This plugin is now a part of ZBrush 3.1
Pixologic has now released the new plug-in, Displacement Exporter and Multi Displacement 2 for the Macintosh and PC.
Displacement Exporter contains many innovative features such as the ability to convert a displacement map into a normal map. From this plug-in you can export 8 bit, 16 bit, or 32 bit RGB or grey-scale maps. You have full control over each channel, can flip your map as well as have access to the innovative 8dot8 file export.
8dot8 allows you to use 8 bit displacement maps to achieve results similar to what you achieve with 16 bit displacement maps. 8dot8 separates out major and minor forms into two different maps that can be added together at render time. To use 8dot8 turn the status of Major8 and Minor8 to On.
The [color=#ff8c00]Multi Displacement 2 will bake real-world coordinates (and remove the need for the Alpha Depth Factor) into your 32 bit floating point maps for models that were imported into ZBrush. Multi Displacement 2 has been production tested by ILM and other major studios.
Download Displacement Exporter, Multi Displacement 2 & Documentation Here (PC)
September 22nd, 2005: Version A released
October 18th, 2005: Version C released
November 2nd, 2005: Version D released
Version C changes:
Added Multi-Displacement 2 for the Mac
Changed tilde key, “~” in file name to a dash “-”
Download Displacement Exporter, Multi Displacement 2 & Documentation Here (MAC)
Version D changes:
Fixed some issues with 32 bit export for the Macintosh
Installing the Displacement Exporter
Extract the zip file to anywhere on your computer.
Move the contents to the ZStartup/ ZPlugs directory. If your ZStartup directory does not have a ZPlugs folder, create it.
Launch ZBrush
The plugin will place two buttons in your Alpha palette and a new sub menu, Multi Displacement 2, in your ZPlugins palette.
You can move the documentation, ADE4.PDF, anywhere you want.
Using the Displacement Exporter
Create a displacement map
Select the alpha in the Alpha palette
Open the Alpha palette along the top row and there are two new buttons: DE Options and DExporter
Click DE Options to open the Displacement Exporter
Choose your settings
Click Export Current to export out the map
You can use DExporter to automate the exporting of several types of maps. Click the button and it will export out a map for each option with its Status set to On.
Using Multi Displacement 2
Select your model in the tool palette
Go to the lowest subdivision level
Open the Multi Displacement 2 submenu and choose your settings
Click Export options to open the Displacement Exporter
Choose your settings
In the Multi Displacement 2 submenu click Create All