ZBrushCentral

ZBrush 4R4 - Are YOU ready ?

We are pleased to announce the release of ZBrush 4R4 for both Windows & Mac.

ZBrush 4R4 continues to expand on creative freedom with a focus on model topology and detail creation. These new features were developed to let you be an artist first and foremost, giving you more freedom to explore new ideas!

The following two movies illustrate some of the things that you can now accomplish when you harness the power of ZBrush 4R4. We hope you enjoy them! More information about these and other new features can be found below.

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<iframe src=“http://www.pixologic.com/video/video-v2-zbc.php?videoname=http://www.pixologic01.com/zbrush/ZBrush4R4/videos/Z4R4MeshFusion.f4v” frameborder=“0” height=“600” width=“1034”></iframe>

Major Features

:small_orange_diamond: IMM Insert Multi Mesh Brushes combine entire libraries of objects into a single brush. Select from any object within the brush, then insert it into your model. Easily convert any Tool to an Insert brush with a single click. If your Tool has multiple SubTools, an Insert Multi Mesh brush will be created, allowing you to select from any of its objects at any time.

:small_orange_diamond: Tri IMM Tri Part Multi Mesh Brushes advances the Insert Brush features even further, using PolyGroups to define end cap objects along with a middle segment. When you draw a curve, the end caps will be placed at either end with the middle segment being duplicated along the curve’s length. Instantly build chains, zippers and other complex shapes in full 3D. In addition to Tri IMM, the new Curve Brushes can be used to draw almost anything!

:small_orange_diamond: QRemesher Alpha frees you from the complex tasks of creating new model topology. QRemesher can automatically or semi-automatically clean up your mesh topology. Special automasking and other control features including curve guides let you control the retopology, when necessary, to get the best results quickly and easily.

:small_orange_diamond: Topology Brush provides manual control over topology creation for those times when you wish to re-topologize your work with precision. It uses ZBrush 4R4’s optimized curve engine to let you draw new polygons on the fly, after which a simple click on the support surface instantly generates the new polygons – with or without thickness. Build form-fitting props complete with thickness or redesign a partial surface, ready to replace part of your existing mesh.

:small_orange_diamond: Mesh Fusion swaps part of your model’s surface with another piece of topology, automatically bridging the polygons to maintain a seamless mesh. Simply define PolyGroups on your model and then replace those areas with a new mesh! ZBrush merges the new element into the support mesh by bridging the polygons at the insertion boundary.

:small_orange_diamond: Grid System Reference Images can now be applied to the ZBrush Grids. Load your images for the front, side and top views to more easily create artwork based on references. This even works with Shadow Box. Different images may even be assigned to opposite sides of each plane, giving you the effect of a reference cube surrounding your sculpt. Additionally, your model or even a simple plan with a texture applied on it can be snapshot to the Background image so that if follows your camera rotations.

:small_orange_diamond: UndoHistory With over 10,000 available steps gives you virtually unlimited Undo capabilities. This History is saved as part of the ZBrush Project format, meaning that your steps will be maintained even across multiple sessions. A History slider makes it easy to scrub through your Undo History, you can play through the steps like a movie. In fact, you can even make a movie out of your History, complete with special controls to optimize (or replace) camera movement, object centering and more. The result is a far more enjoyable playback than if you had simply recorded your sculpting session using traditional video capture.

:small_orange_diamond: TransPose Enhancements provide a world axis selector so that you can switch to any working plane orientation with a single click, or snap the Action Line to your surface normal anywhere on the model. In addition, there are new Inflate and Flatten functions which are especially useful for hard surface sculpting.

:small_orange_diamond: DynaMesh Enhancements provide increased resolution (up to 2048) and the capability to combine SubTools using DynaMesh – even defining specific SubTools as negative volumes. You can accomplish amazing things simply by combining basic shapes in original ways.

These new features are only but some of the enhancements that ZBrush 4R4 brings to the table. Here is a list of more features that have been designed to open up new avenues for creativity:

Brushes

  • New preset brushes provide examples of how to take advantage of ZBrush 4R4's key features: Curve Strap, Curve Track, Insert types and more.
  • Create Insert and Multi Mesh Insert brushes with a single click.
  • Insert Brushes now use the brush Imbed setting to define the depth of the insertion.
  • Insert Brushes now use the Z Intensity setting to apply a squash factor along the insertion normal.
  • Projection Strength function conforms the inserted mesh to the underlying surface.
  • Be recognized for your contributions! You can now provide your name and website info to a brush before exporting and sharing it with the community.

Tool and Geometry

  • Maximum DynaMesh resolution has been increased to 2048.
  • Mask Peaks and Valleys function detects portions of the mesh with the greatest detail density. This function is used internally by QRemesher but is also available for general use via the AutoMasking options.
  • Quickly create a PolyGroup from a mask. This is especially useful with the new topology replacement features.
  • New Cluster option for the Group Visible function controls the way its randomization will act.
  • Grow All visibility function makes all the current mesh's polygons visible.
  • Mesh to Brush function converts the mesh of an Insert Mesh brush to a new Tool.
  • New topology cleaning tools: Merge Triangles and Weld Points.
  • Mesh Extract gains two new controls: Corner Quad to Triangle and Thin Border.

FiberMesh

  • Merging different SubTools which are FiberMesh aware preserves the designation if they have the same number of vertices per fiber.
  • The Group Visible function is now FiberMesh aware and uses the Coverage value to regroup the fibers.
  • The Split Hidden and Group Split functions are now fiber aware.
  • The Inflate deformer now has a reduced effect when used on a FiberMesh.

Render and Materials

  • New Vibrant Shadows and AO setting generates more strongly color-saturated shadows.
  • The Background image can now be tilted.
  • The Background image may now be synchronized with your model's rotation.

Import/Export

  • Vector Displacement map export quality has been improved.
  • UV Offset has been added in the Preferences palette's Export options for use with Vector Displacement.
  • .EXR File format has been added for Vector Displacement maps.
  • GoZ now supports Maya 2013 and Luxology modo 601. (Note: modo 601 on OSX requires a manual update when importing a model.)

Miscellaneous

  • XPose now displays the SubTools as a contact sheet.
  • Improved notification when saving large projects. (2Gb to 4Gb)
  • New SubTool commands Delete All and Delete Other help to quickly clean your projects.
  • Improved overall Projection speed.
  • ZBrush preferences settings are now stored in a Public folder for improved permissions compatibility with Windows and Mac.
  • The location of the ZBrush virtual memory/cache files can now be changed, providing performance improvements on systems where the system drive is not the computer's fastest drive or is running low on disk space.
  • New ZScript commands have been added, mainly to manage the SubTools.

Upgrade Instructions

ZBrush 4R4 is a free-of-charge update for all registered ZBrush users.

If you have ZBrush 4 or above, CLICK HERE.
If you have ZBrush 3.5 or below, Submit a Support Ticket.

*The Auto Update feature introduced in version 4R3 was designed for small udpates and can not be used at this time.

ZClassroom Video Additions

Insert Mesh Videos:

    [*=left]Curve Insert Mesh Intro [*=left]Curve Insert Mesh Basics [*=left]Curve Insert Mesh Triparts [*=left]Curve Insert Mesh Triparts Weld Part 1 [*=left]Curve Insert Mesh Triparts Weld Part 2 [*=left]Grid Image Plane Reference Creature part 1 of 4 [*=left]Slice Curve Insert Mesh Creature Part 2 of 4 [*=left]Insert Mesh Replacement Creature 3 of 4 [*=left]Insert Mesh Replacement Creature 4 of 4

Access these videos here: Insert Mesh Videos:

QRemesher:

    [*=left]QRemesher Introduction [*=left]QRemesher Guides [*=left]QRemesher Local Remesh

Access these Videos here: QRemesher Videos:

Tutorial (PDF) Downloads

Thank you for your continued support! :slight_smile:

Happy ZBrushing!

© 2012 Pixologic, Inc. All rights reserved, Pixologic and the Pixologic logo, ZBrush, and the ZBrush logo are registered trademarks of Pixologic. Various patents pending. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

I´m ready…

Ready and downloading. Thanks Pixologic…

Unbelievable. And Pixologic did it again! Congrats for your awesome hard work, guys.

It looks like a great update!

Wow, thank you so much. :smiley:

Downloaded, installed, activated, and running. You guys are masterful. :+1:small_orange_diamond:+1: My day was depressed but now I am in a joyful mood. Thank you again.

Thats amazing! im trying right know and its fabolous! Good Work to all Pixologic Team!

Awesome. Thank you!

Just when you think Zbrush is awesome it just gets more awesome haha.

Utterly fantastic. LOVE the unlimited undo and the ability to record the entire creation from the history. Fantastic update.

Mike

Im RDY! Bring it!

HOOOLY MOOOOLY!!!

so many of these tools are things that i needed right this minute for the work i’m doing!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

(it’s impossible to be excited on the internet and not sound sarcastic but seriously, i audibly squealed when i saw r4 was out!)

jin

p.s. ok… just so those videos up there… DAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMM!

This is incredible!!! Thanks a lot for your hard work Pixologic, you are the best!

I’m Ready too!!! :smiley:

Yes, I’m ready and very happy.

My body is ready!:o

But my mind isn’t… MIND BLOWING!:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:

Wow, thank you Pixologic!

That was a surprice. I didn’t expected it before Siggraph! :cool:

Keep up the great work.

Kind regards,
Tom

well now, after the zclassroom thumbs leaked last week I thought maybe we’d get a sneak peek and maybe a release date and more info at siggraph…

but i never expected we’d get it straight up…most excellent…

i was hoping it would be available in time for a challenge i’ve got coming up and it certainly did

top work pixologic

Got it and lovin’ it!
Have to close it for a bit and watch all the new tute vids!
Thanks a ton!

Vector Displacement map export quality has been improved. ?

Vray does not support for 4R3 Vector Displacement ,

Vlado
says (Behind man of vray)

"Nope, still won’t work. The UVW tangent space used by ZBrush is completely different from the one expected by V-Ray. We are still waiting for a piece of information from Pixologic in order to implement support for the same tangent space. For the moment, as Johan suggested, going through Mudbox will work better.

Best regards,
Vlado"