ATTRACTER zspheres

[hitch]

I downloaded the 1.55 demo today and was amazed at the features that were presented in it, mostly the attracter zspheres which I am surprised that no one has really talked about, not even pixologic, or maybe i have just missed it. Anyway the attractor zspheres allow you to creat a much more dynamic mesh in alot faster time, the only part that took a bit to come to terms with, is that if you use alot of them, like i did in this image, the z sphere model bears little resemblence to the adaptive skin. but it creates a better cleaner mesh, so i'm all for it. The other new feature that i really like is the ability to add a higher mesh density to a particular zsphere
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1041941237vdy.jpg

this is the zsphere model that i was working with
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1041940382vyr.jpg
unmodified mesh, the areas around the eye sockets were bumped up in resolution
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1041940697kec.jpg
as close as i got to a finished image before my computer froze up
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1041940855dii.jpg

I'd like to see what all of you have come up with, with all of these nifty little features that pixologic have provided us with

[Nemo]

yeah - attractor speheres and being able to decide for each sphere if the resolution should go up is a major improvement. In fact i hope i will be able to get my meshes done without any further modelling using attractor spheres and finalizing it with a displacement map.

this mesh should still remain posable in some way.

However since i own ZB1.51 i am eagerly waiting for my upgrade before i will put time into the creation of anything. I just tend to save my work which i am not able to with the demo ;)

[MrBraun]

Well done bro!!! :D
Yes... Mik today have show this tecnique !!
Tnx both for sharing this thecnique !!! ;)

[Mahlikus The Black]

I feel the same way too Nemo. I am sure others feel the same way as well. Which is probably why most people haven't said anything about the new features. Don't get me wrong, I have played with the new stuff but I am just not willing to commit too much time to image creation because saving tools and textures and what have you is a must for me.

As for the image/modeling above...excellent work HitcH! I love the model! ;) ;) ;)

[rpage]

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1041958840vsp.jpg

Attracter zspheres have made my descision to buy ZBrush as soon as the new version is released. The above model although simple, use the attracters to pull at the wings of my bat. I can see a lot of uses for this when it comes to low poly models for animations.
:D

[aurick]

Hi rpage!

For you and anyone else who might be "sitting the fence" while waiting for the upgrade before purchasing I would like to point out that the new version will be free to all registered users of the commercial version. So you could purchase now, master what is present in v1.51, and then receive the free upgrade. If you already know that you want it, why wait?

Don't get me wrong -- the demo is a good way to learn. But as Mahlikus has pointed out it still has limitations. Most especially when it comes to saving items such as textures and tools.

[rpage]

Hi aurick!

Is the upgrade to 1.55 or will it be to 1.6?

I do love ZBrush and find it a boat load of fun! Can not wait to save and export some of my work!

:tu:

[aurick]

The upgrade will go beyond what the demo includes. It will include everything that's in the demo, plus some new things that you haven't seen yet or have only been previewed (such as the displacement mapping).

[Northstarr]

Well I hope we don't have to wait too long!!
I was tempted to download a demo version of 1.55 but, I would have to remove another program to make room for it and I would definitely get frustrated if I designed something I wanted to keep ie. a tool. So meantime I am getting frustrated with seeing these new things like attracter spheres???? and not being able to try it all out.

:(

[Jaycephus]

TVEyes mentioned this in Mik's Gungan Attractor thread:

"...you can enter preview mode, turn on polyframe viewing and edit vertexes wihtout having to skin the model. The Zsphere model will remember the adjusted points, even if you move the zshperes again."

Aurick or anyone with the new demo: Is this true?? Sounds like a very nice add-on that is almost as neat as the addition of attractor spheres.

[Frenchy Pilou]

Hi Jay
For the demo it's seem to me that's true !
You can move "the red point cursor" on each vertex and move the vertex in the way that you want !
Or more than one vertex if you increase The Draw Size with "S".
And with the preview mode !It's like an 3dMax program :)
I make it it ! Very useful for the low poly modeling !
I don't know if you see near the "3" the red cursor? (it's a little thing :)
The object down has also a little rotation on the X Axe for see the other side :)
I am in Quick Preview PolyFrame mode "T" Editing Zsphere "W" move
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1041984528fbd.jpg
Of course if I return in normal mode with "A" my modification is saved !
Pilou :cool:

[aurick]

This is completely true, and is accomplished through ZBrush's new Morph Target capability.

When you show the preview mesh, you can sculpt it just like any other mesh. You can then exit the preview, move spheres (within limits) and return to the preview mode to see the mesh still sculpted but now in a new pose.

The things that will foul this up are if you change the ZSphere model (adding or removing spheres, changing the skin settings, etc.), or if your new pose is radically different from the original. In the first case, the sculpting is lost. In the second case, the preview turns into hash.

You are also now able to texture the preview without skinning it!

The bottom line is that you can model your ZSphere figure, save the model, preview/sculpt/texture it, and then save it again. (Well, in the commercial version you will be able to save it.) All as a ZSphere object and without skinning it. The morph geometry will be stored as a part of the ZSphere tool. You will then be able to put the ZSphere model in a variety of poses and preview it again with the texture and sculpting remaining intact. I'm sure that you animation nuts will see the possibilities opening up there. :)

Oh, and of course add in the fact that you can set the resolution of the part of the mesh controlled by each ZSphere on a sphere by sphere basis. Not only does this give you more latitude with sphere placement, but it also allows you to give areas greater density where you know you'll want to sculpt more detail.

Now add to that tantalizing mix the capabilities that will be added with displacement mapping...

Yes, the new version will prove to be well worth the wait.

[MikeHart]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Now add to that tantalizing mix the capabilities that will be added with displacement mapping...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Will it be possible that the displacement map affects the skinning of a zsphere model? That would be awesome! Does it???? :qu:

[sirquadalot]

CG claymation? This will be very interesting to try. I can't wait! :tu: :tu:

[Eric D.]

Hi folks, complete Newbie here.

I'm scouring the demo, and I don't see any instructions for creating the attracter Zspheres. Can anybody tell me what I'm missing?

Thanks

Eric

[aurick]

Run the ZScripts that come with the demo. They tell you how to create attractors.

Here's the basics, though:

1) An attractor must not have children.
2) An attractor must have a Transform>intersection resolution of 0 (the default)
3) In Edit>Draw mode, Alt-Click on the chain connecting the would-be attractor sphere to its parent. It will become transparent, to show that it's an attractor.


You can then move and resize the attractor however you like. The larger the attractor is, the more of the mesh it will affect. The farther it is from its parent, the more strongly it will pull the mesh that it affects.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1042091702ukt.jpg

:: A small sphere close to the parent will cause a small part of the mesh to be pulled a short distance.
:: A large sphere close to the mesh will cause a large part of the mesh to be pulled a short distance.
:: A small sphere far from the parent will cause a small part of the mesh to be pulled out dramatically.
:: A large sphere far from the parent will cause a large part of the mesh to be pulled out dramatically -- and can even bend the entire mesh.

[Eric D.]

Aurick,

Thanks for the quick and illuminating reply. Your image makes the relationships really clear.

I had just done the Zsphere scripts a few days ago, so I didn't realize the third one had been modified. And thanks for the spelling heads-up on attractor.

Eric