ZBrushCentral

confusion with the zsphere workflow

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

i want to create my models from zpheres, as it seems like the best way to work for me.

however i wanted to ask about some workflow concerns that present themselves.

1: i create the sphere base mesh
2: put in a lot of detail
3: retopologise

4: then UV mapping is where i get confused, i would want to use maya to do it, but if im importing my zbrush model at a lower resolution, surely when i take the UV mapped model back into zbrush, the high subdivision detail will be lost right?

i know this is a real beginner question, but im just never sure exactly how it would work. do i simply export and uv map befor eputting in the higher polygon detail? or can zbrush keep the extra high res detail and just read the newly created uv map seperately?

i hope you can shed some light on this :slight_smile:

#2

When you import the UV’d level 1 back into your multi-res model all that will update is the UV’s. The higher levels will remain unchanged. Just make sure that in the course of exporting and importing you don’t do anything that changes the point order. Otherwise the model would explode when you return to the higher levels.

#3

thanks for the quick reply, sounds good, but can you clarify how this is done

i know about the maya setting to make sure point order isn;t changed, but what i mean is, how do i import the level 1 mesh into my multi level model? i thought you could only load one tool at a time.

yet again i apologise for just how primitive these questions surely ar,e but you will be going a long way to helping me understand my workflow process :slight_smile:

#4

in zbrush.--------
go to your lowest subD on a tool (or subtool)
tool>export (at bottom) turn off grp, turn on mrg - export it

in Maya------
import the obj…make sure you’re not changing the point order

DONT CHANGE ANYTHING OTHER THAN UVS…this means, don’t move it, rotate it, scale…anything. Only UVs
export out an obj.

in Zbrush------
open up the .ztl
select the tool (or subtool) you exported
lowest level
tool>morphtarget>store MT (delete if needed then store)
tool>import select the mesh.
tool>morphtarget>switch
tool>morphtarget>delete MT
done.

The parts in orange don’t need to be done. It’s just habit, incase anything changes the scale of the object. Roadkill likes to make things very small.

#5

thanks so much :smiley:

you guys are great