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#21

jedi,

you should really consider using displacement maps in 3ds max because they will make your low poly model look like the high poly model without crashing max. you can learn all about these awesome maps by simply searching for “displacement map” in the forum search. also, it’s alot easier to texture in zbrush because you don’t have to unwrap your uvs. you can if you want, but you dont have to.

you mentioned you were new to this whole modeling thing, maybe you should consider learning about the different maps before you decide not to use them. jus sayin’.

grak

#22

Not sure if this tutorial helps, but I found it online.

http://www.3dlessons.com/tutorials/Converting-A-Mudbox-Model-To-3DSMax-47969.html

Not sure which version of max that it relates to either…looking into rendering disp maps with 2008. Would this be of any use to me?

#23

I’ve been playing around with displacement maps from zbrush3.1 in max2k8 and it’s only frustrating me. so far, i think you need to make all the displacement maps 32 bit with a res of 4096 x 4096 from the MD2 zscript thingy, and you can’t plug them into the mental ray connection dropdown displacement slot on a standard material unless you apply a turbosmooth/mesh smooth modifier to your model, otherwise your model explodes. yay!

also, i’m having trouble with the UVs coming out of ZBrush, cause it seems that they don’t quite lineup on the render from max. this is probably due to the 2k maps i used, but it could also be from the AUV button I pressed in the lowest polygon mode of the model. the tutorial told me to (pinup tute), so I did. zbrush’s ability to automatically unwrap the UVs troubles me a bit, because the diffuse map came out just fine, but the displacement map didn’t. they should be using the same UVs, right?

also, WTF is with the two .tiff displacement maps ZBrush generates? Max can’t even read one of them! The +D32.tif map just causes max to popup “internal error, can’t read image”. The +R32.tif reads fine, but the displacement is off, as in it doesn’t line up with the polygons it’s displacing. I get misaligned details, like a vein on one polygon doesn’t line up when it crosses to another polygon. These maps (disp and diff) are applied to the low poly .obj I exported from Zbrush after I finished sculpting, so the disp. map should be lining up fine, like the diffuse map does. But no, it doesn’t. No morph targets were stored.

Someone needs to write an easy to understand workflow from zbrush 3.1 to Max2k8, cause the workflows from ZBrush to other versions of Max don’t work for 2008. For example, I found the recommended value of 220 (for the displacement map) to grossly expand my model to what can only be compared to the Stay-puft marshmallow man from Ghostbusters. All the detail is lost, but pulling that value back to around 90 looks closer to the model from zbrush. Maybe the value of 220 works for previous versions of max. And since I’m exporting from the MD2 plugin (in the zscripts dropdown) I shouldn’t have to worry about the alpha gain at all.

I’ve sorted through all the tutorials and step by steps on pixologic and zbrushcentral, to no avail.

I think I’m missing something here, any advice for getting these displacement maps to work? I’ve seen beautiful renders on here that I can’t seem to duplicate.

#24

I am very sorry that I have to say this but the facts seems to be obvious.
So many problems with Zbrush and the ever increasing frustration with late releases and lacking information makes one seriously doubt the fabric of the Pixologic management.
3DSMAX was and is a great program and the duty of a Pixologic is to bring a product that “WORKS” with its main workflow third party applications.
The fact is that is DOES NOT!!!
Instead of wasting their time trying to make a MAC based version they should have created a “Perfect” INTEL version first.
Its just a joke to see what is happening and it is a great shame because ZBrush has great potential and is a step forward in the tools that artists need for sure.
Pixologic needs to seriously address these problems as their reputation is already damaged.
Bring out a new update for the Intel market that “WORKS”.
A pipeline that is rock solid between all the big 3D progs and then you can start making the Mac version.
Just stupid what is going on and very annoying!

#25

It’s not pixologics fault at all! They made an awesome program that does amazing things. It’s really autodesk’s fault for upgrading their program without regard to the other software packages that work with it. The team at pixologic has a heavy weight on their shoulders, building out that wiki that trys to explain zbrush and corresponding pipelines as much as possible. I have absolutely no fingers to point at Pixologic, they’ve always been helpful and nice. They’ve done nothing wrong, and they’ve redefined what customer support is!

In the end, its about how much knowledge you have with the software you are working with. If you are running into problems, like I am, it’s probably due to the fact that you don’t have a ton of experience doing this (aka “learning”). So puff up your chest and blame others if you want, but it’s really user error.

Jus’ sayin.

#26

Needless to say that I do not agree with you and that the problem has been there for a few versions of 3dsmax so I can not see how it is their fault when Pixologic had ample opportunity to adjust their code!
How do you answer this little fact then?

Also there is the fact that I am not the only one running into constant hickups with this program and as far as studying is concerned I have used this ZB for a long time and know it very well.

The statement that they have a great customer relationship is just laughable - just have a look at all the disatisfied people here in the forum over tha past few years. I call a spade a spade and if you want to talk the Pixo people up and make them sound nice that is your right but I and a lot of others know where the fault lies!

Nevertheless the ZB proggy is a great step forward but it has reached a point where it no longer can be safely used in a pipeline workflow without serious expectation of time wastage.

#27

just learn the pipeline. quit pointing fingers, seriously. if you knew so much about the programs, then you’d be figuring out the problem and not asking for help, or complaining. but your not, your just telling pixologic how much you think they suck for making an awesome program that you can’t get to work for you. so keep blaming pixologic, but we all know your just pressing the wrong buttons.

zbrush can be used “safely” in a workflow, if you know what your doing. case in point: zbrush worked just fine on pirates of the carribbean. hmm…

i figured out those displacement maps, by the way. theres no problem with the zbrush to max pipeline. i had a resolution setting wrong.

“the problem has been there for a few versions of 3dsmax”

  • wrong. sorry, but i’ve had no problem with the pipeline prior to max 2k8. read the tutorials, they explain things clearly. unfortunately, there isn’t a clear tute for zbrush to max 2k8… yet.

“The statement that they have a great customer relationship is just laughable - just have a look at all the disatisfied people here in the forum over tha past few years. I call a spade a spade and if you want to talk the Pixo people up and make them sound nice that is your right but I and a lot of others know where the fault lies!”

  • this forum is an awesome community that helps each other out alot. just look at the tutorials, the faqs, the wikis, the video posts, the constant stream of inspiration… thats the customer support I’m talking about. i dont see your point at all. i think it’s childish that you think you know where the “fault lies”. from my perspective, the “fault lies” with people like you, the ones that would rather complain about their problems than solve them. sure, blame the program, but i dont see you doing anything to fix it.

" How do you answer this little fact then?"

  • :smiley:
#28

I’ve always wondered why they didn’t make a plug-in for max maya xsi modo That would let you just import the zbrush file. It could be made to extract the .obj file. Then extract the displacment. Then load it right up for you. You could pick the rez you would like your .obj file to be and the size you would like your displacment map to be. I think the OP’s point is “MAKE IT EASY” They made creature creation easyer lets not stop now!!

My 2 cents…:idea:

#29

I was playing around with mental ray a bit to work on solutions to some of the problems people are getting, such as the mesh splitting apart when you displace, and I realized something…

Files with 8 bits per channel can’t actually have a neutral grey since the RGB color values go from 0 to 255 rather than from 1 to 256. Trying to use an RGB offset of -0.5 in bitmap parameters, will still cause cracks on an unsmoothed model at neutral greys when using Mental Ray displacement.

The Displace modifier also still displaces a little if you use a luminance center of 0.5, but of course doesn't get cracks. Thus, unless you've got 16 or more bits per channel, and your RGB value for neutral grey is 127.5, 127.5, 127.5, then your RGB offset is not -0.5, and should use the following: For neutral grey = rgb(127, 127, 127), the RGB offset is 0.498039 (apx. 127/255) For neutral grey = rgb(128,128,128), the RGB offset is 0.501960 (apx. 128/255) These are rounded off after 6 decimal places, but that should be more than enough for most purposes. On a related note, does anyone know a way to get photoshop to show decimal places? :rolleyes:
#30

velenosangue: Now that is a very astute observation.
The Zbrush to 3ds Max Mental Ray render Gods have given you insight.
Many thanks for sharing :slight_smile:

#31

Hmmmmmmm!
The forum is NOT pixos customer support now is it?
The aggressive reply you made was unjustified and lame.
If a system requires wikis and hundreds of threads and all sorts of other workarounds then the point I was making is salient.
End of Post.

PS Please do not reply with personal insults either.

#32

Dee best answer will be switch to Maya. that’s it!

#33

i’m pretty much lost, cant get the displacement maps to work, test renders take way to long, so with no idear what the proper workflow is, this is a mission impossible.

Looked at wiki, but it is a tut with max 6.0 ,or 7, and zbrush 2.0 , settings have changed so much that it all just doesnt work, does anyone have a propper workflow for max 08 or 09 ?

I’ll pretty much have to go with maya, would be a pain, caus i would have to do my rigging etc in maya to, not what i had planned.

#34

i’m a newbie to max 2008/zbrush… both awesome programs… I’ve been told that max 2008 breaks zbrush displacement maps… they (Autodesk) are working on it… but I wouldn’t hold your breath… cause they will work hard to make Mud Box work well… and try to kill zBrush.

What pixelogic needs to do is write a plugin for max/maya to import zBrush tools directly … this would solve all the problems… and probably increase market share for them… cause casual 3D users (such as my self) could quickly move between applications… without having to have such a high learning curve…

#35

So this has been a huge problem for a lot of people it seems. I’m new to zbrush and made a model in zbrush exported it as OBJ and then did that work around in 3.1 to make my displacement a normal map. So I have those files, I flipped the normal map so its facing the right way…I import it all into max…and I get my model with spikes sticking out of it everywhere instead of the actual displacement I did in zbrush. Is this the issue others are having or am I missing something important here?

I’ve looked at numerous tutorials on this and somehow I’ve never gotten this to work. Ever. Its really frustrating me and I’m about to just give up on zbrush all together and try mudbox :frowning:

#36

Thought I would point these out for this thread

Using displacement maps in MAYA and MAX
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showpost.php?p=441437&postcount=117
Maya 2008 Displacements
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showpost.php?p=446550&postcount=151

#37

Hi Canned, I’ve been watching your videos. I grabbed that one now and I’ll try it out.

#38

Can you just upload your model(base obj + detailed ztl) on rapidshare and post the link here. That sounds obvioulsy so wrong and I might be fixed your problem :cool:

#39

I have my own web server, I’ll post it there:
http://www.20hitcombo.com/zbrush.html
Hope you can figure this out, and thanks for the hand :slight_smile:

#40

oh that was quick! mind if i grab a .ztl file as well?