ZBrushCentral

Combining SubTools (Primitives)?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m just starting on a new project, but need to ensure I have everything in place before I begin. I really don’t want to start from scratch all over again.

The workflow consists of building SubTools (Primitives/Masking) and then Appending them to finally Append to a final SubTool.

My worry is PolyCount. I don’t want to up the PolyCount to much on the first run of SubTools incase I end up with millions of Poly’s on the final SubTool. Then again I don’t want to sacrifice the count and end up with a final model that doesn’t have enough detail.

So my question is: Can I SubDivide my PolyCount on separate SubTools when they are combined on the final run?
Do I keep the PolyCount to 2 or 3 on the initial SubTools and increase on the final model?

I remember watching a tutorial on this, however I have so many tutorials I just can’t find the one that will help me through this issue.

Any advice would be appreciated as I’m itching to get started.

Thanks
Mark

#2

An addition to this question includes ‘Active Points’ and ‘Total Points’.

I seem to remember from the illusive tutorial that you can remove any points which are hidden (where SubTools intersect). Would this be a useful element of the workflow when completing the SubTools which are to be added to the final model?

#3

Just to clarify if I understood your question correctly – do you want to append the SubTools or do you want to merge them all into one?
In case you just want to append them I think you don`t need to worry.
I had about 200 SubTools and had no problems. I just saved them each time at their lowest subdiv level (SubTool Master has a great function which is very helpful in such cases: Hi Res all/ Low Res all).
And yes, you can subdivide, model, paint etc all your SubTools independendly of each other.
You need to pay attention to the polycount of each SubTool, though.

More infos here:
http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Subtools

And those answers will also help you to understand it better:

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showpost.php?p=538944&postcount=2
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showpost.php?p=554195&postcount=2

PS: Regarding the active points/total points, sorry, I can`t help you with that.

#4

>> So my question is: Can I SubDivide my PolyCount on separate SubTools when they are combined on the final run?
Do I keep the PolyCount to 2 or 3 on the initial SubTools and increase on the final model?

Subtools divide individually until you merge them (Merge visible) for example. Once merged they will all divide together, so locally denser spots will have more polygons than subtools with less density.

In ZB 3.5 R3 you also have the option of using remeshing to combine subtools into a single skin. The remesh resolution is independent the subtools its covering (think of it as a net being spread and fitted to subtools–the density of the net is set in the remeshing parameter “resolution”.) Info on what you can do with re-meshing is here:

http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Remeshing

Remeshing is very similar to the way unified skins are created. They are generated by dividing the space up into smaller and smaller cubes and then fitting a surface over those cubes. The resolution parameter will define how small those cubes are an how fine a detail you will capture from your subtools and also how high the polygon count will go, because the finer the division of the space the more polygons will be needed to fit along the surface of the cubes.

Remeshing will create a skin that is evenly dense throughout 3D space. This means that areas containing dense subtools should be no more dense the areas containing less dense subtools. This can be handy for creating an “evened-out” combined model which has approximately the same local density everywhere so that your sculpted detail level can be the same everywhere.

The best thing to do is create for yourself a few “mock-ups” of your planned model and try out the Zbrush techniques on something simple first to get a feel for what will happen with models you’ll be putting more time into.

-K

#5

Thanks for the feedback. Brilliant.

Moni-Poroni - “do you want to append the SubTools or do you want to merge them all into one?”. I’m creating the parts that will be added together on a final model. Therefore I have (for example) a shock absorber which is made up of 6 subtools which I created seperately. I then appended them all to model the shock absorber. The idea then was to merge them all creating a subtool/part which would be appended to the final model.

Kerwin - I have studied the process of Remeshing and did consider this as part of the workflow. It really does make sense and results in a much cleaner workflow. Does 3.5 provide an automatic Remeshing process, rather than the time consuming manual alternative? I am using ZBrush 3.2 on OSX.
Also does Remeshing provide an option to polygroup as one of the final processes will be to paint the different parts with Material.

Thanks again for your feedback, much appreciated.

Mark

#6

In 3.5 R3, re meshing is automatic. Just select the parameters and go. :wink:
Hopefully they’ll get the Mac version out soon . . .

-K

#7

I guess the easiest way out of this is to retopo.

Unfortunately I’ll have to do it manually as 3.5 is not yet available for Mac.

Get working or wait? What a decision.

Thanks for the feedback,much appreciated.