ZBrushCentral

New plugin: Pixol>Pixel (updated for 3.1 4/19/08)

Shared ZScripts & Macros
#1

P2P_thumb.jpg Textured model

To assess the plugin, Test files are provided in a separate zip. First load the ZBrush document named Pixol2Pixol_test.zbr. This is simply an empty canvas apart from a 10 pixel red square placed on a separate layer. Load a model of your choice and then apply one of the included textures. All are chequerboard patterns of 10 pixel squares. Press the plugin button and compare the texture with the red square.

INSTALLATION:
Unzip the zip file to your ZStartup\ZPlugs folder …\ZBrush2\ZStartUp\ZPlugs).
You may need to create the ZPlugs folder if you have a new installation of ZBrush.
Restart ZBrush. You should now have an Pixol>Pixel subpalette in the Texture palette, with a Pixol>Pixel button.

The model used in the pictures is one by
Anh Nguyen available for download. Follow the link.

Updated for ZBrush 3.1 April 19 2008
This is basically the same as the original version except for the addition of an adjustment slider. Different types of UV mapping can need different scaling and the slider takes care of that. For example, for AUV tiles leave the slider at 1 but for pelt mapping set it to .5. It’s also useful for when you want to work on areas that take up more or less of the UV area.

For best results use the test files (they are still good for ZBrush 3.1).

Download ZBrush 3.1 version here

I hope you find the plugin useful. Any feedback appreciated. :slight_smile:

Attachments

P2P_body.jpg

P2P_head.jpg

P2P_textured.jpg

#2

This looks as if it will save a lot of headache when texturing.

Thanks,

TrapDoor

#3

Nice idea!

Sven

#4

hehe, great! Gonna play with that now! Hope to give some feedback later, the idea however is :+1:

Many thanks

#5

Haven’t tried it, but appreciate all the effort put into

this and your many other contributions on our behalf.

Hopefully ,down the road, you will be repaid in full, somehow,
for your generosity.

Many Many thanks

#6

Absolutely awesome! This will definitely help people out.

For anyone who is wondering, the importance of achieving a 1-to-1 ratio between canvas and texture is explained in this tutorial.

Pixol>Pixel will be a tremendous help to anyone who wishes to ensure the correct ratio while texturing, shaving a lot of steps off my tutorial.

#7

Yeah, this is exactly what I needed! :+1: Thanks for making my life easier, really.

#8

Fabulous! Many, many thanks!

#9

Top row soon. :slight_smile: So this allows more accurate textures essentially when you pick up in pm?

#10

Marcus…haven’t been able to try this out yet but I will shortly (this has always been a struggle for some reason), but let me echo a hearty thank you for all your wonderful assistance.

Word.

#11

What may I say?
Thank you. :+1: :+1: :+1:

Bye

#12

Thanks so much :+1:

#13

it was a bit of time consuming to make texture “tests” about ratio before.
Cool ,thanks man :slight_smile:
:+1:

#14

This needs to be apart of Zbrush 2.5! This is a must have! :eek:

#15

Incredible, Marcus!! thanks a million, appears to be a GREAT time-saver, and
can’t wait to give it a go (or two); cheers :+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:

Chris

#16

i think it works pretty well, and will be in heavy use :+1:

#17

Thankyou for this useful looking plugin, Marcus. I`ve been comparing UV mesh screen grabs in Photoshop with the ZB polyframe display mode till now. Polys that were the same size in both apps. gave good Projection Master results.

I cant say Ive tested your plugin extensively, but initial results seem to have it scaling the models to about half the size my Photoshop comparisons would lead me to expect. Even with only one poly left un-hidden. Does this reveal a misapprehension on my part about the relationship between Photoshop and ZB screen space?

Cheers,

R

#18

Thanks for the comments and feedback guys, much appreciated. :slight_smile:

Rory_L,

Your method of comparing images in Photoshop is a good one, provided your ZBrush screen grabs are at actual size.

Have you tried the plugin with the test files I provide? The descrepancy you are seeing may be because Pixol>Pixel averages the mesh (and takes into account the whole visible mesh, not just the forward-facing polys). I realize that you’ve tried it with a single polygon but unfortunately the algorithm for partially hidden meshes is not as good and tends to break down when only a few polys are showing. (I hope to improve this but there are limits to the information available thru zscripting.) The test textures are a good way of seeing how the plugin is performing as you can immediately see where texture distortion may be affecting the result.

If you felt like sending me one of your models, I’d be interested to do some tests myself.

HTH,

#19

Here’s another method for checking how the plugin is performing. It’s ideal for when you have laid out UVs using a pelting method or similar (rather than GUV/AUV tiles).

  1. Load your model with UVs assigned.
  2. Create a new texture of a suitable size.
  3. Press Tool>Texture>UV>Txr This will create a texture showing your UV layout.
  4. Press Texture>CropAndFill.
  5. Create a new Layer. Create a new texture the same size as step [2]. Draw your model on the canvas and press the Pixol>Pixel button.
  6. Turn off Render>Flatten.
  7. With your model in Edit mode: Turn off the texture. Turn on PolyFrames. Select a material with transparency such as BasicMaterial and put the Material Modifiers> Transparency silder to about -80.
  8. Reposition your model to check the scaling.

TestUV.jpg

#20

Thanks for the offer Marcus. Sending you models is not possible: Sony property and all that!

I didn`t know about the low-poly algorithm shortcomings. That probably explains it all.

Havent tried the test models you provided: theyre probably beautifully UVd. The UVs I`m working with are anything but ideal, with large UV area/poly size discrepancies; probably quite a challenge for your plugin! :slight_smile:

I`ll keep using the plugin and give it a more robust trial.

Thanks again,

R