ZBrushCentral

Computer Performance - Now a serious word to Pixologic

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Now a serious word (Sorry for my bad english):
In the Pixloric Preference website, you need a certain amount of computer performance/System specs to use ZBrush.
https://pixologic.com/zbrush/system/
But after some time working with ZBrush, I found out that these at least-pc-performances are a joke.

It’s obvious that you need a stronger computer and components to use ZBrush with many subtools.

Can one please, please for God’s sake, someone, tell me what kind of PC components I really needed at least, to use ZBrush like a professional sculpting/3D worker?

Seriously, is it so hard to answer this question?
Do I need an Intel Xeon processor or an i7 8700K processor at least?
64GB RAM or more or less RAM? What kind of GPU?

Imagine I would working for the film industry, what kind of computer would I need to create professional ZBrush results with many, many subtools privat in my private home office?

I just want once an answer to this simple question once.:smiley:

PS. I can’t believe that some one has made such works with ZBrush,
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?213225-AI-Dentist
only with that PC Performance that in the Pixologic Website does tell us that we need at least to work with ZBrush, If my self has already tooo, tooo often crashes and problems with already some less Subtool, with ZBrush with my Laptop.

#2

1.) Or maybe Pixologic should especially show beginners with videos how to create such hairs with Texute Map or Displace Map or I don’t know…how.
Because I don’t understand really (scroll down to see how he made the hairs). Because with Fibermesh it is really hard. Even with polygroups.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?213225-AI-Dentist
<–(sorry that’s the wrong link i set. I saw here in board a image, that one made more or less exactly such perfect hairs, like the like image above, but every thing in zbrush, a bit like this one Tutorial:


but then with photoshop and displace map or so… And therefore it loked so real. But i can’t find more the image/thread in here forum.

I think hairs in general, would need a update in zbrush. Would be so great.

2.) Maybe should Pixcologic make with the next Update an Option to make it possible to mask only one side of a polygon-area on a polygonplane, so that it is then possible to enable fibermesh just one one side of a polygon-plane, and not in both directions.
Because now if i mask a polygonplane, no matter if I’ve set the gravitation of the fibermesh all up, there exist then also hairs below the polygon plane, because the polygonplain is on both sides maskes. = Hairchaos. More difficult to handle the Hairs.

2.) For me is it really not to understand, how Pixologic has made such a great new tool like the low-poly zModeler, but extract one only poly from an ohter only poly is it not possible. Who the hell does programming an such great zModeler tool without to make it possible to handle solo-polys? I really don’t understand that.
I would love so many times to extract/pull out just one solo poly from another in zModeler. But nooo, i’ve to go always for such a simple option to another 3D program. And that although ZBrush has the great new zModeler Tool. What an irony of a low-poly-tool. Sorry Pixologic. But that’s a joke, not to can handle and create solo-polys in a zModeler tool, but in the same time with this zModeler Tool make everything in low poly greatness. Please, give in the next update the possibility to create solo-polys coming out from a mesh with the zmodeler tool. Otherwise is the zModeler Tool for me a bit more a irony tool then a great hardsurface tool.

PS. I know, english is a bit my handycap. But I’am not stupid. And i saw many images just made entire in zBrush. And I ask my self what i need, to make every piece and rendering and hairs and ect. in ZBrush. Included Hardsurface, with handeling of solo-polys. But if such things like a zModeler is new and should make the people happy, I’ve a bit difficult to be happy with it. Because i see this new tool in the ZBrush 4R7, and now 4R8, and I think in the first seconds:
“Wuaua,… again a great new ZBrush tool. And then i recognize: What the raaaaabiiit. I can make every low-poly things with this zModeler, but i can’t handle solo-polys/pull out solopolys? What’s that of an irony? Who does programming such a Tool without the i-point of such a tool (handling with/pull out solo-polys?). Soooo strange. Ooh boy.”

#3

You know,… i believe that is so many great possible in ZBrush without another programm to need.

If i watch this thread and images and I read what he said, then I’m astonished that he did it all in ZBrush. So also specially the rendered.

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?168792&p=953417&viewfull=1

And so I want create my things everythng in ZBrush. The Problem is now, the hairs, as an example. Or the handling with solo-polys.
And I make that as an hobby. And I don’t want buy again another 3D Programm just because the hairs.
Then i would prefer to buy for an update for zbrush, to get everything/the entire model and whole result great and realistic in ZBrush.
But noooo,…:confused: For handling with solo-polys i’ve to go to at least as an example to Hexagon. Or for realistic Hairs, I would have to afford an expensive program like Maya. For too much 2500 dollars.

Why that? ZBrush has everything, but some points are not good enough, like the points of the hairs. That’s so sad. Or like the Point of handling with solo-polys.

Like i said, i would pay for Updates, because I love this hobby. But I want don’t pay for another programm again that cost me 1000ent of Dollars, that gives my just realistic hairs instead i’ve everything in ZBrush, to create great and realistic images. I am not interested in animation.
I love sculpting and concept images. ZBrush would have everything for that. But no… some points are missed good enough in ZBrush. And that’s so sad for my wish.

#4

“I just want once an answer to this simple question once.”

“How heavy is a rock” is also a simple question, but that doesn’t mean there’s a simple answer to it. Recommended requirements vary heavily depending on studios, their workflows, their pipeline, etc. You can’t even look at two different models and tell which one is more efficient to work with since one could be decimated after creation while another might heavily depend on polygroups/uvs/layers/morph-targets/other hidden data that make the file heavier than it looks.

If you see a piece of work that you like on the forums, ask the artist what specs they currently use.

Maybe should Pixcologic make with the next Update an Option to make it possible to mask only one side of a polygon-area on a polygonplane, so that it is then possible to enable fibermesh just one one side of a polygon-plane, and not in both directions.

Masking is ultimately no different than polypainting/vertex coloring, in that it works directly through vertices. If you’re talking about a single, true polygon that consists of 3-4 vertices with 3-4 edges connecting them, then I don’t see how you can tell those 3-4 vertices to both be masked and not masked at the same time. As long as backface culling is on, which it should be by default, then only one side of a polygon will be drawn and that is what Fibermesh will use. So turn Tool: Display Properties: Double off and you’ll get the behavior you want.

And if you want double sided polygons on for whatever reason, you can always turn it back on after enabling the Fibermesh preview.

For me is it really not to understand, how Pixologic has made such a great new tool like the low-poly zModeler, but extract one only poly from an ohter only poly is it not possible. Who the hell does programming an such great zModeler tool without to make it possible to handle solo-polys? I really don’t understand that."

…but you can use zmodeler to extract a single polygon from a single polygon…

#5

Thx for the answers.

But is it so difficult to say to one that he need a computer with a powerful processor or gpu or at least 32GM Ram, to work with ZBrush more fluently?

I mean,… i’ve a i7 Processor with 4 Cores (it’s a laptop), and 16GB Ram, and a GTX GPU, but if i take just three Subtools, and give that Subtool just once a little bit too much polygons, then the movement with one Subtool turns in the canavas moving so slow. That tells me, that my laptop is too slow, to handle with ZBrush.
So, therefore is the question I set: What at least i need of a desktop powerful pc, to not have more fear, and working with zbrush more faster than slow, as right now with my current laptop?

I don’t believe, that this is sooooo relative. Can not one tell me, that it is better to look to a more powerful processor than to ram at least. Or better a more powerful GPU or something else? Or tell me, that at least I need to work more fine with ZBrush with at least an i7 ****K (for overclocking) powerful processor or so?

My question is simple:
Is working with ZBrush then better, if i’ve a more, more, more powerful PC? Or makes no matter what of a more powerful PC I then have, in relation to my laptop?
If my Laptop is to slow and I buy an powerful expensive desktop pc, but then zbrush works same lame, than it was not worth to buy that better, powerful pc.
So, can you tell me at least, that a better pc will be useful to get at least enough more performance for working with zbrush or is it not worth and zbrush will work as same lame as my laptop. You know?!
Because then i’ve not to buy a more powerful expensive desktop pc, because ZBrush it the the guilty not my machine.
. <—That was my question, so simple. Not more not less. My question is: Is zbrush the guilty or my performance of my laptop? You know?! :wink:

With one poly I meant not that what you does mean. I know that with the zmodeler is it possible to take out one poly from a mesh. But that’s not the same as in other 3D Poly Programs, where I can handle with solo-polys like painting with my pen and add new solopolys after another poly. You understand now?
I mean a bit like retopoly in zbrush; Creating new solo-polys from nothing, just with painting lines/vertices, I mean edgeslines, to create a solo-poly.
And this i mean with zmodeler, it would be great, to grown solo-polys out from a plane mesh, and not taking out polys from above or below of a poly. That’s not the same thing.
zModeler is not made really, to handle solo-polys.
If i want pull out a poly and set it at the front of the end of my mesh, i’ve to pull out one poly and then to stich the vertices, to add a poly at the end of my plane mesh, that’s laborious. Because i’ve then to stich the vertices of that pulling outed poly to my rest of my mesh.

That with the masking is a bit a difficult thing to explain, what i mean.
But thx for your answer. I think at least to can use your tip. :smiley:

#6

My Windows Core2Duo with NVidea 750Ti barely meets minimum requirements, but I find ZBrush works fine for me and doesn’t bog down until I get to about 25 million points. I’m very satisfied with it.

#7

Yeah, and that’s the Point.
If you create just some small pieces ZBrush works ok.
Until you have bigger plans and multiple Subtools.
Some Results I see here, i could not make, because my zbrush would not let me go above from some polymesh counts oder Subtools amount.
And already for some Subtools I would have to go very precise with handling with the subtools and their meshcount and topology.

I Ask me, what professional zbrush-worker of a machine have.

#8

I have now asked a professional zbrush user, that was his answer (more or less):

[“Judging by your email it seems like you just need a workstation for 3D modeling and rendering Hope this helps.”]<---- That’s for me a simple but resonable answer finally.

https://zworkstations.com/apps/pixologic-zbrush-workstations/

I knew only this one link:

https://pixologic.com/zbrush/system/

And that system specs are really too few, to work with zbrush professional.
That specs are a joke.If you once work with fibermesh and you make long hair and many, zbrush quickly reaches its limits with a underperformated computer, as an example.

#9

I found the thread, where one user has created more or less realistic hairs with a complex shape as an hairstyle.
But i don’t understand how i did it:
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?200226-girl

Scroll down… because --> One user say: “Awesome Work ! Did you place the hair cards manually or did you use zbrush for that.”
Then the creator of the hairs does answer. But I don’t understand really how i did it. Has he painted a poly plane with hair-lines (the cards) and then shaped the cards with the curve-brush to the hair-entire-finalshape and then he made with rendering the polycards transparent, so that only the painted hairs on the planes (curves) is it then to see, or how? Check:
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=499833

#10

I found at least now the double “masking” problem with Fiber Mesh. Here is the answer:

#11

Okey, i found the answer/solution. In this video it will explain how it is to do, to get haircards:

Now I understand the whole thing.

I did not know anything about so-called haircards before.

#12

Hair Cards does the job for most people, whereas mastering Fibermesh is for the ZBrush Gods! :wink:

#13

I thought the same, now where i understand that there does exist such an trick for hairs the haircards.
After understanding haircards finally, I watched the fibermesh tuts on zbrush classroom later and had testet all sliders and options of fibermesh with a polymesh plain as an testplain.
And now i understand more exactly how fibermesh works.
So that maybe one day i can also work with it like a ZBrush God hehe.
The Point is only, that there are so many/too many sliders.
But more or less I do understand now at least all of that sliders and also the rendering options.
So finally i can choose, if i want work with hair cards or fibermesh.
The point with fibermesh is, that I have to test still a lot, to understand finally the differend an exactly results. But I understand now the Section slider and Profil slider an many others, what they do. Or at least, I do understand the most, and with some 2, 3 i’ve still so my little problem to understand them, what affect they 100% exactly have/do, to control them.

But my Problem i’ve more with fibermesh, is after creating fibermesh, to shapping them.to the hair form I would like as hairscut.