ZBrushCentral

Changing UVs after polypainting and sculpting in Zbrush 4r6

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello,

I made a low poly axe (with multiple parts) in 3ds Max, unwrapped it and imported the same in Zbrush. The axe has multiple sub tools, each unwrapped already. I am now done detailing sculpting and poly painting all the sub tools of the axe. However, I noticed that after doing a test run for generating a combined texture map (by Multimap exporter) of all the sub tools, there were some UV elements which overlapped each other stating the overlaps while I did the unwrapping in 3Ds Max.
I want to fix the overlaps but I am confused how to apply the poly paint and sculpt details to the same axe, but with the changed UVs.
P.S: I didn’t generate any maps yet. So the model with its sub tools still has the sculpting and poly paint details.

Please help me on what to do here!

#2

It will vary depending on where you unwrap your mesh from.

If you want to fix your UVs in max do the following:


  1. in max - update your UVs to how you want them
  2. export out .obj files for all the changed geometry
  3. in zbrush - go to your lowest subD level (should be the same geo as what you exported from max)
  4. select the subtool you want to update
  5. tool>import (select the updated .obj file)
  6. done

You should be able to continue to work. This gets more complicated if you’re changed your vert order, but for simple UV edits this should get the job done.

If you update in Zbrush simply use UVMaster and unwrap as you always would in zbrush.

For simple edits I’ll use Zbrush, for more complex stuff I would use Modo personally. What it sounds like you need is max because you’re doing a complex unwrap across multiple pieces.

my 2cents.

#3

Yes, it’s an axe with many sub tools, although I will have one texture sheet for the combined model. I just wanted to change the positioning of one UV element as I somehow didn’t notice that it was overlapping the other UV element. I am not going to change the geometry of the complete tool.

I read your answer and understood most of it, but I am not able to understand what to do after I have selected the right sub tool to change, then Tool>Import. I am confused as of how will I transfer the poly paint and sculpt details from the High Poly mesh to the imported mesh having the corrected UVs.

Let me show you the UV changes that I have made. The first one is the original with the uncorrected UVs and the second one is the one with the corrected UVs. This was done in 3Ds Max and the correction in the UVs was also done there.

Now I want to either transfer the corrected UVs to the High Poly mesh with all the sculpt and poly paint details or do it by any other method, which I don’t know

I hope you got the part where I am too stuck to solve.

Attachments

UV not corrected.jpg

UV corrected.jpg

#4

You don’t need to transfer anything. If the only thing changing between your lowest SubD level and the imported .obj file is the UVs then that will be the only thing that gets updated.

Everything else should be fine.

It’s basically going to replace your level 1 subD mesh with the correct mesh and UVs, and it will automatically update everything else.

#5

Actually, I use the plugin called smoothing groups to import the mesh so that I can crease the edges of my mesh according to smoothing groups made in 3Ds Max. If I click on ‘Import’ from the tools menu or use GoZ while keeping the right sub tool highlighted then that will not crease the particular edges according to smoothing groups.
That’s what I am confused about how do I import the obj of the same object with corrected UVS, apart from using GoZ or Import tool?

#6

If you’re using a plugin to support creasing and it doesn’t also simply update the UVs on import then you might be out of luck.

My guess is that it does though as it’s simply using the same importer that is native to Zbrush.

#7

All right I will try that way. Will let you know

#8

I imported the mesh with corrected UVs to the same subtool as the original one (one with the bad UVs but good painting and sculpting details). The, using the UV master, I copied the good UVs from the newly imported mesh and pasted them in the original mesh (one with the bad UVs but good painting and sculpting details)

Thank you all for the help and suggestions!