ZBrushCentral

I hate to ask.. But I am

Community
#1

Hi guys and gals,
Some one recently suggested I look into using zbrush for an online game called SecondLife, where people can create their own texture to apply to their avatars. zbrush is kind of expensive for some one like me, who would be using the application just for a hobby. So I would like to learn zbrush using the demo, and find out if I have the stuff needed to become a decent sl zbrush artist.
I was wondering if zbrush can import .obj files, because if it can’t. I would rather know now, before I put in all the effort and money into zbrush. Sense import is disabled in the demo, it’s not some thing I can really find out. I tried looking on the web site, and couldn’t find it. If zbrush can import .obj files, would some one be willing to convert an obj file for me?
If some one would covert the default SecondLife Avatar for me, put that object in a blank zbrush document, save save it. Then there would be a zbrush zbr file that I could open with the demo app right?
I’d like to do a blog entery about how to use zbrush to make second life avatar textures. But that going to be a very short entery, if I can’t tell them if they can’t import obj files, and or can’t even show a screen shot as a proof of concept. Let alone a tutorial.

I know it’s kind of allot to ask, And I’m sorry about that.
Ted [email protected]

link to sl avatar bvh files: https://secondlife.com/downloads/avatar/Avatar_Mannequin.zip

#2

Here you go - knock yourself out :stuck_out_tongue:

ZB eats obj files for breakfast. I saved them as ztl files (ZB tool files) as this is what you will need. ZB zbr files save the doc as pixols, which would make your 3D models uneditable.

To open these, just go to the Tools menu and load them.

Good luck with the texturing - and while there why not try out the modelling tools :wink:

#3

bonecradle beat me to it:rolleyes:

#4

Hello again, thanks guys I really do apresheate it. I didn’t think any one would respond. Yes I am checking out the 3d tools. Some of the thing this program dose just make my jaw drop. Who ever programed xBrush must be a genius. I’m going to re go over the built in demos. Hopefully i’ll pick up more then I did the first time. I hate to admit it but I haven’t even figured out how to move the camera around. And even painting on nothings kind of fun. I can’t wait to try using my tablet.

I tried to use the ZTL tool files. By going to the tool thing ( I don’t know what to call it) and clicked on the load button. But for each file I get Load Error “Error has been incountered while trying to Load a Tool. Loading has been aborted.” Maybe it’s a vertion diffrence, or a demo thing. It could be me, I don’t know for sure if the menu/ gui pallet/ what ever it is was the right place to go to try to load it. I don’t know if it matter that i’m using a os x.

But thank you for trying to help me. I"m not going to give up so quickly.

#5

I think the problem is the version compatability. They probably sent you a 2.0 ZTL. file. You would need to find someone who is still using 1.55b to do this.

#6

I’m guessing every one has upgraded. Unless it was a pay upgrade?

#7

Yeah, sorry bout that, they are v2 files. I didn’t know the demo was still at 1.5.

I don’t think having those exact models should hold you back though. They aren’t highly detailed and it would be easy to replicate them quickly in ZB (would be a good learning project).

With a little digging you should also be able to find some decent models here made in v1.5 that you can download and texture.

#8

I still have both versions installed, but am at work right now. If no one’s converted these for you in five or six hours, I’ll take care of it, but it’ll be that long…

#9

ty controll-z. Yes I can wait, Today has been a bizzy day. I havne’t had time to play with zbrush. I do apreasheate what your doing.

Wow this forum is so friendly. I can deffently wait, beucase I can’t even use zbrush untill lator tonight. Right now I am subpostobe working. So off I go.

Bonecradle, Finding some other model to practice on sound like a great idea. Later today, after every thing I should be doing is done, I’ll look around for some 1.5 files. Hopefully i’ll be able to open them in the demo.
I could start from scratch. But I don’t think I could accurately recreate the model. I’d probable end up with some thing more organic. Witch wood be an improvement, but the game, second life dose not support importing of player models. They do not even use differences maps. SecondLife only support importing textures, and manipulating the existing model through a set of sliders. Kind of like the earlier version of poser.

If I made my own simily. I’d end up with a texture that wouldn’t properly mesh over the real sl model. But in the demo I can’t export, so maybe that wouldn’t really be a problem. Unless I buy zbrush, and then want to take all the thing i’ve made in the demo, and export them into sl. Plus I have no expernces with zbrush, and it’s going to probable take long anuff just learning how to do texturing. Even though from the demos it looks like some times 2d texture can be made up of 3d objects.

That bring up another completely newbie question. In Second Life the player texture is made up of 3 different areas. Each area being it’s own texture. The upper body, lower body, and the face. If I made a texture in zbrush. It would be a texture of the hole body, because the model is a hole body. Would this be a correct assumption? and if so would it be easy to cropped he texture up?

Ether way I’m going to still play around with zbrush. I just don’t know how many hobbies it make sense to have. If zbrush over laps with SL then I have more motivation to learn the program Between programing, painting, sl, and every thing else there only so much time.

#10

Okay, should be attached here.

You probably don’t need this for your tutorial, but to convert the files, all I did was:

Tool : Import
(locate OBJ file)

Tool : Save
(save ZTL equivilant)

So, how are you enjoying Second Life? I’ve been aching to try it out, and the ZBrush angle you’re exploring may be what finally breaks me…

#11

SecondLife it kind of a mixed bag. It dose so many new things, that I just haven’t seen done before. What i’ve witnessed, people join the game. Complains for a little while. Because the game isn’t unreal 2003 or doom III. And every one always thinks the frame rate is a little low. But client application is doing allot of things no other 3d app can do. So it’s hard to really judge it’s performance fairly.
But then people start to go out and fly around. They get to see no one looks the same, and feel the friendly atmosphere. They relies they can make any type of vehicle, and make it look how ever they like. I’m not just talking about custom paint jobs like most games. They get to see people actively building things. Witch for me is one of the cooler aspects of SecondLife. Getting to show off your work in an interactive way. Like I recreated a spanish villa, and women were coming all over SL to take a peek. My nabber built a casino with real working tables.
I guess some one with allot of experience with a professional 3d app. might find the 3D interface in sl a little simplistic. But people find ways to manipulate it to build amazing things. And some one working on a tool to import polygons in a generic file formate into sl.
People can learn how to build by watching, or can offer tips if they know an easier way, or work as a group. Some people have made hole world. Some one recreated myst, another island kind of a monkey island, some ones recreating new york.
Other people make clothing, if your good at texturing there is a huge amount virtual game, and real, money to be made. Some one auctioned off a one of a kind outfit for 200 us dollar a year ago, but by no means the norm. I think they mention it in the cnet interview. Other people make animations with poser. To upgrade the basic walk, swim, fly, sleep, extra. Other people make weapons. Some people just hosts events. Every thing from bingo, drag racing, drag queens, tea parties, mad libs, streaking, treasure hunts, social parties, the list goes on and on.
Did I mention it support programing? :smiley:
It’s a great place to express creativity, and just meeting people.

Personally I think it’s well worth the 9 dollar. And every one who’s bothered to joins, play the game for at least a couple of days end up saying they like it. And I’d like to point out that’s a 9 dollar one time fee, Not monthly. About the price of a movie, but worth many many more hours of enjoyment. If you really want to check it out. I’d be happy to throw a certificate that would wave the 9 dollars. All I ask if I do do that, is you put me as your referral, witch means I get a few extra lindon dollars to me. Plus that means when you sign up they’ll notify me. Witch means I can hook you up with some free toys, scripts, clothing, and answer any questions.
Every one really friendly.

btw if you want to contact me in SecondLife my screen name is Kurt Zidane

#12

I see. The monthly fees are for people who want to set up virtual storefronts and what not. Which would be cool, but you can build up your “inventory” and become good with it before making that investment.

That’s much more interesting!

Umm, sure. If you want to PM me a certificate, I’ll check things out. Don’t see any harm in listing you as referrer, either. I just need to come up with a good user name!

Have you had a chance to try out the converted files yet? How’s ZBrush working out for you? (keeping in mind that you can’t save your work, and that v2.0 has a much friendlier interface…)

#13

code sent,
To be onset I haven’t had a chance to use it. I did play around with it. But I’m defiantly struggling over the user interface. I’m sure it all makes sense, and allows for a stream line interface. Like painter. I can tell I am making progress. But it’s not a walk in the park. I wish I knew some one locally, so I could go over there house. Talk to them about it, with a computer in-front.
I also need to figure out how to zoom. So I can do detail work.

#14

Hit the DefaultZScript button, located in the top-right corner of your screen. This brings up the list of built-in tutorials you should have seen when you launched the program. Look for the icon of yellow glasses, labeled “primers” – it should be the first one on the second row. Then click on “sculpting basics”. That should clear up a couple of mysteries, with any luck.

Some of ZBrush’s hotkeys take a while to get used to.

To rotate around your model while you’re in edit mode, you simply drag the mouse anywhere your model isn’t.

To move your model around while you’re in edit mode, you press ALT, and drag the mouse anywhere your model isn’t.

To scale your model while in edit mode, press ALT, start dragging the mouse, and then release the ALT KEY and continue dragging.

#15

if I only knew, I was holding down alt. I would have never thought of holding it down, and then letting it go.

#16

They are some models 3D for the the 1.5B Demo along the posts of the forum :
!
Use the Research engine with something like “ztl” in the window research and look the date :wink:
Pilou Demo user too

#17

Can I use these and make uvmapping?Maybe some 1 is willing to make some or send me some detailed pictures of male. Front view and back view

#18

Hi, my name is amari gable in SL and would love to chat you up if you are around

#19

Hello all, I see this is a slightly dead post so I hope I can get an answer here. If not I’ll have to figure out where else is relevant to my problem.

Ok, so I’m very very new to zBrush and while it’s still a bit difficult for me to grasp the program (even after some of the new video tutorials), it’s still fun to play around in. What I’m curious to know how to do, is create sculptures (like anthropomorphic : heads, arms, hands, and ears) to bring into SecondLife. I know there are tools and add-ons that have been posted here that make bringing created objects into SecondLife easier, but it’s like a foreign language to me. I don’t think I’m ready to import anything from zBrush into SecondLife just yet (still learning how to sculpt), but I am curious to know what the limitations of items sculptured in zBrush are, when moving them over to SecondLife.

For an example of what I mean; I’m trying to create an anthro (anthropomorphic) head. I’m currently starting with a lion (no mane). I’ve created a: Sphere3D and have begun sculpting in features like eye sockets, a nose and the jaw (the mouth is difficult to figure out). I have not sub-divided anything (cmd+d or is it ctrl+d, I forget right now), to make the surface to give it more polygons because I don’t know if that will mess up the head later on when I try to import it into SecondLife.

What I’ve done so far:

  1. Created a Sphere3D > Edit > Make PolyMesh3D.
  2. Started blocking in features like the nose, eye-sockets and mouth.
  3. Started smoothing out features so the sculpt doesn’t look so ‘blocky’ and harsh.
  4. Got confused and have decided to post here.

// I have to break everything down barney-style or else I get confused on what’s going on. I also figure it’d be better for everyone to know what I’ve done in case asked what the process I’ve undertaken so far has been.

Ok so you can see I have no idea if cmd+d (which adds more polygons to the mesh), is advisable or even allowed (since I’ll be importing the head sculpt into SL later on). I really just need some help and guidance on what exactly I’m supposed to do here and was hoping someone could point me to a tutorial that tells me (exactly) what I need to take into account for importing a sculpted object into SL.

Does anyone have any ideas or knowledge of where I can find this information?

#20

SNDInc well I’m new to Zbrush too, but I have max and I know a little bit more about that. If you read the entire post the guy that originated the question said that SL doesn’t allow you to import a mesh into the game, only textures. Theres a couple of reasons for this, but the main one’s are that it won’t be rigged animated or scripted to react to the game world. Textures are ok though so you could export your mesh from second life and then paint a lion texture on their mesh then import that. Or you could sculpt your model in Zbrush and have a cool wall paper for your desktop. Hope that helps.