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Maya 7> Max 8> Zbrush> Maya workflow/pipeline?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello, everyone. First post, and I’m delighted to have found this community :slight_smile:

To start off with, I’m very new to Zbrush. I’m thrilled about that, because when you are new, you are allowed to ask stupid questions :wink:

I model primarily in Maya because I find its interface just so incredibly intuitive (and it’s also what I am used to), but I prefer to unwrap the UVs in Max 8, mostly because of its UV mapping tools (the Pelt Mapping is truly a godsend, and saves me countless of hours).

Now, don’t think I’ve been doing this for a long time. I’m almost as new at conventional 3D modelling as I am with Zbrush–I just find that combination to seem truly time-saving for me :slight_smile:

So what I’m wondering, is if anyone here can think of any trouble I might run into with the following workflow/pipeline:


  1. Model in Maya 7.
  2. Export as OBJ.
  3. Import into 3ds max 8.
  4. Unwrap the UVs in 3ds max 8.
  5. Export the model with unwrapped UVs as OBJ.
  6. Import the OBJ into Zbrush.
  7. Create high poly mesh in Zbrush.
  8. Create textures and normal maps in Zbrush.
  9. Export texture and normal map.
  10. Import everything back into Maya.
  11. Rig, skin, and animate in Maya, alt. MotionBuilder.
  12. Export it all into a game engine (Source/Doom 3/TSE)
The purpose for all this is mainly to create low poly game character models with high resolution textures and normal maps, for import into an engine such as Source, or the Doom 3/Quake 4 ditto.

Can you see any obvious drawbacks with this workflow? I’d like to know before I start working seriously. I’ve done some initial tests, but ended up with odd textures, and normal maps, where seams are showing, and so on. Is all this exporting and importing messing with my UV’s, perhaps?

Thanks for being here :slight_smile:

#2

Hi and welcome, hope you enjoy your stay here.

Your workflow should work just fine. However you need to avoid a couple of pitfalls.

The .obj format, which your workflow relies upon, is widely supported and is importable and exportable from most 3D programs. But the data of the imports and exports of an .obj may or may not be changed all depending upon on the import and export preferences of the various programs you use.

So, in broad terms, Maya needs a preference set when importing in order to retain the vertice order. Important if you need to import into Maya and export back to ZBrush. 3DSMAX needs very specifc import and export settings for .obj in order to retain both the vertice order and the data integrity of the UVs.

So how do you do that. For Maya you need to disable Create Multiple Objects by selecting False in the Import Options box

For 3DSMAX you need to set both .obj import and export settings according to the following.

If you encounter any problems try looking in the Other Apps: What advice can you give for 3D STUDIO MAX? and Other Apps: What advice can you give for MAYA? threads.

Also remember that texture, normal or displacement maps created in ZBrush will almost always need to be flipped vertically in order to match the coordinate system of other 3d programs.

#3

TVeyes,

Thank you for the welcome, and also for the in-depth answers. I’ve been going through the links you posted, and I’ve become somewhat wiser when it comes to the whole process. The corrections I made based on the directions have helped me sort out some of the more serious texture/normal map problems, and I seem to definitely be heading in the right direction :slight_smile:

I was just playing around with the Projection Master, and it certainly looks like I will be abandoning making organic and semi-organic (and to an extent inorganic) textures in Photoshop (although still use it for corrections/finishing touches), and instead paint them directly onto my model in Zbrush. It seems to help greatly when placing the brushstrokes exactly where I want them.

I’m extremely excited about this new world I’m entering, and I vow to at least -try- and search for answers before asking questions. Although it seems this community won’t actually behead me if I ask something that’s already been asked, and answered :slight_smile:

#4

3ds max 8 is a very powerful tool…using it just to lay out Uvs? I would choose Max or Maya(not both) and make it work.

#5

Where I am at, both Maya and 3ds max are being used, so while 3D modelling isn’t part of my primary duties, I do have access to them both. They are both used pretty much equally, so it’s not like the 3ds max 8 license is being used solely as a super-expensive UV-mapping tool… :wink:

While at some point I will probably get deeper into 3ds max 8, and learn its ins and outs, my training primarily involves Maya and I’ve come to the point where navigating the interface is as natural to me as scratching the tip of my nose :slight_smile: 3ds max and Maya both have its strengths. While I can, I plan on utilizing them both to get an optimized, and efficient, workflow, tailored for my own personal needs :slight_smile:

#6

Thats great I’m glad you’ve found a pipeline that works for you:)