ZBrushCentral

Can one import vertex colour into Zbrush from another app ?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi

Does anyone out there know of any plug-in for z brush that will allow you to import the vertex colour data on a mesh from another app?

As far as I know obj format scrubs the vertex colour data, only .3ds files, .dae (collada format) and .FBX support vert colours - But they are not compatible with zbrush

Anyone got a magic tool that transfers *.dae to *.ztl :smiley:

I ask as I have started playing about with a free app online which will convert your photos into a 3D relief, the app generates only vert colours on the mesh – rather than an texture and UVW.

I am hoping to use Zbrush to render the vert colours on the mesh into a diffuse texture- and continue to sculpt edit and play in the usual Zbrush fasion.

Hence the above thread/post/question.

#2

The way that I would do it would be to make some nice unshaded renders (color only - no shadows or other 3D shading) of your model from various angles and save those as PSD. Then use ZBrush and ZAppLink to apply those renders onto your model as polypaint.

#3

Cheers for the response, yeah that will work. I was hoping to avoid the additional steps -but I will use your suggested workflow of ZBrush and ZAppLink.

Though if my geometry is of a low enough resolution I might try to bake in my vert colour data into a texture from another 3D package which has the ability to import the vertex colour data. Will see may have to do as suggested.

#4

I just wanted to post a bit of info on a web based image based modelling app that I have started playing around with.

http://3dsee.net/Main.aspx

Basically it will convert your photos into a 3D relief. You will need to set up an account- log onto the web site and then submit a series of photos, which the app then uses to generate the 3D surface- (I suggest minimum of 8 or so in focus shots of your surface – moving your camera parallel to the surface during your shoot).

Once you have uploaded your images- you can crop the section o f the photo you require - through the site, once that’s done the site will then email you (when the images have been processed ) to come and collect your 3D mesh- The site has a cool 3D preview function, which allows you to scale preview your 3d model( you will need java installed browser), and a gallery of previous photos and resulting 3D models created by the app.

The web based version of the app only supports relief style 3D surfaces – but as I understand it the commercial app will support full 3D turn around mesh creation without any of the usual fiddling with reference point/calibration that is usually involved with image based modelling.

Note there is also .ply to collada converter on the web-site, go to http://3dsee.net/faq/view/4/23 to download the file (it only works for windows).

I’m working on some pointers on getting out the best out of your shoot and ways of integrating the high poly mesh data spat out and ready for editing and re-use within Zbrush.

Could be great way of getting found objects within Zbrush once I have figured some stuff out.