Can someone please guide me how to export displacement map from Windows version of ZBrush to Blender. This is really killing me. There is no decent explanation out there on the internet. At least I could not find it. Something always goes wrong. I would be really happy if someone can explain step by step on how to do this. Thanks a lot.
Marko
I use ZBrush displacements regularly with Blender.
First big thing is to make sure you either grab a morph target when you import or re-export a cage mesh to take into blender. (I use the mesh cages myself)
Then I use the 8bit+8bit displacements which will give you two texture maps, 0-255 in grayscale color, one will be smoothish, second is banded heavily. I’ve not been able to get the 16 bit displacements from ZBrush to work but this isn’t too big a deal thanks to the 8+8 option.
So, when you take these into Blender you’ll need to use the displacement modifier twice, one for each texture map. Make sure that in the subsurf modifier that you pick to smooth UVs or not to smooth, depending on your texture map from ZBrush. Clicking smooth UV’s on and off and checking the results makes the correct option pretty clear. The first, major detail map, will have some displacement value – I haven’t found a catch all for this, usually around 0.01 for my to scale character models at around 1.8ish meters tall – the second, minor displacement would be 1/256 of this to simulate having a 16 bit displacement. Fortunately, in Blender, you can just type in the value that you want as say 0.01/256 and it will do the math for you.
Well thanks a lot. I will follow your steps. However, I have to mention that last time I tried to apply any kind of displace modifier through the texture inside Blender, my base mesh (which I’ve subsurf-ed to level 5) somehow ‘exploded’. I also tried following these steps but it just wont work: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showpost.php?p=467800&postcount=445
Cheers,
Marko
Hey Cyjal, can you tell me more about Texture settings that you’re using? GUVTiles or AUVTiles? And what about Ratio and other sliders. I’m really new to displacement (and all other) maps… so every extra info will help me a lot. Thanks.
Marko
I have unwrapped the model inside Blender, imported it to ZB, saved Morph target, subdivided and sculpted on it, went to lowest subdiv level, switched to Morph Target, have created the D88 displacement map, applied displacement map to a model inside Blender - but only Major 8bit map cause Minor is giving me hard time. I just cant seem to find the right value for it. Anyway, Major did the part of the job but I’m still not satisfied with the results cause sculpted areas end up with crisp border.
EDIT:
Also, strange thing happens to render result. Object is always black no matter what I do to its material (change color…).
I normally do the unwrapping by hand, to make sure that my tangent normals look OK.
As far as the displacement settings, I’m actually uncertain (not at my workstation to check) pretty much just use the defaults from displacement exporter.
Now as far as applying the displacements in Blender, be sure to use the displacement modifier, not the displacement material settings, that will let you check the results in your viewport. I normally only subsurf to around 3 as beyond that is diminishing returns for something a bumpmap/normalmap can handle. If you use two displacement modifiers in a row – one for the major, one for the minor – pick the displacement off the major map then use 1/256 of this value for the minor. (In Blender you can just type in the equation if you’re too lazy to pull up calc. Say, 0.0095/256 for the minor.)
Almost forgot, the black render can be caused by importing a model that you’ve exported from ZBrush, be sure to remove the materials assigned in Blender and then re-apply the material you want.
Dear Cyjal, thanks a lot for your effort. Blender is an amazing piece of software and what is more important, it is free and it is very close to all those famous programs out there and after you learn the interface it is a poem. Because of that I plan to support it on all of my web sites. Thanks once again.
Cheers,
Marko