MAJOR Texture Smooth UVs Issue??

[TimothyB]

Maybe I’m nuts, say that I am if you will. Earlier I started a thread asking why my generated textures from polypaint were not smoothed. Quick simple answer I got, when you divide the object, make sure the SUV button (smooth uvs) is turned on next to divid button when you divide. (ZB 3.1 I should mention)

First, that seemed like a simple fix and to take note of from there on.

BUT Soon I found that to be futile !!!

Say I did have the UVs smoothed, my final UVs in zbrush, and doing color-to-texture did exactly what I want, a new texture with smoothed UVs. Sadly, that will be a short dream…

When I reload the tool later, the UVs are no longer smoothed!!!

I tested it, just now. I deleted the higher subd to start from scratch at the lowest. Divided 4 times with SUV option on. Did a polypaint brush around a curved feature of the object. Then Color to texture, it is smoothed from the preview and looked perfect applied to the model with the UVs. I save the tool. Then I reload the tool, and suddenly that texture is wrong, being bent oddly. This is because the tool just lost the smooth UVs, and I’m seeing the side effect of that.

Even if I have the polypaint still active and looking correct, generating a new texture will no longer be smoothed, or ever again. There’s no way to get smooth UVs from that point, at least from what I know of. Besides deleting subd levels to the base mesh like before and dividing again. But you lose your polypaint so that’s pointless.

Anyone have this issue? I mean you want your texture to be smoothed like you do with displacement maps, right?

Another way to ruin it. Say you do have it some how smoothed after everything. But lets say the original UVs you did in your external app need a little rework to generate the best texture. Importing the new UVs will remove the smooth UVs again, from what I find.

Again, am I nuts. Is it normal to only want a non-smoothed uv texture. Would not that make it difficult to do manual photoshop if you don’t have natural flowing curves?

I’m hoping you guys will say point out a simple check box I’m missing

Other system notes: Vista 32bit system, 2gigs ram, Core 2 Duo e6400, ATI x1600pro, dual monitor. Zbrush 3.1, never used a script, only plug-in is Make1Mesh.

[TimothyB]

I found a thread from a year ago that even find that just simply going to the lowest subd and back up the highest removes the smooth UVs. I just tested it myself and it happened. http://209.132.96.165/zbc/showthread.php?t=40562

So what may I ask is the SUV opton good for if you lose it all the time?

[TimothyB]

I was hoping to get an answer to this before I get home so I continue working. Or atleast some confirmations from you guys that it’s not just my system but a real bug.

I’m trying to think of a way around this. Like maybe once I’m done painting and want to generate the texture. I delete all the lower sub divisions leaving only the highest. Then I’d go in a 3D program with the original low poly model that has uvs. Then export it with subdivision smoothing applied matching the high polycount in zbrush, and hopefully it exports a new high poly smoothed uv. That way, in zbrush, I make a quick morph target, import that high polygon model into zbrush that hopefully had smoothed uvs done to it, replacing the bad uvs, then switch back to the morph target for any polygon detail loss. Or I export the high poly from zbrush to open in UVmapper then import the new uvs into it to reimport back into zbrush so I don’t have to do a morph target and no point reorder issues.

If that some how works, what an annoying work around, not to mention any point reorder issues along the way. I mean if generating normal maps and displacement maps have smooth uvs options, why can’t that be done for when generating a texture? Again, unless I’m missing something. Please post if you can atleast confirm this issue. Or tell me why we even smooth UVs with divide if the moment you save and reopen the tool, that’s lost, or simple going to the lowest subdivision and back to the highest loses it?

[mietestromgras]

got the same thing here and I´m pulling my hair at it!!
i can export a displacement map from the lowest level and its working fine, because its using the base UV set. No smoothing necessary.

BUT if i want to use the higher levels as a bump map i have to crawl in there and reload an exported version of the mesh in which i have smoothed the UVs in maya (which is a pain in the ass, because zbrush is exporting the UVs with all the edges split and one has to manually merge them again before the mesh gets subdivided)
I simply can`t use unsmoothed Uvs because mental rays approximation node is doing the smooth on the Uvs, no chance to edit (at least none i know of)

here`s the problem in detail:

as I said, there is a workaround, but whats really driving me nuts is all the documentation that tells you to make sure you have that Suv button pressed!! whats the f§%$un point??

[TimothyB]

I want to find out if this has been fixed in the 3.12 Mac version, and how soon PC 3.12 will be released if the fix is there.

I think when I brought this matter up in other threads a few months ago that Aurick responded and noted it to be looked into, to be fixed I guess.

I’m not into all the displacement yet, but I’m guessing you are making a bump map while on a higher subdivision so it only generates simpler map of the smaller details from the highest subdivision. Which then will be added to the bump channel to to simulate those finer wrinkles so you don’t have to do a crazy polycount displacement. But because the high level you chose to generate the bump displacement from is not smoothed, but already divided, that even the smooth option in the displacement window is not enough.

Just a thought…

How about instead of trying to smooth the uvs in Maya, and dealing with how Zbrush split them. What if Zbrush you temporarly delete the higher levels, make sure SUV is on, then divide again to the level you plan to make the bump map. Before losing the smoothed UVs, export that high level object while it has them. Finally reload the tool or undo the deletions so you have your work back. Go to that particular level in question, delete lower levels, create a morph target, then import that object with the smooth uvs created by Zbrush and switch the morph target back.

I’m sure I’m just repeating myself from my old posts, and unless I’m way off base and confused, isn’t that better than trying to smooth the UVs directly in Maya from an zbrush export that are split them?