Import/Export problems with 3D Max 5.1

[TheMagician]

Hi everybody,

My first question in this (very nice) forum is perhaps a very basic one:

I finished modelling and texturing something in ZBrush, let's say a head.

Now I export the head mesh with dxf. No problem here.
And I export the texture-map (created with TextureMaster). Works fine, too.

Now I start up Max 5.1 and and import the head-mesh. I open the material editor and create a new material with the imported bitmap.

And there it happens: after applying the material to the mesh I don't know how to adjust the uv-coordinates-stuff so it looks like it did in ZBrush. The texture is alwasys twisted or streched or just not fitting.

Is there any work around this problem?

Many thanks in advance,

Stefan

[PusGhetty]

Stefan,
I would suggest exporting your model out of Zbrush as an .obj file as opposed to .dxf. The .dxf files do not use uvmaps at all.
This should fix your problem.
Take care,
Michael

[TheMagician]

Hi Michael,

thanks for your reply. However - it sounds stupid - but I am not sure if 3D Max can import .obj files. I tried to, but it says: wrong import-data.

Is there a plugin for Max or do you know anything else regarding this issue?

Thanks again

[drjjwow]

yes there is, obj2max plugin doesnt work in version 5.1 so with the recent help of my z buddys i was able to find this site with the answer.. http://www.3d-station.com/ressource/impexp.php
its about the 4th one donw from the top, and its called alias wavefront importer, dont worry about the site because its in french because youll download a english version plugin.

[TheMagician]

Hi Dr. jjwow,

IT WORKS GREAT!!!!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Are you just a little longer in the forum right now?

I am going to play a little bit with it, and i am sure there will be another question...

[drjjwow]

your in the right place for help either here or somewhere else.. post your questions and im sure many people will help you.. if you want my help directly you could email me at mazap1@msn.com.

[TheMagician]

Hi again,

this realy is a great place for help.

I am just working on with the TextureMaster Rhinoceros - Tutorial. At the end, they apply a shiny orange belt around it. It has a very high specular level.

Of couse, when exporting the texture/material to .psd or .bmp this shininess is lost.

I think there is no way to tell 3D Max that this portion of the texture is shiny and the rest isn't.

Am I right?

[drjjwow]

im going to say no it doesnt because the material and shaders differ from zbrush or rhino.if im wrong somebody here will set it straight for you.

[Jaycephus]

Right, there is no way in the native output from ZB for Max to know that a certain area should have a certain material property, such as specularity or reflectivity.

However, I am assuming that there is a way to use bitmaps in Max to control things like specularity, reflectivity, or displacement. So, you could either edit the ZB texture in PS, converting it to grayscales and isolating the areas that should be shiny and use that as a specular map, or you could re-texture the rhino in ZB using grayscales and output that as your specular map.

[TheMagician]

You are right, Jaycephus!

The idea with the bitmap-mask for the specular map is perfect. I will give it a try.

[Brian Couzens]

I attempted to access the program specified, as I have the same problem, but I get a access forbidden error. Can anyone suggest where else I can go to get this plug-in for max 5.1

[drjjwow]

brian im using this plugin above and it works fine.. email me at mazap1@msn if you have anymore problems.

[upham]

Hey dudes,
I've writen a ZBrush 2 Max tutorial on the bottom of my old ZLand site... just click in my signature below ... Upham's ZLand for Newbies ... It uses the Habware plugin.

As for exporting out of Max back to ZBrush I can't recomend the Habware plugin. I'll write a tut for this also.... soon.
Upham

[murray]

Hey guys. I'm having the same problem as the
magician with my material not mapping correctly in max.I know its probably something really simple.I followed Upham's
tut,(I thought to the letter)but its still
not working.Should you use auv tiles or
assign a mapping method(planar,spherical etc.)to the adaptive skin before you export?
When in max you have to apply a uvw modifier
to the obj...and then what?I'm pulling my
hair out over here. Any help would be appreciated.Thanks,Murray

[upham]

Hey Murray
Sorry, Sorry ... My fault! I've got to change step twenty so it reads ... "Now turn off and then on - the "VIEW IN VIEWPORT button" (material editor), so it will refresh the bit-map on the model in Studio Max!
Silly - me bad.
Does this change things??
Upham