[Mahlikus The Black]

you know what?! ZBrush owns me!!

Same here!

[wasa]

When sculptris hit the scene I was amazed.
Now I see this and I'm simply drooling.
Even in sculptris if you want to make some drastic change to something you may have to pull out the reduction brush especially if you want to remove something.
Now it looks like we'll finally just be able to purely focus on the art side.
Even 3d coat seems to have limits with it's voxel resolution. (and requires better hardware than zbrush)
I'm just going to drool some more now.

[pixeldread]

Buying ZBrush was my best spent money ever in software !

[liebarg]

woW :idea:

[Mahlikus The Black]

Does anyone know what music this is? I need it when I play with Z4R2 in September :D

Plazma Force by Vince Clarke
Its hard to find though. Its techno/house.

I might try:
The Chemical Brothers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTxOKsyZ0Lw)
Deadmau5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK1mLIeXwsQ)
Dirty Vegas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIyVABf1rtk)
and Daft Punk. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svpLw7e-4ds)
There is also David Guetta (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHTT__uvD2E&ob=av2e)
Benny Benassi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5bYDhZBFLA)
Jump Smokers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ee3xemyQjI)
and right now my favorite jam is Consoul Training's Stop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUIjmI1bEXo)

[Blu Ego]

Good job Pix!!!
I can't imagine what you could add to this awesome software, maybe only good retopo tools and a more ergonomic interface (now it has become too much populated).

Love Dynamesh...

[bisenberger]

Holy Batman Robin!!! :cool:

[michalis]

September...
Believing in pixologic and praying for cleverbridge :lol:

[MacRobi]

Plazma Force by Vince Clarke
Its hard to find though. Its techno/house.

I might try:
The Chemical Brothers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTxOKsyZ0Lw)
Deadmau5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK1mLIeXwsQ)
Dirty Vegas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIyVABf1rtk)
and Daft Punk. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svpLw7e-4ds)
There is also David Guetta (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHTT__uvD2E&ob=av2e)
Benny Benassi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5bYDhZBFLA)
Jump Smokers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ee3xemyQjI)
and right now my favorite jam is Consoul Training's Stop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUIjmI1bEXo)Wow, that's great! I will look into it. As I was younger I hatet techno, but now with the wisdom of 40+ it seems not anymore. Strange :D

Thanks a lot.

[funshark]

Bweh... I'm disappointed now...
It seems that is it just a Remesh/Reproject streamlined process, so nothing like Sculptris nor Voxel

:/
:/
:/
:/
:/

[robo3687]

ok, so this is the functionality i've wanted out of Zbrush for years....

and it looks absolutely incredible....

as someone who kind of gets overwhelmed with building base meshes and using zspheres and what not, to now have those restrictions taken away...

i just can't wait to get my hands on this....

EDIT: and I love that matcap....is that new? i can't say i've seen it before

[Mahlikus The Black]

EDIT: and I love that matcap....is that new? i can't say i've seen it before

It's not a MatCap, It's a new wax modifier for materials.

[gwainbarek]

so i have to freeze myself in the mountains like eric cartman ? :D

[robo3687]

It's not a MatCap, It's a new wax modifier for materials.that'll teach me to post excitedly before reading a few pages....lol...looks great

[Mahlikus The Black]

It happens :D :tu:

[OvidiusTiberius]

Just Amazing!!!

[cl-apps]

Any chance on Z4R2 being released early?

[Smoluck]

That's looking Wonderful and Intuitive. A dream some years ago, that comes true today.

[DLangley]

You guys never cease to amaze me and your generosity providing upgrades is unparalleled.

I wish to personally thank each and every member of the Pixologic team!

[cyboy]

"Whenever you’re freeform sculpting, it’s often hard to extend your mesh too much without using up the available topology – polys get stretched and it’s difficult to add additional detail. But with Dynamesh you simply make a gesture on the canvas and ZBrush retopologises the object, giving you a nice medium-density mesh that you can continue working on.

This function can also be used in conjunction with the new Booleans, or when using a subtool brush to join meshes together. Again, activate Dynamesh and your objects are glued together into a single mesh and any distorted or stretched polys are removed.

You don’t get a completely perfect mesh – ZBrush adds the occasional tri to maintain density and poly flow – but will be completely fine for most artists, and is great for doodling and adding large appendages such as limbs, with the same sort of freedom you get from voxel sculpting."

Source: 3D World Magazine

More info on how it works. Sounds awesome!!! Good job Pixo

[Dan-Burke]

This looks awesome, and it will be nice to have Sculptris functionality inside ZBrush, with all the other tools ZBrush offers (not to mention the same shortcuts). If I can have fewer programs in my workflow, I am all for it.

Looks like we'll still need to re-topo ourselves, but I use TopoGun anyway.

I really, REALLY like the idea of being able to cut holes in dynamic clay, as well as being able to draw out new geo as shown in the video with ease.

Can't wait for 9.20!

[Mahlikus The Black]

Read above you.

[Glyph2040]

Hi Pixologic Support!
Quick question, with Dyamesh... Am I correct in understanding it to be a mode similar to how programs like Sculptris work? In that it's essentially topology-independent, or tessellating the as-yet-determined base mesh until the sculpture you've made is at a point where you would like to "lock-in" (so to speak) it's topology? I ask because often, I just wish I could just freely sculpt something with out having to worry or be mindful of topology at all and then just apply the proper topo without needing to retopo the ENTIRE, highly detailed model... because I'd love to just sculpt something -which I'd love to animate, but to just be free to sculpt it and then just wham, slap-on/very quickly assign the required topo for animation and then (after applying UVs, painting the textures, etc) just import it into an animation package and run with it, rather then get bogged down by having to, essentially, remake (retopo) my whole model again just to animate what I'm already happy with. =(

[Dan-Burke]

Read above you.

Who are you talking to, and about what?

[Mahlikus The Black]

"Whenever you’re freeform sculpting, it’s often hard to extend your mesh too much without using up the available topology – polys get stretched and it’s difficult to add additional detail. But with Dynamesh you simply make a gesture on the canvas and ZBrush retopologises the object, giving you a nice medium-density mesh that you can continue working on.

This function can also be used in conjunction with the new Booleans, or when using a subtool brush to join meshes together. Again, activate Dynamesh and your objects are glued together into a single mesh and any distorted or stretched polys are removed.

You don’t get a completely perfect mesh – ZBrush adds the occasional tri to maintain density and poly flow – but will be completely fine for most artists, and is great for doodling and adding large appendages such as limbs, with the same sort of freedom you get from voxel sculpting."

Source: 3D World Magazine

More info on how it works. Sounds awesome!!! Good job Pixo

This post answers alot of questions about DynaMesh AND it's topology issues (or lack there of). Thank you cyboy!

[remcv8]

The good news is that there is no Tessellation like in Sculptris. The occasional Tri can be dealt with. So the mesh doesn't consist of ALL Tri's, Sweet!!! I wonder if there will be improvements to retopology. This, alone is a result of that.

I didn't see any Smoothing during the video. Makes wonder if the result of smoothing would be rough and puckered sets of poly's.

[Zeddicus]

The new Dynamesh feature helps to prevent one from running out of polygons, and also helps to prevent stretched polygons. It will also add triangles whenever they are needed. This all points to it being a regular polymesh based feature and thus is probably useable in all the ways a polymesh can be (ie: polypainting). I highly doubt Dynamesh is designed to create a low poly base mesh with good edge flow for animation in another 3D application though, meaning artists will still have no choice but to retopologize their mesh manually by hand when they've finished sculpting. I'm hoping the retopo tools will have been improved in Z4r2 to at least be a bit more intuitive, if not a lot less labor intensive, but somehow I doubt that will be the case. In addition to Dynamesh and booleans, a lot of the focus seems to have gone towards supporting HDR rendering (hence the updated mats and lights). Users probably won't see any of the major improvements being requested (like 64-bit) until Zbrush 5.0.

The new boolean brush is certainly interesting too, and is reminiscent of the movies we've seen regarding vector displacement stamps in Mudbox. Same idea, different approach. While it is certainly a step in the right direction as a time saver (mix and match pre-sculpted body parts for example), vector displacement as it pertains to generating high poly looking renders (with undercuts) from extremely low poly meshes is still desirable as a replacement for normal mapping and displacement mapping (no undercuts allowed). It is pretty well supported in the latest versions of most renderers, including Mental Ray, Vray, Renderman, etc, and seems to work pretty well as far as quality and render time goes. Hopefully Zbrush will be able to generate vector displacement maps at some point in the future, even if the plan is to never use them as a brush and/or alpha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMx-wBwimp8

For those wondering about booleans, my best guess from watching this video and the previous one is that it is simply a new brush. The options for this brush will probably allow you to select any loaded Ztool, which you'll then be able to use to add, subtract, intersection, etc. This is likely the reason we see several basic primitives in the brush menu during the last video. They're just copies of the main boolean brush, pre-configured as examples of how it can be set up and used. I wouldn't be surprised if Dynamesh came about as a necessary part of making boolean operations possible, especially when it comes to things like gluing Ztools onto other Ztools which is where it would truly be helpful (provided we're not seeing subtools with that ear).

I could be wrong about all of it though. Whatever the case, it will certainly be interesting to see how all these new goodies work when September 20 rolls around, and I'm really looking forward too seeing what other people create with them. My impression from this video was that it will probably help users who are new to Zbrush. You can just keep going at it until you get what is in your minds eye, all without worrying about topology or making undoable mistakes. Add in a configurable incremental manual/auto save feature, and you end up with a lot less frustration from not only new users, but seasoned ones a well. We don't always remember to save when we should, especially after a long day of work (that occasionally has to be done all over again). ;)

[Mahlikus The Black]

There have been three times in 10 years that I have been this excites.

1. - ZSphere in 1.55b

2. - ZSketching in 3.5

3. - NOW!

#3 has been my dream for a decade!

Thank you Pixologic!

[gasoil]

To zeddicus

Vector disp and booleans are 2 very different things and in practice
Vector disp is incapable o cutting holes or creating intersecting volumes
Vector disp gives u a gimmick of a Boolean union only when u stamp in clear you couldn't poke a hole or even intersect a mesh with another operations that
Only some sort of solid or volume aware operation can do.
In a free design scenario u want booleans and vect displacement is simply not good enough...

[NoobVee]

I wonder if this will be useful in hard surface sculpting.

[djart]

There have been three times in 10 years that I have been this excites.

1. - ZSphere in 1.55b

2. - ZSketching in 3.5

3. - NOW!

#3 has been my dream for a decade!

Thank you Pixologic!Agree 100%... + GOZ and UV Master :-)

cheers, djart

[Crispy4004]

I highly doubt Dynamesh is designed to create a low poly base mesh with good edge flow for animation in another 3D application though, meaning artists will still have no choice but to retopologize their mesh manually by hand when they've finished sculpting.
Still have no choice? That is assuming is a complete alternative is possible. Yes 3Dcoat does have an auto-retopology feature and while it is a very nice addition, it is no replacement. It does simple things rather well like basic cylindrical limbs, but the more you want it to reflect the definition, the less ideal it becomes.



I'm hoping the retopo tools will have been improved in Z4r2 to at least be a bit more intuitive, if not a lot less labor intensive, but somehow I doubt that will be the case... Users probably won't see any of the major improvements being requested (like 64-bit) until Zbrush 5.0.
Dynamic Mesh is a very massive update and likely took a lot of time and resources. A re-hauled Retopology system is so big a task it could probably be its own revision update. Can't really fault Pixologic if it is the same, Dynamesh is far more important of a feature. I would far rather they focus on making sure it integrates smoothly than half heartedly address both.

Part of why I started development on RetopoG (http://retopog.com/) for Maya was because I knew a feature like Dynamesh was coming soon and I wanted to be ready to take full advantage of it in an ideal way for my needs.

[gasoil]

Agree

Also Keep in mind that retopo is a feature that is needed only for a fraction of the overall modeling market (concept modeling,rapid prototyping for example has little use of retopo)
Also retopo tools are in fact extensions of existing poly vertex edge modeling tools already in the market while dynamesh or voxels are much more innovative and game changing
It makes total sense to invest rather in that that in something that is already existing or can be easily worked around (using Nex for Maya for instance is very simple and has being around for many years also poly tools in modo Are flexible and powerful enough to retopo very well not to mention 3d coat or topogun
If I was forced to retopo for an animation pipeline tool like Maya I will rather see retopo tools in this soft as afterAll it is that soft asking for specific mesh constraint and in fact they already have a polymodeling kernel with all the code to retopo

[magbhitu]

these last two posts actually start to make sense. auto-retop is a holy grail that like auto-unwrapping methods can be approached but will never (in my opinion) be replaced by doing it by hand the hard way. I wonder if those shouting the most about a better retopo process for zbrush are made up of people that don't animate and don't use traditional poly-modeling software? If that's not the case please chime in. Also doesn't 'ReMesh All' and 'Project All' solve topological problems from a sculpting standpoint? What's better about 3dcoat's auto-retopology or is it just a sexy one button fix?

[NewmanD]

Its amazing!!! :tu:

[mykyl]

What's better about 3dcoat's auto-retopology or is it just a sexy one button fix?It is a sexy one button fix. :D Well it does a good job where you only have to fix minor bits usually. So it cuts short the time it takes to retopo your organic models.

Mike

[gasoil]

retopo is a relatively subjective topic....show me 10 riggers and i will show you 10 different topos...same goes with the idea of low poly....how low is low? well depends on what industry and what pipeline...even what level of detail you need is project,pipeline and production dependant and this is why if you use a renderman compliant renderer you might want to produce a disp map and a subdiv friendly mesh where if you use lets say MR you might want to put more detail in the mesh and if you are rapid prototyping you will model everything you need to be printed.

triangulated or not is also an arbitrary choice as it is perfectly possible to render triangulated meshes and has always been possible also some game engines will only digest tris as standard.

As you can see retopo is very arbitrary and comes in many flavors and assuming that you need polys (no one seems to mention retopo for nurbs for example) you can use many different ways and 3dcoat has an auto semi auto and manual tool for this.

the last topology scenario which remesh or dynamesh or voxels or dynamic tesselation solves is the cases where u need to add more volume and the polys stretch....again this is to overcome the limitation of poly cages which are no more and no less than the digital equivalent of sculpting with chicken wire...just like the real world equivalent it will be hard to merge,polish or cut with solutions like dynamesh we get much closer to the organic,resolution independent clay medium that also allows holes, cuts and a soft or sharp finish with unparalel flexibility

[Sigmund Hentze]

Gasoil... you seem to know what your talking about, do you have links to lesson on this... or why not do one for the community.... I have spent hours not knowing what I am doing and then when I think now I have it... I fined there is so much more to it...

Thanks for the input...

Ziggy

[SpiritDreamer]

Gasoil.....Sculpting with chicken wire....Beautifully put statment..:D :tu:

[phrenzy84]

these last two posts actually start to make sense. auto-retop is a holy grail that like auto-unwrapping methods can be approached but will never (in my opinion) be replaced by doing it by hand the hard way.

For animation there will never be an auto-retopology tool. With tools like topogun you could easily create patches of geometry and stitch them together, but you cant draw a series of curves and expect them to all jive together with a setup you will find acceptable.


Unwrapping will be a thing of the past in my opinion in favor of ptex... the process is UV-less, who will need uv anymore? If there will be an unwrapping process it will be for readable purposes so that you can edit it in 2d but if you plan to texture fully in 3d, you wont need to do that at all.

[julperpub]

For animation there will never be an auto-retopology tool. With tools like topogun you could easily create patches of geometry and stitch them together, but you cant draw a series of curves and expect them to all jive together with a setup you will find acceptable. Well, actually there is a tool for Blender (http://www.blender.org) that makes the job soooo much more easier when it comes to retopology, it's called Bsurfaces and is pretty close to be the perfect tool for retopology. I'm no professional and don't have real experience in the industry, but I've tried a lot of the packages that offers retopology tools and this was by far the coolest.

Check it out
http://www.bsurfaces.info/

A little introduction here (http://cgcookie.com/blender/2011/08/08/retopology-with-the-bsurfaces-add-on/)


I've been using Sculptris for 3D sketching since it's first alpha, but now with Dynamesh finally I'll be able to do it in Zbrush!!! I'm sooo happy :D

[loki_22]

:eek::D:D:D:D:eek:

[michalis]

Empire never ended.
Democracy never ended as well, but you have to search.
Fireworks never ender too.
WOWs won't help us. For sure.

[Crispy4004]

these last two posts actually start to make sense. auto-retop is a holy grail that like auto-unwrapping methods can be approached but will never (in my opinion) be replaced by doing it by hand the hard way... What's better about 3dcoat's auto-retopology or is it just a sexy one button fix?
Well, auto-unwrapping can get you far closer results than Auto-Retopo. 3Dcoats tool is like ReMesh, except you can draw in lines that direct the polygon edgeflow. The problems start when you need it to match the definition or the desired flow in particular regions.


For animation there will never be an auto-retopology tool... you cant draw a series of curves and expect them to all jive together with a setup you will find acceptable.
Couldn't agree more. Still think it can be a useful tool though in the right scenario.


Well, actually there is a tool for Blender (http://www.blender.org) that makes the job soooo much more easier when it comes to retopology, it's called Bsurfaces and is pretty close to be the perfect tool for retopology.

You're not the first person to make this claim. No disrespect to the developer or you, but I couldn't disagree more. Bsplines are interesting, but a stroke heavy approach is just not as efficient. The real core of the retopology process happens at the polygon level and tools to just draw blocks of polygons in don't exactly help with that.

Of course though, I am probably a bit biased here given I have my own solution (http://retopog.com/). In my mind the perfect re-topology tool should be as streamlined as functional. It doesn't take lots of buttons or options to do it well. Wrappit and NEX also to some degree show this to be true.

[Dman3d]

Well that is a load to think of, I too was thinking of an auto retopo as a
magic bullet of sorts. That all adds some sobering logic to the game;)
Live and learn. Hey, free is in the budget.

That Wrapit looks handy btw

[michalis]

Bsplines are interesting, but a stroke heavy approach is just not as efficient. The real core of the retopology process happens at the polygon level and tools to just draw blocks of polygons in don't exactly help with that.
Agreed +1
From a blender user
Now from a 3dcoat user as well.
zbrush provides an efficient and fast retopo tool. What is happening in pixo and they provide such useless tutorials isn't my concern. How many zb users believe that this tool is broken in r4? So
Append a zsphere with your original mesh and click under topology palette "edit topology". Choose the bump preview shader and work. See how clear and fast tutorial I just posted? LOL
This way ONLY!!! backfaces are invisible. Eh

[Zeddicus]

I don't think it is a coincidence that Dynamesh and booleans are debuting in the same release. My thinking was that the new code for the former probably helps with the latter. When you combine two Ztools (using symmetry no less from what I saw) to form a single mesh rather than two or more subtools, the calculations required to generate not just a good clean weld, but also topology that isn't messed up (which booleans are known for) is very important. I imagine combining two Ztools consisting of radically different poly densities requires more than a bit of programming magic to get just right too. I'd be really surprised if the new Dynamesh code, whether in part or whole, isn't called upon when doing certain boolean operations. This is what I meant before.

Regarding vector displacement, I agree that booleans would be superior when talking about brushes. That isn't the only way to use them though. Zbrush can already generate both normal and displacement maps. Adding the ability to generate a vector displacement map for use both in and (especially) outside of Zbrush isn't too much to ask I think. That is why I posted the Youtube video, so that people would get an idea of what I was going on about lol. :lol:

Working with a million plus polygons is great, but just try exporting that to one of the traditional 3D applications, like 3ds Max. More than likely your PC will freeze up. It did last time I tried anyways. Creating a new low poly cage by using Zbrush's retopo tool, then using that along with the high resolution sculpt to generate a displacement map, is an absolute requirement. Good edge flow is also important if you plan on animating such a mesh. And if we're going to be generating displacement maps for use outside of Zbrush, then why not make use of the latest technological advancements in this field, advancements most renderers support these days? Video games already make use of normal maps in realtime. Before that is was simple bump maps. I don't think it is a stretch of the imagination to believe these will some day be replaced by vector maps (or some form of it), which will allow artists to render details that just aren't possible using previous methods.

Regarding retopo, I think a lot of artists use Zbrush this way. They either use it to block out and detail a quick idea (which it excels at), or use it to detail an imported model that will eventually be taken back to the program it originated from. If the resulting mesh is high in poly count and/or lacks good modeling technique right from the beginning, doing retopo at some point will become inevitable. When you compare Zbrush's current retopo tool to pretty much any other application that sports such a feature, you'll find that the one in Zbrush is pretty meager. Naturally this makes it the most labor intensive and time consuming to use. I know people will say to simply use another app that can handle high poly counts, like 3D-Coat and Topogun, but that isn't always an option available to everyone, especially where costs are concerned. A lot of artists are still struggling to pay off their student loans, lol.

I only brought retopo up for the same reason someone else did recently. If anyone can blow the competition away and surprise everyone with cutting edge tools that no one has even dreamed of before, it is Pixologic. These guys are amazing folks. Not just highly intelligent, but also charitable. They could be charging people for these updates, but they don't. That shows you just how amazing they really are. We don't have the right to demand anything from them, but I also don't think it hurts to discuss desirable features many of us hope to see in a future version of Zbrush. The idea behind a public forum is to share ideas so that everyone can benefit. I've benefited from others, and others have benefited from me (I hope). In this way we are all enriched, and it is Pixologic who deserves the biggest thanks of all for making that possible. Thank you! :D

PS: I did say I could be wrong about it all in my last post. Seeing as mistakes are how we learn, I hope to never stop making them. For what it's worth, I'm mostly just making educated guesses based on what has been previewed. We'll all see what's what come September 20th. Tick, tock, tick, tock...

[Crispy4004]

Working with a million plus polygons is great, but just try exporting that to one of the traditional 3D applications, like 3ds Max. More than likely your PC will freeze up. It did last time I tried anyways. Creating a new low poly cage by using Zbrush's retopo tool, then using that along with the high resolution sculpt to generate a displacement map, is an absolute requirement.
That's what Decimation Master is for. Max and Maya (with viewport 2.0) are also both getting faster with more polygons, but even still it always a good idea to decimate before retopologizing. It would be great if Zbrush improved its retopo toolset, but it is not exactly a requirement for us to take advantage of the dynamesh.

Besides, there are definately situations where doing retopo in a standard 3D app makes more sense. Say for instance hard surface sculpts where you would also likely want access to all your standard modeling tools.

[MealeaYing]

I cant wait, it looks to me like I will be able to work without thinking and THAT will be wonderful.
I am constantly amazed looking at ZBC that the things I see here are possible, people with fingers! armpits that are not all torn up randomized polygons... I don't bother making bodies because I simply cannot do it, but it looks like with dynamesh I will be able to.
When I have to plan every little thing I do like my drawing is a chess game or something I lose interest VERY quickly and that kills a project very quickly.
I dont want RE-Topo, I want NO-Topo, I don't care about or want to know about the wireframe, it should be an invisible thing that if it exists I only see it when I want to (and I do sometimes, wireframes can be lovely).
The things I see on ZBC and tools like Sculptris are why I have Zbrush, I am perpetually astonished and thrilled at what you people make and what I find I can do, but this last video showed me I haven't seen anything yet and that what is coming is going to be wonderful and a hell of a lot of fun.
I have no clue how you guys make this software but I love it, its dramatically altered my life and in my opinion for the better, I can make stuff and its your doing!
By the way, there's only 19 and 4.5 days left!

Thanks!
Mealea

[Visualride]

I cant wait, it looks to me like I will be able to work without thinking and THAT will be wonderful.
I (almost) completely agree! The way that Pixologic has chosen to rotate your view around an object, inadvertently allowing you to turn your object sideways drives me crazy! This is the biggest plus with Autodesk products such as Max, Maya, and Mudbox in my view. Half the time that I'm trying to model in Zbrush, I'm fighting to keep my view from turning upside down and constantly hitting shift to get the object re-oriented in view. That lessen's the experience for me. Other than that, of course I am reeeelly looking forward to what it appears that Dynamesh has to offer.

[julperpub]

You're not the first person to make this claim. No disrespect to the developer or you, but I couldn't disagree more. Bsplines are interesting, but a stroke heavy approach is just not as efficient. The real core of the retopology process happens at the polygon level and tools to just draw blocks of polygons in don't exactly help with that.

Of course though, I am probably a bit biased here given I have my own solution (http://retopog.com/). In my mind the perfect re-topology tool should be as streamlined as functional. It doesn't take lots of buttons or options to do it well. Wrappit and NEX also to some degree show this to be true.Well, you seem a bit biased, considering that the demo video of this tool is showing exactly what has been in Blender since 2 or 3 older versions, the BSurface addon jus adds functionality to an already awesome feature.

I don´t mean to disrespect you either, 'cause obviously is an amazing solution specially for maya users, but I really think you should give Blender a short drive test... Well you and all the people that struggles with this specific task. You'll be surprised!! :D

In fact, since the Sculptris release i've been playing around a lot with this, sculpting without worrying about polycount or topology or any of that stuff and then, imported the model in blender and start the retopo, which is as easy as extrude and move vertices around keeping all the geometry "glued" to the original sculpt's surface. Is really pretty fast.

I´ve always wondered why this huge awesome program called Zbrush didn´t had that two things already? Sculpt for the sake of sculpting and then start the technical part of it. Now it is a reality!!!

[MealeaYing]

I (almost) completely agree! The way that Pixologic has chosen to rotate your view around an object, inadvertently allowing you to turn your object sideways drives me crazy! This is the biggest plus with Autodesk products such as Max, Maya, and Mudbox in my view. Half the time that I'm trying to model in Zbrush, I'm fighting to keep my view from turning upside down and constantly hitting shift to get the object re-oriented in view. That lessen's the experience for me. Other than that, of course I am reeeelly looking forward to what it appears that Dynamesh has to offer.I (almost) completely agree!
hehehe!
I have that problem too and my habit of ignoring it has led to me working with most of what I'm working on being upsidown, sideways or even way off to one side where its almost off the screen, messing with "local" makes it more confusing.
The cool thing is my sense of up and down goes away after a bit, the bad part is trying to do anything in another program later. Or riding a bike.
My biggest gripe about Zbrush is not about Zbrush at all, but about my ignorance of Zbrush, its not just a wee itty-bitty bit of ignorance, its FLIPPING HUGE and I don't mean flipping.
As for Max, Maya, and Mudbox I haven't a clue, I have never seen them, just stuff people have made with them and mostly here on ZBC... one of them has some stuff I think I want, reflections and hair and something I cant spell but that looked cool in a post I saw here... I have no idea what it was any more.

Oh... Someone said that Pixologic was torturing Dr. Peter for information, I would suspect that if you look at what they are doing they might be torturing him with luxury and money (and a seriously awesome computer) or he wouldent be doing it.
Another guess I would make is that Sculptris is not only not dead but is gazed upon as what it is: the ultimate gateway drug leading to Zbrush.

Oh this is gonna be fun!

[Visualride]

MealeaYing-
Ahh, I guess I just need to just give myself more time to let my sense of up and down to go away :p . I hope that the new update will pull me further into the zen of Z and let me lose all sense of direction and time.

[Zeddicus]

That's what Decimation Master is for.Yup.


Max and Maya (with viewport 2.0) are also both getting faster with more polygons, but even still it always a good idea to decimate before retopologizing.Yes, I know that. Not everyone is using the latest version though. There are still folks using Max 9 for example, and viewport performance in the 2010 and 2011 versions is...shall we say lacking? Max 2012 performance is pretty decent with the new Nitrous rendering, and is actually why I was playing (er, umm... testing) with a million plus polygon mesh. I wanted to see just how much it had improved. It actually worked for a while, but got steadily worse until I couldn't do anything.

Anyways the point I was making was in regards to something another commenter had said. There are users here that have no experience outside of Zbrush, and I just wanted to point out to them that a high poly mesh (even a decimated one) cannot be animated without doing retopo first. I also wanted to chime in before my first post got quoted out of context and misconstrued as being incorrect or stupid.

Frankly I don't understand the resistance to improving the retopo feature. Isn't evolution what it's all about? I can't help it if I'm passionate about Zbrush and its future, lol. :)


It would be great if Zbrush improved its retopo toolset, but it is not exactly a requirement for us to take advantage of the dynamesh.I never said it was. What I did say was that it is a requirement if one is doing animation outside of Zbrush. I believe I was also trying to point out a one point that Dynamesh is not a retopo related tool, even though it has dynamic retopology (it was confusing some folks). It would be fantastic if Zbrush was the only tool one would ever need, especially for those with limited incomes, but that really isn't feesible (yet). I wouldn't hold my breath on that happening anytime soon either. Pixologic tends to focus on the artistic side of the toolset, preferring to do things at their own pace and in their own way, which I think is perfectly fine. It is the reason we have such unique tools in the first place, and Dynamesh and booleans are definitely a step in the right direction. I'm even looking forward to checking out the new rendering system too, something a lot of folks don't seem very interested in. I'm guessing it's because a lot of artists use Zbrush in a production pipeline, and not as their sole 3D app.


Besides, there are definitely situations where doing retopo in a standard 3D app makes more sense. Say for instance hard surface sculpts where you would also likely want access to all your standard modeling tools.I completely agree. Hard surfaces can be done in Zbrush, but it's not exactly easy. For example, trying to create creased edges with edge loops can be difficult and cumbersome at times, and there isn't a whole lot of precision either. Organic modeling is what Zbrush has always excelled at. Hard surfaces? Not so much. The tools have improved for sculpting high res meshes so that parts of your model looks like it has hard surfaces, but technically they're not. Doing inorganic models in Max is quicker and easier, plus they don't have to be retopo'd afterwards since they were done correctly from the start, thus saving time (which equals money for some, or so I hear).


I cant wait, it looks to me like I will be able to work without thinking and THAT will be wonderful.Couldn't have said it better if I tried. Unfortunately at some point thinking does have to come back into the equation.


I dont want RE-Topo, I want NO-Topo, I don't care about or want to know about the wireframe, it should be an invisible thing that if it exists I only see it when I want to (and I do sometimes, wireframes can be lovely).And you're free to work that way, especially when Zbrush is the only application you use. The reality for some is quite different however. It would great if polygons didn't matter, and we could all animate such creations with ease. Unfortunately that day is not here yet, and likely won't be until long after my bones have turned to dust. Until that day arrives, a lot of us will have to make do with the extra (boring) step of doing retopology with good edge flow. It sucks to have to come back down to earth, but that's reality for ya.


I´ve always wondered why this huge awesome program called Zbrush didn´t had that two things already? Sculpt for the sake of sculpting and then start the technical part of it.Precisely! When you look at some of the features in Zbrush, and then compare them with a lot of other apps, you begin to wonder. You wonder not only why Zbrush can't do all those nifty thing others can do, but more so what it would be like if it could, especially with the folks at Pixologic standing behind it. This is why I would like to see them address features like this, as well as others. Zbrush has a history of breaking new ground, and anything others can do, Pixologic can probably do better. I wouldn't be surprised if they have some ideas rattling around in their heads for a novel new approach to doing... well, just about anything you can think of. As Walt Disney once said, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Please don't view my posts as complaining. Rather, see them as challenges to be overcome. ;)


Ahh, I guess I just need to just give myself more time to let my sense of up and down goes awayAnyone coming from a "traditional" modeling application tends to have that problem. Once you get past the interface and navigation hurdles, working in Zbrush becomes very simple, almost zen like. I still remember the first time I tried Zbrush, which was back in 2003. It was truly a frustrating struggle, and confusion regarding edit mode didn't help matters at all. I'm glad I stuck with it until the little light bulb in my head turned on though. Eventually it becomes as natural as breathing. I still wouldn't mind seeing improvements to the navigation system though. It doesn't seem to matter how long I've been using Zbrush; I still make the same mistakes after working in 3ds Max for anything length of time and have to readjust. I feel sorry for anyone that uses more than two applications in which they cannot change the navigation scheme lol. :lol:

PS: Hopefully I'm making sense and not rambling. My comments do tend to end up rather long, especially when I'm trying to respond to a number of different people. I'm at home right now with medical problems, and the medication my doctor has me on tends to make me babble which also doesn't help. On the bright side it has given me some free time to enjoy what I'm passionate about. ;)

[Crispy4004]

Fair enough Zeddicus on most accounts. I do want to respond to these two comments however:



Frankly I don't understand the resistance to improving the retopo feature. Isn't evolution what it's all about? I can't help it if I'm passionate about Zbrush and its future, lol. :)

I don't think anyone is resisting, we are just being realistic about what is going to make the ZR2 release. If they surprise us great, but considering the complexity of everything else going into this release it is a bit unrealistic to hope for it right now.



I completely agree. Hard surfaces can be done in Zbrush, but it's not exactly easy. For example, trying to create creased edges with edge loops can be difficult and cumbersome at times, and there isn't a whole lot of precision either. Organic modeling is what Zbrush has always excelled at. Hard surfaces? Not so much. The tools have improved for sculpting high res meshes so that parts of your model looks like it has hard surfaces, but technically they're not. Doing inorganic models in Max is quicker and easier, plus they don't have to be retopo'd afterwards since they were done correctly from the start, thus saving time (which equals money for some, or so I hear).

Doing hard surface in Zbrush is more than anything not polygon efficient which means it is not practical for immediate use in a production. That said it has some excellent tools to create and design a hard surface sculpts. That's where re-topology in a standard 3D app can shine, using that hard surface concept sculpt as a base to create clean and efficient geometry in multiple pieces.

A number of artists work this way already and for good reason. It beats trying to conceptualize by extruding and cutting polygons. The most recent example being Mike Nash's Hard Surface Bust (http://www.cgfeedback.com/cgfeedback/showthread.php?t=1067). You simply cannot use this workflow efficiently inside Zbrush alone or even TopoGun. They are just not tailored to this sort of hybrid retopology poly-modeling workflow where Max, Maya, XSI, etc can be.

[SpiritDreamer]

I look at topology as a spatial/spacial grid..If the computer can see a landscape from orbit in outter space, and then convert that same view to one that lets you see the same view as if walking through it on a horizontal ground plane, ..like the technique the millitary uses at present just for an example,...then the computer can also do the same thing for a sculpture that needs retopology...The computer can, and should be able to pick up and desern every nook and granny that's in the sculpture, especally when that sculpture can be seen from every angle as ZBRUSH now is able to allow...thus making manual retopology obsolete and a thing of the past...Never underestimate the capabilities of the computer, or it's programmers...Once they set their mind on something,..the limits and limitations seem to vanish..:D
The technology for precise automatic retopology is already here and now, and is not something that should be considered a thing of the future.:)

[gasoil]

Hi zeddicus

I was just clarifying what the true potential of a tool that behaves at least like the real world counterpart (clay)if not better brings
I'm not against retopo at all and if pixo finds the ressources for that it will be more than welcome I'm just pointing out at the fact that unlike other devs they have the great taste of focusing in delivering the core solutions first rather than your usual autodesk attitude of changing the ui color andcalling that a release...
Vector displacement will also be a great addition and generally speaking the more options and tools the better.
Regarding vector disp for instance it's a relatively old technique available in renderman for some time what is new is the ability of realtime painting them like in mudbox...but mudbox to me is more of a finishing tool where zbrush can integrate with pipes but also deliver stand alone art where mudbox is very limited in this respect.

[Crispy4004]

Well, you seem a bit biased, considering that the demo video of this tool is showing exactly what has been in Blender since 2 or 3 older versions, the BSurface addon jus adds functionality to an already awesome feature.
Here are two reasons for that. First, the demo video is old and lacks a number of additional features you can see on the main page. Second, functionality is only half the equation. The ease and efficiency that everything works together is just as important. That of course is a lot harder to convey in a video when you can't see that I'm basically hitting a single hotkey for the entirety of it ;).



I don´t mean to disrespect you either, 'cause obviously is an amazing solution specially for maya users, but I really think you should give Blender a short drive test... Well you and all the people that struggles with this specific task. You'll be surprised!! :D
I have used the standard retopo tools in Blender as well as just about every other retopology tool under the sun. Every tool has advantages and disadvantages, Blenders is it is free. I'll leave it at that.

[Crispy4004]

The technology for precise automatic retopology is already here and now, and is not something that should be considered a thing of the future.:)
Show me an auto-retopo face than can match the best work done by hand and then I'll believe you :D. Like I mentioned earlier, I still think it is useful in 3Dcoat, but you have to keep your expectations realistic. It's not the replacement workflow people are hoping for.

[SpiritDreamer]

Just because you can't,or haven't seen it, doesn't mean that it doesn't, or won't exist..It just needs to be applied to art is all..When you say people, I hope you are not speaking for everyone..like myself for example..I think that making something easier would be welcomed by all, except maybe a few who would rather not have it that way.:D

[magbhitu]

@spiritdreamer - i'm not sure if you know something i don't, but I think the landscape technology you are talking about is just DEM (digital elevation models). DEM's are just top down x,y,z coordinates with no undercuts, which is exactly what we already have in zbrush.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_elevation_model

that spline displacement that handles undercuts that was posted earlier looks awesome though.

what i love about this field is how the craftperson's assumptions are always being stood on end by talented toolmakers( ie. the programmers).

[gasoil]

Zbrush is now a complete high density mesh editor with the possibility to create displace or normals after the mesh editing is done
It is only then that the truely x y z edited mesh becomes only elevation
Vector displacements afaik requires the mesh to be totally locked otherwise if the vertex order changes it won't work
Keep also in mind that it will produce color map tearings and other artifacts
Also very important in the retopo debate is that if you are planning to deform the mesh vector displ is not that great as you won't have control on it's deformation Which limits it's use dramatically
Regardless you still need to actually model the things that you want to vector displace later for all these reasons you still rather have it that not but it's far from being magical

[SpiritDreamer]

Magbhitu...My brother inlaw was one of the programmers who designed that program in the link that you posted .He works at NASA now as a Photogrammitry expert..I never can figure out what he is talking about half of the time..way above my head for sure..:D But as you say, and I think I said also....never underestamate the programmers..If the will is there, they will find the way..:)

[NoobVee]

Is this handy also in high frequency details?

[SpiritDreamer]

For my only answer to all this techical discussion, I have to use a quote from Mark Twain, from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court:
"Never having no need to know this thing, I abide barren of the knowledge."
:D

[Ralramahi]

Just because you can't,or haven't seen it, doesn't mean that it doesn't, or won't exist..It just needs to be applied to art is all..When you say people, I hope you are not speaking for everyone..like myself for example..I think that making something easier would be welcomed by all, except maybe a few who would rather not have it that way.:D

I totally agree with you dude, I think these new tools are the best thing that happened to artist in the cg industry and I soo encourage more to come, this`ll allow us to explore even further new and unique ways to create variety of art forms. Its really normal that some would fear the new and easy tools since it replaces an important aspect of the modelers job such as the high demand of retop and cleaning meshes skills.
eventually cg artist will get over that change and appreciate the more convenient and less stressful workflow, which leads to further creativity and a new type of complexity. for instance (Avatar) wouldn't have been achieved if it wasn't for the technological development, and the Artist creativity. really the most important thing to keep in mind is no matter what tool you have, its how you manage to use it effectively to your full advantage that matters.

:tu: :tu:

[michalis]

Is this handy also in high frequency details?
It doesn't look like.
"It is exhilarating to freely shape the mesh and quickly explore many ideas until you arrive at a concept worthy of progressing into finer detail."
Pixolator commented...
After so many wows, take a closer look on this announcement.
We'll put it to the tests soon. ;)

[Nemoid]

Autoretopo is the holy grail yes, i also saw some Siggraph papers about these technologies some time ago.
Can be valid to optimize and speed retopo workflow. However i think that organic shapes can be very complex, and it also depends on the level of detail you want to keep into final model. And the more detail you want to retain, the more complex autoretopo could be.

Topology: Usually a good topology is useful for 3d animation in traditional 3d apps, since the mesh doesn't deform well if polygons don't follow correctly muscles/bone structure of the model. This allow to optimize the mesh reducing amount of polygon where is possible, and most important allowing a good deformation during animation. So when the model is rigged, the rigging work is also easier and you can handle deformation of the mesh in critical areas better.
Polyflow btw is used also in high poly models as well.

This is why retopo is needed; basically if you start your model entirely in Zbrush, optimization is needed-
In production, tho, it's also possible that you do the opposite, detailing a pre modelled character. (in this case retopo isn't forcely needed as is may be editing of the base mesh instead)

Right now the best retopo tools i've seen are the one in 3D coat and Blender. and then Topogun which copied some 3d coat tools as well.
Zbrush has its workflow, but compared to the mentioned apps it is now old.

Now , Pixologic could also enhance greatly current retopo toolset, or find other innovative solutions for it, or, we simply could use some polygon toolset in other packages. :)

I think in the near future we'll see some good retopo solutions for Maya, Modo or other packages, just because the workflow for organics is becoming more and more: design it in Zbrush----> create the base mesh for animation in other 3d app.

As for hard surface, yes you can design hard surface in Zbrush for sure, but i think it will never be as precise as into a traditional app with numeric input, and also, there, you have total control of polygon amount.
So in this case, i see Zbrush more as a fantastic concept art app, great for designing new shapes freely and quite rapidly, rather than a precise instrument for final production purposes. :)

[Crispy4004]

Just because you can't,or haven't seen it, doesn't mean that it doesn't, or won't exist..It just needs to be applied to art is all..When you say people, I hope you are not speaking for everyone..like myself for example..I think that making something easier would be welcomed by all, except maybe a few who would rather not have it that way.:D
Good Topology is just as much informed by the definition as your knowledge of the way muscle moves underneath. Adapting that to the current Auto-retopology solution is just not possible in more complex organic shapes because it lacks the precision necessary. My point is more or less, we are simply not there yet and some people, of course not everyone, are setting expectations a little high. It's actually not too different from what happened when Zspheres were introduced. Some though Zspheres had potential to replace doing a final model by hand, so went to great lengths to try producing topology results it is just not capable of. Of course we all know now that it is better to use as a simple sculpting base.

I'm not saying there never will be such a solution, just that Pixologic would have to pull some serious magic to make it replace building topology by hand. Not that Pixologic are not capable of pulling miracles, but lets not allow our hopes to run wild here and turn into expectations for a release already pack full of innovations.



Autoretopo is the holy grail yes, i also saw some Siggraph papers about these technologies some time ago.
Can be valid to optimize and speed retopo workflow. However i think that organic shapes can be very complex, and it also depends on the level of detail you want to keep into final model. And the more detail you want to retain, the more complex autoretopo could be.
Hit the nail on the head.

[chris-carter]

for that bit about turning the cursor blue when in symmetry mode ... +4

[Framedworld]

Zbrush is in for a treat

[Mahlikus The Black]

for that bit about turning the cursor blue when in symmetry mode ... +4

I vote for green but any color will do. Great Idea!


Zbrush is in for a treat

:lol: I like how you flipped it! Nice!

[Zeddicus]

I had a reply that touched on all the things people commented regarding my previous posts, but it quickly became a huge wall of text so I gave up. :p

I'll say this though; going through this video one frame at a time in fun! Besides the cube, cylinder, and sphere boolean brushes, I also see an ear, mouth, nose, hand, and three heads. Welcome to the Mr. Potato Head version of Zbrush lol! :lol:

[mykyl]

If you go frame by frame you will also see by watching the tool preview on the right that initially the ears are separate subtools (They are shaded differently to the rest of the model) but then it all becomes one model. So it does look like it all merges together nicely even if put together with multiple objects. Nice.

Mike

[MealeaYing]

I had a reply that touched on all the things people commented regarding my previous posts, but it quickly became a huge wall of text so I gave up. :p :lol:
GRIN!!!!!!
I do that too!

[tortilla1]

Congratulations! That's a kick-ass demo.....I'm excited...
So that's a WOW from me :)

[Xsmoke]

Wow. It's so hard to imagine that this will be another free update.
With money comes greed, but somehow you people at Pixologic keep
your minds away from the love of money. You will be blessed for doing these things.
Wealth will be yours for the taking. Thanks so much.

[fleabay]

I would trade it all for MMB wheel zoom.

[Francis Bezooyen]

I would trade it all for MMB wheel zoom.

You're using a mouse??

[datdudegil]

You're using a mouse??
...what's a mouse?

Also, HOLY FREAKING CRAP. I bet this is all DrPetter's fault. XD

[Francis Bezooyen]

Thanks for the handy first aid note in your sig datdudegil - that's good to know :D

[gnareffotsirk]

Sculptris' auto-pivot navigation option would be a nice addition to zbrush.

Also, a feature that generates zspheres out of a mesh would be cool. Or retopology/remesh that considers the mesh and its poly groups as actual zspheres.

[rouncer]

nice sss effect on the clay too!!

[gasoil]

Food for thought:

as mentioned previously in this forum the direction that Zbrush developpemnt takes relies in both feature requests from real day to day problems but also the feedback and objective brainstorming with as little emotional bias as possible and trying to look at the bigger picture.

in this context and just to fuel healthy debate i would like to remind a few points that comes to mind

when modeling the human form or a biped and variations of bipeds i cant think of faster, more efficient workflow than reusing existing meshes or parts of meshes that have been rigging tested...i know this sounds very low tech but it makes total sense and is way faster than any retopo tool will ever be u can also reuse UVS this way and after years of experience some modelers/riggers have perfected this and many reuse their meshes...if its a troll or a dwarf or anything that has a human structure even with the most extreme porportions could be done this way....even if some minute feature or structural abnormality appears by design we could then just retopo that particular shape and blend to prexisting topo.In this scenario the best retopo tool is called "copy/Paste"


Edge flow: again if you made a human like structure that has human like muscle systems then you have two options at least...one will be to re use a preexisting topology that you know or production knows will work well once deformed but also there are at least two other scenarios i can think of:

the creature is totally naked...in this case you might think that creating edgeflow perfectly following the muscke structure will help...assuming that this is a hero creature you might then assume a proper "hero" muscle deforming system and not just a basic rigging...in this scenario most likely your rigger will ask for a relatively simple and tube like topo as the muscle def will come from real muscle systems just like in real life...in real life the human form as we describe it as a skin acting like cloth pushed and pulled by an underlying structure...simply put in a naked skin full realistic muscle deform scenario you might need to avoid muscle definition "baked in" the mesh because it might fight the "real" muscle deforms underneath it.

The other scenario will involve also fully or partially covered characters in wich case defining muscles trough topology becomes totally irrelevant as they will be covered by cloth (except for hands or faces that can as well be reused even better when disconnected from their bodies.

Of course none of this applies if your scukpt is for rendering purposed as no retopo is needed whatsoever today...the only one needed was the in progress retopo for stretching polys that is now solved through dynamesh.

IMPORTANT:

when you take into consideration these points (reusability of meshes, relevancy of baked muscle edgeflow vs real muscle sim etc..) you start to realize that amazingly it is Hard surface modelling that as pointed out before is the one that will more benefit from retopo because of the high density and poorly optimized meshes that hard surface tools produce.(in fcat when you create a sphere in a generalist 3d program it is already a "retopo" as it creates an optimized geometrical description of a sphere...a sphere could be created in many other ways including not so optim ways like geodesically for example.

I also note that the most spectacular and ground breaking tools in Zbrush lately (Zspheres,ShadowBox,Remesh Clip curves and now boolean brushes) have mainly improved the freeform shape creation and by definition have boosted everything that was not a creature or bipeds or things like that...proof of this is in this galleries where we see more and more artists daring to sculpt hard surfaces, arbitrary or abstract shapes for which it is very hard to preplan edgeflows and even less reuse existing geometry...as a simple everyday example i could produce very quickly many variations of human faces and even binocular creatures using the same base mesh while it will be impossible to produce even two different car designs with the same mesh because their structure is not dictated by nature but by the arbitrary flow of arbitrary curves and shapes.Have also a look at what some "abstract modeling" artist can do with Voxels for example in 3dcoat or procedurally in free modelres like Top Mod...this is jut for you to ask yourself "how would i have built that in Zbrush or in any other app?

This is why Booleans or any sort of negative and positive sculpting ability was an absolute priority from day one and im glad that this is being adressed before anything else.

In this context it would be one day terrific to have also teh ability to carve in and out using a 3d brush (opposed to an elevation and alpha based brush)
this is possible with voxels where you can create any 3d shape and use it to add and substarct in brush mode and will be like drilling shapes or scooping out shapes using 3d volumes.

[fleabay]

You're using a mouse??I should use a chisel and hammer maybe?

[gasoil]

@ fleabay

i think people are just suprised to see that you use a mouse to sculpt opposed to a Pen and Tablet...

Maybe you would like to try using one and realize that the MMB request becomes totally irrelevant as Zbrush was designed around that sort of hardware ... :) i personally still use mouse for vertex poly base modeling as i find a mouse better for minute translating and editing but i will deffo recommend a tablet for sculpting...