ZBrushCentral

Keeping Division levels on Masked Objects

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I found that i can mask a part of an object. export it, re import it into its own document scene and continue to work on it. The problem here is that i dont get any of the lower res levels to do quick changes on.

My question is this. Is there a way i can mask an object and get it into its own document with the geometry levels still intact?

I want to do this so i can import a whole character, work on that till zbrush starts to go slow. Then mask off areas i want to detail and bring them into a new higher sized document so i can get the resolution necessary to work on it nicely.

Right now my other 2 options (so far that i know) are this.

  1. Just crank up the document size and mask off parts of the model and continue to work. then export out pieces of that and bring those into MAX.

  2. Mask off pieces of the character once zbrush starts to slow down… export those, then reimport and just continue to work with out the lower geo resolution levels.

Any help is appriciated. I realize this is an odd way to do things but its the only way i figure (with my computer) that i can get hardcore detail onto one model - i’d just like to be able to go back to the lower res cage for quick editing.

Thank you

#2

Although you can easily divide the model into seperate tools while keeping the subdivision levels and detail intact, there are some issues with this approach when creating normal or displacement maps.

The workflow is like you said, detail the model until you cannot add more detail with the current subdivision levels and then split the model into multiple parts. While detailing the multiple parts you must be careful not to modify the areas where you split the model. That will most likely cause a mismatch at the seams when rendering the multiple normal/displacement maps.

To split your model into multiple tools:

  1. Save your tool for backup.
  2. Use the visibility controls to hide all but the area you want to detail further. You should do this at subdivision level 1. Polygroup assignments can help speed up the process.
  3. Go to the highest subdivision level and apply a mask to the entire model (CTRL + A).
  4. Go to subdivision level 1 and press Tool > Geometry > Delete Hidden.
  5. You can now remove the mask and continue modeling. But remember to save with a different filename :wink:

Polygroup assignments will help when loading the original model again to create the other parts.

Hope that helps. You can also take a look at Tony Jung’s Making Of tutorial, which describes the entire process, from base model to zbrush detailing to rendering in Messiah.

#3

Awesome! thanks a ton.

I’m not too worried about messing up the edges where i mask off too much because the end goal for my proccess is to take individual high poly pieces into 3dmax8 and render to texture. Eventually i will have to composite (hopefully not too many pieces) everything in Photoshop. I just make sure to mask with some overlap. Its kind of a pain but i got it to work for me before.

The biggest thing i want to look out for is accidentaly moving/scaling the model in Zbrush, because then when i bring the piece back into max i have to painstakingly realign it to the working model. I wish i could disable some of those functions in zbrush :slight_smile:

I will be sure to check out that link first before i proceed though.

#4

I have been working on this model for a while not dealing with poly groups at all, and i’d like to give it a try for masking, but i cant seem to get them to work.

I tried the break up by UV’s and the Auto button, but i dont get any colors.
And when i try to Ctrl Shift Click on a section nothing happens.

What might i be doing wrong?

Also is there a way to remove while masking? I know Ctrl Shift Drag hides the opposite, but is there a way to do something like that that would hide whats under the green box (cutting away at the current selection)?

Thank you

#5

answer here

#6

Cool thanks

Well i can’t even get max to import a simple f’ing 500kpoly strip of mesh. its like HALF of a chest… .at this rate i’ll be compositing normal maps for weeks.

I dont know how people handle so many polys for their characters.

Edit: ok something is up because i already imported the 850kpoly head. rendered normal map, deleted object… reset computer and everything and now i can’t even import a 200kpoly version of the chest into a blank new scene. It just hangs max

Why would this happen. man o man, just let it work!