Answered: Need Guidance (step-by-step for creating displacement/normal maps)

cgpro.se · April 14, 2011, 11:37pm

Hi,

I need to learn zbrush pretty fast for a project and I need your guidance. I worked with zbrush 4-5 years ago, so I’m familiar with it, but I need to refresh my memory and to see whats new since I worked with it.

So, I need good tutorials for beginners. I need a walkthrough of the application. How to use it, different shortcuts and most important, how to use subtools and how to export a quality displacement map for use in 3ds max.

I hope you can help me with this. It does not matter if the tutorial is a 60 euro gnomon dvd or a free youtube video.

aurick · April 15, 2011, 7:49am

I recommend the Getting Started guide. See my signature.

cgpro.se · April 15, 2011, 7:59am

That looks amazing aurick, I’ll read it this weekend and come back here if I got any questions, thanks!

cgpro.se · April 17, 2011, 1:15am

There, I have seen most of the videos at Zclassroom and I’ve learned everything I need except how to create a displacementmap.

I know that there is a displacementmap rollout where you can create a displacement, but if I remember correct it’s more complicated than that. I need to learn if I need to flip it, which I suspect I need just like a texture map, how to save it (if I remember correctly it’s saved from the textures rollout) and which subdiv rollout I should generate it from and why.

Also, 4-5 years ago you created a displacement and a bump from different subdiv… do you still do this? Well, I hope there is some usefull info about this that someone can link to, or explain.

aurick · April 17, 2011, 4:28am

1) Detail your model and save your work.
2) Go to level 1
3) Restore your base mesh.
4) Use the Tool>Displacement Map menu to choose your modifiers and create your map.
5) Your map appears in the same menu. Click Clone to move it to the Alpha palette.
6) Flip the map vertically and export it.

If you wish to create a normal map instead of a displacement map the steps are the same except for two things. There is no need to restore your base mesh, and you use the Tool>Normal Map menu instead of Tool>Displacement Map.

If you wish to create a displacement map for medium-level details and normal map or bump map for high level details it is like what you described. Drop down a couple levels from the highest and create this map. Then delete the higher levels and continue with step 2 above.

There is also MultiMap Exporter which you can use to automate a lot of the process across multiple SubTools.

zber2 · April 17, 2011, 4:32am

Here’s one.

Create Displacement Maps for MAX in Zbrush

How to Render Zbrush Displacement maps in MAX

cgpro.se · April 17, 2011, 5:11am

@aurick
Thanks again! Since the mesh is made in 3ds max it already has a cage, so it’s even easier to create it.

I rather use only displacement, or disp and bump. Normal maps make me cry but then again, I have not used zbrush normals.

@zber2
Thanks, i’ll take a look at it when i’m home!

cgpro.se · April 17, 2011, 8:54am

@zber2
I just watched the first youtube video and that gave me more questions. Normal maps and zmapper. It contains like 100 settings, and the user seemed to load an already set configuration. When he loaded it, it looked as tho there are different settings for different engines. Whats the best settings for rendering in 3ds max?..

And he did the same thing with displacement. Copy a code to setup the displacement settings I want to know about the settings and why they should be used.

zber2 · April 17, 2011, 11:10am

Sorry! I realize that those are older videos, but I thought you might be able to glean something from them. Have you considered GoZ for Max plugin to simplify the ZBrush to Max render process. Screenwriter805 has a video called Zbrush 4 - How to Use GoZ with 3ds MAX . Other than that, you have leg work and experimentation. As I don’t use Max, I can’t give you any specific recommendations. Sorry!

cgpro.se · April 17, 2011, 12:02pm

I have seen the videos regarding GoZ and it is not interesting atm since I wont use a multitude of subtools. I need to learn the core basics.

I know how to make a displacement now. But that displacement options that showed in the youtube link got me confused. Are they removed?..

And regarding normal map, when generating one, or atleast what I have seen, enables some kind of cavity/normal option list in the bottom of zbrush that is GIGANTIC with like 100 settings. Is there some way to learn all that, or do all of you use preconfigured settings?

Thanks again for all your help.