Amnc ---- Alphas ---- 3/22-?

[aminuts]

AMNC---ALPHAS.jpg


Hi ,

Thanks to everyone who participated in the last challenge....really great materials!!!! Remember it will be left open so If you make a cool one down the road...please post it there so we can keep em in one spot!!

This week's challenge is going to be left open too so that if you create a great new ALPHA in the future you can post it here so Pixologic and fellow zbrushers can find it quicker!

Anyway this challenge is to challenge you guys to create some Alphas. Alphas for things like Skins or alphas to use with materials etc etc.

It would be way cool if they are created completely in Zbrush but if they are not....that's cool too. I would however insist that they be your own work!!!

Rules:

1. Must be original work!

2. Please post an example of your ALPHA at work!

3. If you learned something about making the alphas, please share your tips!!

4. Please tell us if we need any special ALPHA settings to make it really pop!!

5. You can start a challenge within this challenge....for instance....if you are having trouble creating something then by all means challenge your fellow Zbrushers to create it!!

6. OOPS! Almost forgot the most important part......
Please please please.....include your nick in the name of the ALPHA so that we might give you credit later on when we use it!!!!! for example ....
JantimswaycoolALPHA.jpg

7. Also if you have quite a few of them...zip them up and post em.....that way you can post up one picture showing them all but offer a zipped file with them at the best resolution so we don't take up any more disk space than necessary I don't wanna get bopped by Pixologic!:D

This and all MNC challenges are open to everybody!! Newbies....if you discovered a new cool ALPHA...share it with us......all you vets out there have learned something along the way......please give the rest of us some hints!!

This mission, should you choose to accept it is for fun and bragging rights only, ZBC and Pixologic have nothing to do with it other than allowing us to have fun with their fantastic program, no prizes other than the pride and kudos you get from creating something cool .

Good luck and have fun exploring!!

[jotajota]

:tu:

[Bas Mazur]

Some alpha's

[Rawnrr]

Here are the alphas I was making at work today

I broke it into 3 files for easier download.

Raw-alpha-3.jpg

[Rawnrr]

and the next one..Raw-alpha-4.jpg

[Rawnrr]

and finally....


Hope you enjoy!

RawnRaw-alph-5.jpg

[Bas Mazur]

Rawnrr, what kind of work you do??! :D

[jotajota]

:D :tu:

[Rawnrr]

I am a graphic artist by profession(about 15 years)...though my day job is nothing to speak of creativly speaking.
But I have been developing products for poser for over 3 years nows and consider myself a pretty good texture artist.

With regards to alphas...is there a way to store and organize them in zbrush, so I dont have to import them all the time?

Rawn

[Svengali]

Rawnrr,

Here is one thing you might try, to automatically load fifteen additional alphas of your choice every time you start up ZBrush.


First, SAVE a backup copy of your DefaultZscript.txt file found in the ZScript directory.

Second, edit the DefaultZscript.txt file and insert this line toward the end of the script:


// ----- run alphaload -----
<ZScriptInsert,"alphaload.txt">



Third, create in the Zscript directory a new file named alphaload.txt that will contain commands similar to the following:



// alphaload
[IUnPress,ZScript:Show Actions]
[If,1,
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\Clip.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\fold.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\scale-snakesmooth.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\scales-crystalarmour.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\TILES-dirty.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\SCALES2.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\scales-lizardbelly.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\scales-snale.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\scales-frogg-ass.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\scales-neato.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\mountain alpha.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\weavetight.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\hornslayered.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\weaveloose.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[FileNameSetNext,"ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\quick-bolt.jpg"]
[IKeyPress,13,[IPress,Alpha:Import]]
[IPress,ALPHA:Brush 01] // remember to reselect default alpha to Brush 01

]
//end alphaload



Change the sample path and filenames appropriately.



For instance, the full path to my alpha files is:

C:\Pixologic\ZBrush2\ZExportImport\Alphas\filename.jpg

in the script, the syntax becomes:

ZBRUSH_ZExportImport\Alphas\filename.jpg

(Remember to make ZBRUSH all caps! :) )



After you're done, the next time you load ZBrush you'll find the additional alphas loaded into your Alpha Palette ready to use. One thing to remember, each additional alpha uses up ram, so be discriminating about the number and size.

Sven

[acmepixel]

Although I cannot upload any of these, the Bryce v1, v2, v3, v4 and v5 distribution disks have a lot of alphas included. Anyone with a copy of Bryce can utilize these as alphas in Zbrush.

Also, the Bryce Terrain Editor makes a good alpha generator.
(Likewise, Vue and Terragen).

And for those who own a copy of Photoshop, there are a couple of free plugins for making tileable textures and alphas (height maps);
MapZone, and MapView;
http://www.allegorithmic.com/v2/zone_desc.htm
and
http://www.allegorithmic.com/v2/kits_desc.htm

[aminuts]

Wow some great stuff guys!!!!


Jotajota, Bas, Rawnrr.....thank you!!!!! some very cool alphas to get the ball rolling!!!!

Acme....thanks for the links....I think folks should find them most useful!!!

[Bas Mazur]

Again the question. When I tile the texture on a cube, I want to use it as a mask to inflate it. But only the untiled texture or alpha can be inflated. Anyone can tell me how to use the tiled texture as a mask?

[aminuts]

I am not sure if I am understanding correctly but ....


I think your answer might be to INVERSE the mask.....

which you can do with in tools:masking...and click the inverse button.

if that's not what you are looking for please let me know.

ps....i know i saw you ask it before...but couldn't answer then....am gonna go re find it to see if I missed the mark.



ok....Bas, in that first post I think you wanted to tile that tileable texture/alpha......best way to do that is to.....

download Svengali's way cool can't live without it....MAP IT script......the link is in my signature.

You can play with various mapping modes, load the alpha as a texture and try various h - v settings.....when you find one you like...make sure you hit...tiles button to create a new texture with the h - v settings you desired then you can either hit Int button in tools:masking or in texture palette hit create alpha then go to tools:masking and it the alp button.

hope that makes some sense....if not ...ya know where to find me hahaha.

[Bas Mazur]

Thx but I want to inflate the tiled texture of the first cube like I did in the second one. But not only one texture tile. The first cube has the texture tiled 4 times and I also want this inflated, the same as the tiled texture.
Now the texture of the first is inflated only 1 time.

[andreseloy]

Try once texture is applied in the Masking Panel press Int and them press Inflat in Deformation Panel¡
Let me know if it work
Thanks
Andreseloy

[Bas Mazur]

MapIt was the key to do wat I wanted!
Thx Amininuts, learned again!
Andreseloy, what you mentioned I did but the problem was how to get it tiled. With MapIt I could make the tiled texture and inflate it :D
Thanks helping!

[MadWickedStiner]

MadWickedStinerAlpha1.jpg \



I like it...

[aminuts]

Oh nooooo MadwickedStiner......

hahaha I think I am gonna lose an afternoon playing with that one and the decobrush!!:rolleyes:

Thanks!!

[DanRoberts]

Here are a few .... dont know how usefull they would be.

Just played around with some filters in PS. :rolleyes:

Alpha1.jpg
Alpha2.jpg
Alpha3.jpg

[lemonnado]

I am having a ball with this one. So I want to share it
LN

[andreseloy]

:D
your box is full:D
have to reviewed:D
i cant send PM¡
by
Andreseloy

[aminuts]

oops sorry! guess I got some house cleaning to do! :rolleyes:

will do that right now!

[DanRoberts]

I was looking at a cload making tutorial for XSI and the resulting particle cloud seemed to be maybe usefull as an alpha ... so far it seems good for making bumpy surfaces that look somewhat random.

(If ya try it out set the radial fade to some non zero number as there seems to be an edge artifact I couldnt seem to isolate.)

Cloud_Alpha.1_512.jpg

Bumby Surfaces ...

CloudAlphaBumps.gif

I included a 512x512 uncompressed bitmap (prolly alot better than the jpeg image posted above.

Dan

[aminuts]

Renaming thread for easier finding later on searches...hopefully hahaha.



cool alpha Dan...look forward to playing with it!

[Jerky]

This is a WIP. I needed scales, so I made this in photoshop and used it on a current WIP model I am making. Still needs some refining, but it is tileable if you make the z intensity low.
scales1.jpg

[aminuts]

Thanks, Jerky!!

[roguenroll]

i still have these up from polaris and others::D
http://www.fmotion.net/zbrush/

[DanRoberts]

i still have these up from polaris and others::D
http://www.fmotion.net/zbrush/
Thanks for the hosting link .... theres some nice stuff in that gift file also :) ... So i guess I'll say thanks to polaris again also :tu:

Dan

[aminuts]

Cool Roguenroll!!! I had it in mind to look for that link and see if it was still active but got sidetracked!!! Thanks for hosting it and reposting it here!!

And thanks again to Polaris for making them!!

[wenna]

I know this is probably an old message but glad, Roguenroll, that you are still hosting these, thanks so much! Thanks also to Polaris for making these great alphas!

Jotajota, Bas, Rawnrr, madwicked, well, everyone who has contributed... great alphas and thanks so much!

[DarthWayne]

http://www.dashdotslash.net/photogallery/

A new area of my site that has alphas I've made for download (some high res). I'll be adding to it all the time. Hope this is of use to someone.

Wayne...

[aminuts]

Cool! Thanks Darthwayne!

If anyone else has some cool links or a link to their own specially created alphas they want to share.....list them here!!!

[DarthWayne]

I did forget to mention that you have to register to download them. it's free and basically only to help stop the problem I had with people hotlinking to my images and using up a whole shed load of bandwidth. It's bacially a formality that only takes a minute or two.

Wayne...

[Buckie]

Here ya go... 256 alphas for you to play with :D

www.aliendesignasylum.co.uk/3dworld/ZBux alpha collection.zip (http://www.aliendesignasylum.co.uk/3dworld/ZBux%20alpha%20collection.zip)

[aminuts]

Thanks Buckie, now I know how ya filled up all your slots already!:D

[lemonnado]

THANKS!!!
Those are great!
:tu::tu:
Lemo

[Blaine91555]

DarthWayne and Buckie - Thanks so much!!!

[DarthWayne]

http://www.dashdotslash.net/photogallery/categories.php?cat_id=24


A special heads up for the members here. I've been thinking for a while about using Zbrush for generating greeble type bump / displacement maps for hard surface models. The result at a first pass at some greeble alphas are available at the above link.
These are in the early development stage so feedback would be greatfully received. For those unaware of 'greeble', it's a 3ds plug in for generating a sort of detail effect similar to that seen on star distroyers etc... a quick search about it will give you the basic idea.

Wayne...

[Rao_B]

can some one suggest me how to import Alphas.. when i tried Alpha/import in Zbrush.. it's showing that.."Unable to read the specified file"

looking for help
thanks

[bpmufx]

Rao_B - What file type are you saving as?
Saving as native P.S. works nice because after you save it, load it into Zbrush as an alpha, it can be edited back in PS and it will update itself in Zbrush.

[Rao_B]

thank you, thanks a lot bpmufx...., earlier i was trying with tiff and jpeg.. but not able to import.. finally i imported psd..it has come.. thank you.. again

[Moochie]

Wooo .. thanks Buckie and DarthW .. great alphas! Bumpalicious!