Easy Retopologising models preserving the fine-detail levels (by Rastaman)

[3dommi]

Having had similar problems as you can see in post 34 in this thread (my mesh was all distorted when turning “Projection” on) I solved my problem by setting the “ProjectRange”-value-slider to minus -1.

Minus -0,50 and minus -0,10 also work, so it seems that when the “ProjectRange”-value-slider = higher than minus -0,10 (e.g. 0 or greater than 0) then the projection fails.

When negative (the ProjectionRange lower than zero) then my mesh was projected completely OK with following attributes:

• original mesh = 9 million polys (7 subdiv levels)
• retopoed mesh = 2292 polys
• “Adaptive Skin” “Density” = 7
• “Projection Strength” = 1
• “ProjectRange” = MINUS (anything lower than zero works)
• all other settings were default.

[system]

God bless you, Nick adn of cours we pray also for Pixologic team

[Grugi]

I have a problem,when I want to rework an existing topology. No matter if I use the select topology method or the other method by shift-click to draw the the existing lines. I always get a lot of holes in the new mesh.I have no idea why this happens and it´s really frustrating

[Rastaman]

Try this:

After having pressed ‘Edit Topolgy’ , perform Ctrl + Shift + LMB-Click (unmask all) .Then do your retopos.
That should work.

[Yuzrass]

Hey, Rastaman. Great tutorial. I got one question as I still haven’t try this
combining separate mesh yet.

Let say my PC can only handle limited amount of polygon like 2million polys maximum but i want to have a really detail character. So what I do is separate the character body into 2 parts like head one model and the rest of the body as one model. Reason I would do this is to get all the 2million polys max on the head and 2million max on the body.

My question is if I were to combine both model after finish sculpting it.Would it be possible to have all the details that both of the mesh has since both combine will generate 4million polys as one mesh and my PC can only handle only 2 million per mesh?

[system]

I try to read much that I can, but one thing I don’t Know yet …

The topology is possible to get over a triangulated mesh to re import that and work in ZBrush ?..

I’ll try to explain … I’m sculptor and did make some scan laser 3D of my works … now I want to put that in ZBrush to finish … but the triangles mesh are so ugly and the commands in ZBrush are not responsive …

At this point I think perhaps the retopology can help me … I’m right to suppose that the retopology give me a good mesh to export/re import and work in ZBrush without limitations ? …

[Rastaman]

Yuzrass:

Good question.:eek:
I think you’ll have to simply try it and see if it works.
I don’t know.

Velleca55:

If you can successfully load you triangled mesh into ZBrush and into a zsphere-retopo-status, then it should be no problem.
The only thing is, that the ‘quick-retopo’-method is useless for you, because it would reproduce the triangled mesh-structure.
You will have to build the new topo totally by hand.
But that should work.
If you can also transfer the fine details, you will have to try.
Should work also with triangled meshes, but I never tried.

[system]

Thanks for the answer …

I’d try making some strategie passages … I make a “fasta” retopo and save as OBJ …

Take the mesh (many holes and crazy topology) into ArtCAM and simulate a toolpath, and save that simulation that correct the holes and now in Zbrush I have a good mesh to retopo …

On the photo the “bad” initial mesh …

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[system]

And the good mesh nice for work on …

Now I have to make a test with retopo by hand, but I'm steel beginning ... easy I'll arrived ...

The head that I made into an exersize …

Thanks again … I’m in love with ZBrush … think will make nice thing with it …
.

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[system]

And here an ALPHA of the head to put on a broche/pendant in ArtCAM

…… cannot upload other photos on the same message … don’t know why …

.

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[Yuzrass]

Hey Rastaman, I have try it and just as i thought it is useless to use it for that purpose. Zbrush will still stick to its polygon limit per object. That means it will deny the opertation and sometimes crashes hehehehe!
I guess the only way to get one full figure in high polycount is to simply upgrade to Vista 64 bit and stuff lots of ram in the PC. And also use HD geometry althou I still haven’t explore yet that feature.

[Rastaman]

Yes, I think that more hardware power will definetely make things with ZBrush much easier for you.

And remember to install ZBrush on a partition with enough free space left.
ZBrush always uses this partition for disk-memory when you run out of RAM !
Otherwise you will have problems again.

[Yuzrass]

So it’s like a scratch disk where zbrush will use the space with right? Can I change the disk path to other drive for it without reinstalling it to the targeted drive?

[Rastaman]

No, currently that’s not an option in ZB3.1. It uses always the partition where you installed it.
I already pointed this out to Aurick and voted urgently for an implementation of a free choosable path.

[system]

Hi guys, i was really interested in this method , however, everytime i try to do the shift+lmb freehand part, zbrush crashes for no reason…

I tried different poly counts (500,000 - 2,000 - 500) and no luck.

sometimes, if i click only once i get a portion of it done, but if i click again the program crashes…

Any toughts?

[system]

Im still waiting for a reply!

[Rastaman]

Hi marcellonetto,

sorry for the delay, I am not so often here at the moment.

I have no explanation why your ZBrush crashes.
Maybe it’s a problem with your installation or a driver-conflict.
I think you should talk with the ZB-support about this.