ZBrushCentral

Bought ZB, about to buy LW but will detailed sculpts look the same in LW after import

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m worried about this because after spending 800 on ZBrush and soon to spend 695 on Lightwave, i really need to know if my high detail sculpts will look the same in Lightwave (after i export from ZB via GoZ) as they did in ZB?

Presently, i’m like an “advanced beginner”, but i’m a quick learner. And i don’t know a lot about all this, but one thing i DO know is that i want all the hard work i do sculpting in ZB to look the same in LW after i’ve imported it. After i create all my maps, and do everything needed to bring my finished creation into LW, i want to know if i will be able to have the same exact mesh (or at least a 98-99% exact mesh) appear in LW that i had in ZB (after i increase the sub-division, load my maps, etc, etc)?

I’ve searched on this and all i’ve found is a few videos which “seemed”, to me, that what was imported into LW didn’t look as good as it did in ZB, after the artist worked so hard to fine detail it just right. I mean, why sculpt all that detail if you’re going to lose it after you bring it into another program?? So my question is, am i correct on this ‘assumption’? Is this the way it really is, or can i indeed have the exact same sculpt i make in ZB look the same after i import it into LW?

Sorry for making the question so long and possibly stupid sounding, but i’m just i little nervous at this point. I’m not exactly rich for one and i don’t even feel like returning the software after purchasing it (if that’s possible with NewTek). Anyway, much thanks to whoever can help me before i buy LW…

Tim

#2

You’ll have to look into how to use normal maps. It’s basically how other (non-Zbrush) 3D programs can display highly detailed sculpted models. It’s a fairly common workflow so it shouldn’t be hard to find the information you need.

#3

Normal maps? Thanks man, i’ll study up on that some. I just didn’t get why the cats who made the GoZ videos, who seemed to be well versed in ZB and LW, didn’t end up with their mesh being as detailed in LW as it was in ZB. He got it pretty close though, but still…

I’m tempted to buy LW tonight, as i don’t know how long NewTek will have it on sale for 695, BUT, i don’t even WANT to buy it, if i can’t have my characters eventually reach a fine (film quality) HD detailed state. It IS possible in a ZB - LW workflow, right - and not only in other 3D packages where your work never leaves the app? A “yes, it can be done” will suffice for me at this point :D. Thanks again!!

#4

The short answer is NO!. If you have a multi million poly mesh in ZB, you cannot use it in LW, however…

You have three options, which depend on what you are doing with the model in LW.

If it’s a static mesh, that you are just going to render in LW, and don’t need UVs (as in you are texturing procedurally, rather than using textures you have painted in ZB), then you can use decimation master to reduce the poly count dramatically without reducing the quality.

If you need to use textures painted in ZBRush, or want to have UVs that you can create textures on, you need to have a low poly versoin of your ZTool. You may have started with this, or (if you created your mesh using Dynamesh) you’ll have to retopologise. Either way, you have a low poly version that you use to create one of two types of map (sometimes both).

  1. A displacement map. This actually displaces the polygons in LW to get your lower poly mesh to look more like your ZB one. The drawback of this, is that in LW you need to have the polys to do it. So it needs to be subDed to a fairly high leve.

  2. A normal map, this is more a surface shader that makes it look like the mesh is deformed. Its a bit like a complicated bump map, but you can get surprisingly good details.

You can use a combination of these two.

The normal approach is that if your low poly gives you a good enough silouhette then Normals is enough. If not, you may want to increase the poly level of your low poly, or use an intermediate displacement map.

If you want to animate the character, the only difference is you need to make sure your topology is animatoin friendly :slight_smile:

Hope some of that made sense. :slight_smile:

#5

What are you getting LW for? What other software are you currently using?

#6

Yes! I get it now. Thanks Gordon. I forgot to mention i’ll be using what i create in ZB for animation purposes. I might then just stick with creating my skins and textures procedurally so i can get a higher detail level. Later, once i learn the ropes, i’ll incorporate the other method/s into my mesh exports (for animating). It feels so good when you finally ‘get’ something you’re interested in. Off to buy LW. Thanks again for the explanations Gordon…

Tim

#7

Yes, duhhh, can’t believe i forgot to mention i’ll be using what i create in ZB for animation purposes in LW. I also use After Effects and soon Fusion, especially after finding out it’s free.