ZBrushCentral

Simple Newbie Question

ZBrush Artworks
#1

Hello,

My name is Dan Silverman. I have been working in real-time 3D (RT3D) and 2D digital art for severl years now. I have known about ZBrush but I just recently purchased it and the main reason for my purchase was the UVTile Mapping. It looks like ZBrush will be a wonderful addition to my tool set for texturing low-poly models for RT3D content. of course, ZBrush looks wonderful for creating them as well.

Having said that, the complexity of the UI causes me to stumble. The tutorials are a help, but there is just a lot to absorb. Now I am going to ask a very basic question, so please forgive me. I was not able to find the answer in the PDF manuals yet, though I am sure it is there.

I want to “zoom” in on a model I am working on to add details in an area. I can see how to zoom the entire document and I can see how to scale the object itself. Are this the only options I have?

I guess I just need to wrap my mind around the way ZBrush works. If this was just a 3D modeler like 3D Studio MAX and the like, then zooming in on the object would be a natural since there is no real “document” that you are “painting” on. If ZBrush was a 2D application like Photoshop, then you would zoom then entire document to work on only a portion of the image. So I am guessing that ZBrush, in this respect, is more like a 2D program in that, if I want zoom in on an object to work on a small portion of it, that I must zoom the entire document or else scale the actual object.

Is this correct or am I missing something?

Thank you!

#2

There are two ways. Using the + & - keys to zoom in and out. Also, using the alt click/release alt trick during edit mode. You can better understand this on page 95 of the manual.
Trick with this is to click outside the doc window to size back down. You cannot do it in the doc window because the brush will take over. Here is a little script showing what I mean.

zooming.TXT

One last thing. Problems and questions go in the Troubleshooting forum. Thats were all the problems are asked and aswered. This post might be moved so if you can’t find it, look in there.

Good luck, welcome aboard, and Happy ZBrushing.

#3

Ah! Page 95 had just what I wanted. Thank you. It was the hold the ALT key, click the mouse and then release the ALT key to zoom the actual object while not zooming the document. What a strange key combination, though :slight_smile: .

#4

Glad to see you outside the 3d Game studio forums!!!

Welcome aboard M8!!

When you have the Objects in transform mode, Press Alt +Leftmousebutton and release ALT and drag mouse to zoom in and out :slight_smile:

Mahlikus The Black is toaly right about this!

This was a tricky one for me also!

I am verry happy to see you useing Zbrush!

If you have any questions on how to get the models from Zbrush to A6, let me know I have all kinds of little tricks :slight_smile:

Good to see you here! I was supprised to see your name in this forum :slight_smile:

Welcome M8!

#5

es these two sort of zoom are not the same :slight_smile:
The combinaison is for the Edit mode :slight_smile:
And the trick of cliking around the canvas is also right for the Gyro !
Have happy Zbrushing!
Pilou

#6

Thank you for all your answers!

Hello Polaris30! Is this your nick on the 3D GameStudio Forum as well? And why would you be surprised to see me here? I’m a 3D artist, after all :slight_smile: .

I’ve already played with getting a model into 3D GameStudio. It wasn’t too hard. I exported it as OBJ, used 3D Studio MAX to convert it to an acceptable format (such as 3DS) and then imported it into MED. It worked great and, of course, kept the UVTile Coordinates (which is the main reason I bought ZBrush).

Here is another Newbie question, though:

Is there a brush, when in edit mode, to smooth out an area? For example, if you keep using ZADD or ZSUB you can go over an area too many times and get an area that is too raised or too lowered in relation to the geometry around it. Is there a brush to make geometry like this blend into the geometry around it? Something to smooth or smudge the geometry?

Thanks in advance!

#7

In next version there will be a smoothing brush…

In the mean time, get your object in edit mode… and Use Control+LMB and drag out a selection box when you click outsise the models area…

when you cntrl+Left mose button, on your geometry you can paint a mask…

Mask the area that needs to be smoothed and then invese the mask, and use the smooth slider in the tool>modify>deform pannel to get desired results…

I will make a quick script BRB…

#8

Hi Polaris,

I get the idea. I’ve seen the mask option before. Now I just need to use it :slight_smile: .

#9

Ok,

Here is the script…

I make a quick face on a sphere,

then I mask an area, and then I smooth the area…

Make sure the "SHOW Actions button " is pressed, so the script will explane the buttons … if you dont script will just play realy fast, and show you nothing realy…

I hold CNTRL+Left mousebutton to mask an area…

Danscript.zip

BTW I was supprised to see you here because, I dont see too many people useing Zbrush for lo-poly stuff :slight_smile:

#10

Thanks for the script. I will check it out.

BTW - Low poly is not all I do, but ZBrush’s UVTile Mapping looks perfect for game models. Once I get the hang of painting on models to get the detail I want I am sure I will be skinning models in ZBrush.

#11

The Zbrush UI can be quite daunting at first, but once you understand the basic way everything works, the controls become second nature. Even so, the next version of Zbrush to be released sometime soonish will have an updated UI (that’s been praised by a number of professionals, from what I hear) which should make things even easier.

#12

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Even so, the next version of Zbrush to be released sometime soonish will have an updated UI (that’s been praised by a number of professionals, from what I hear) which should make things even easier.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is there any information on this new UI or on this new version? I bet this sort of question has been asked a bazillion times, but I am new here. I looked in the FAQ section and saw this post:
http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000060

And while it describes new features, it was posted back in August of 2002! So what does “soonish” mean then? :slight_smile:

#13

They are not being exact untll they have it done…

Last version they gave us like a week or 2 warning is all :slight_smile:

I like software/game companies, that use the “WHen its done” for the duedate…

I heard it was comeing out soon back in october…

Next version has some realy cool stuff!
Animateing and makeing displacement/normal maps easyer! Plus lots of little goodies :slight_smile:

#14

Yep. I followed the links in the FAQ section. It looks totally awesome. The displacement mapping is certainly well worth the wait. I just hope it’s not two years or anything like that :slight_smile: . Well, there is a lot to learn with the current version. Now I just need to find time between projects to play with ZBrush a bit.

#15

there are ways to make displacement mapping, and normal mapping in the current version!

I am working on a Zscript to help out useing the normal map material…

The next version it will be more automatic is all :slight_smile:

#16

Actually, the Alt+click+release Alt key combination is what it is because once you ARE used to it, it’s very fast. You’ll find that ZBrush’s keyboard shortcuts are laid out to allow you to use your mouse or pen with your right hand and generally just your left hand on the keyboard. This especially holds true while modeling. The Alt key combinations for move and scale are so similar for the specific reason that the similarity is so handy. Once you’re used to it. :slight_smile:

Regarding displacement and normal mapping, ZBrush 1.55b already allows you to create maps for relatively flat surfaces. This is great for game environments. The next version will extend the functionality to fully 3D models.