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3.5 import problem: freezing model

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi Zbrushers,

I’ve upgraded and just started using my Z 3.5 package. My routine has been to model in Maya, export to Zbrush and detail, then send my lowest level model back to Maya for UV’s.

I then bring the low UV’d model back into Zbrush importing it with the model set to the lowest subdiv level.

Now usually this works. However with 3.5 my model now seems to freeze. I can no longer sculpt nor paint it and it is in that dark red default which usually means it’s inactive even though it is active.

Having trouble getting around this, and I really liked this pipeline, have come to depend on it.

Anyone?

-Daev

#2

I can’t really help, but I’d like to say that I have the exact same workflow, and have no trouble at all in 3.5R2.

#3

Are you also working with subtools? Thanks.

#4

Hi I just wanted to post a resolution to this posting because I personally hate when I go looking for information on the web and see the question but no resolve.

My pipeline involves using Maya to make my base mesh. Detailing in Zbrush before I create UV’s. To do so I export it as an obj. Then I bring it into Modo where I find I have the best results for applying organic UVs to a character. Unfortunately I cannot simply export as an obj again. To keep my UVs intact I export as an FBX file. The scale will not be correct now, and Zbrush does not read back in the FBX, so I bring the model back into Maya with a scaling of 100 (you’ll see the info in the FBX import box when you click import).

Then I export as an obj, and it’s back with the lowest version of the model (if I forgot to mention that) to Zbrush. I set my zbrush model to the lowest resolution first and import the .obj file and it resolves the model keeping the highest levels of detail intact and having nice clean UV’s. Then I start painting in Zbrush and exporting .objs to Maya as needed.

I explain this because sometimes a pipeline feels so complicated that I can’t tell where things went wrong. In this case I had modified my geometry once it was back in Maya because I had done extrusions in Zbrush which created inner faces which I didn’t want. I cleaned up the model and did my UVs and brought it back in and it went dark and I couldn’t edit it.

I noticed however that there was a little stretching on some points of the geometry when I tried to sculpt it and it occurred to me (in the shower where my best ideas happen) that when it imported it must have turned on a sort of global MASK mode on most of the model.

I went back into Zbrush, selected holding down the Control key outside of the model and sure enough it highlighted lighter and I was able to sculpt again.

A not expected thing definitely caused me some headache here, but I’m happy that I can at least have expected results now. I don’t know why the masking was activated except to think that possibly somehow brought back up my original mask selection that created the extrusion for some reason.

As a follow up I’ll have to post later and see if anyone understands what the work flow is supposed to be for painting textures with 3.5. It’s hit or miss for me at this point and i don’t have documentation for polypaint and texturing in 3.5.

cheers!

Daev Finn
http://www.daevfinnstudio.com