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zbrush core pipeline help(maya)

ZBrushCore Usage Questions
#1

Just to note I made sure to research a bit before posting, just having trouble filtering through full version zbrush tuts and core. From what I’ve gathered the proper zbc/maya pipeline seems to be…

Models meant for animation:
-Start out with a dynamesh, or an imported block out(convert to dyna)
-Sculpt the model, without fine detail yet
-Import this model into maya and retopologize it (also unwrap new topologies UV?)
-Import the retopologized model back into zbrush
-Subdivide the model and add the fine detail
-Export the higher subdiv. mdl, along with a lower subdiv.version back into maya
-Bake the high poly model into the low poly version(outputs a normal map?)
-Animate the final version.

Environment Assets(guessing)
-Block out in maya > UV unwrap > add edge loops(for future subdivision)
-Import to zbrush, subdiv. & add any detail
-Export back into maya and bake.

Im still a bit confused about baking 3D details/baking textures. Would substance painter help out at all?
Thanks for any tips,

#2

Regarding Substance Painter…

Once you have your high-resolution and low-poly models:

  • Start a new project in Substance Painter by importing the low poly model (obj or fbx).
  • There is a very simple bake process in Painter that uses the high-resolution model. This generates a normal map along with several other maps (curvature, position, etc. ) that are useful for Substance materials and effects (dirt, edge wear, etc). The default settings usually work out-of-the-box.
  • Apply the materials to the model in Substance Painter. Displacements in the material textures or bumps added by you are combined with the normal map that was generated in the bake process.
  • Export the texture maps for use in the materials for the low-poly model in whatever renderer you will use (Maya or some game engine for example).

That said, you can greatly improve your workflow by getting the full version of ZBrush so that you can retopo your model using ZRemesher without going back into Maya. It is a big productivity enhancer.