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Imported Mesh Exploding.THE FIXX.

ZBrush Usage Questions
#41

I too have tried a multitude of fixes suggested on these forums - the most recent being trying the OBJ plug-in recommended by Eldee - but all to no avail.

I am trying to use Max 8 (SP3) with 3.1. Try as I might, I cannot export the level 1 Sdiv, Map it in Max and then re-import the mapped version in to Zbrush without the mesh exploding when you try to go back up the Sdiv levels.

I don’t know whether this problems is a by-product of the fact that meshes I’m trying to remap we’re originally subtools of a bigger multi-subtool ztool. Or perhaps it’s because some of the parts were created by extracting them from others.

This workflow worked just fine with Zbrush 2.5, and I’m still using the same version of Max. While I’m thrilled with some of the new features in 3.1, it’s disappointing to find some of the basic functionality that you used to rely on no longer works. I work in game-development, and I would like to make Zbrush central to our character production pipeline. However the current interoperability issues between Zbrush and Max makes this practically impossible.

This isn’t meant as a rant, I guess I’m just looking for confirmation that Pixologic is aware of the issues and attempting to resolve them (Aurick? Anyone?) - I haven’t seen any indication on these forums yet that this is the case.

#42

Eldee - just watched your vid. I’m able to reproduce what you did with no problems. The problems arise however when you export from ZBrush to Max and back again…

Try this…
Take that box you used in your video and export Sdiv1 from ZB. Bring it into Max and make a couple of mods. Export it from Max and import that OBJ on to Sdiv1. Looks okay initially… try going up the Sdiv levels… and bang - exploding mesh!

Can anyone else confirm this?

It makes me think that the problem lies with the OBJs ZBrush 3.1 is exporting, and not those produced by Max 8, 9 or whatever (after all, like I said in the post above, this used to work just fine in Zbrush 2.5)

#43

I found out the reason I’m getting this message.

“The imported mesh must have identical number of points and faces when imported into an active subdiv surface. Switch to the correct subdvividion-level (or deselect this tool) and try again.”

But don’t know how to fix it.

The FBX (zbrush export to OBJ --> fbx converter convert to FBX) that I import into Max is broken into separate faces. Basically the shape is still the same, the polys number is the same (after convert to editable poly), but the verts number has more than the original model. Well…of course I get this message from zbrush since the vertices number are totally screwed up.

Then I weld the vertices back, fix the UVs and export to FBX then convert to OBJ using FBX converter. I can import the obj in subdiv level 1 but it explodes just like other cases when I increase the subdiv level.

#44

I just found out this old thread that has the solution. pix0l_d00d wrote a program that works between max 7 and zbrush. I tried it with max 8 and it works. Hope it’ll work for others, too. :cool:
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=24089&page=2&pp=15&highlight=redo

#45

For those using Max9: ServicePack2 might be the solution. It fixes issues with EPoly and EMesh.

I’ve tested with a Max-originated EPoly and the default Max OBJ exporter. I was able to re-export and re-import between ZBrush and Max without problems.

But of course a test with one mesh is not what you would call foul proof - so be sure to make your own tests before you rely on this workflow.

-Andrea

P.S. An extra step is necessary in order to install ServicePack2 if you have installed the lastet subscription extension. Let me know if you need help with this.

#46

Hi, something that may help people:
I’m using the Guruware importer/exporter for max8 and I notice that although the vertex order never gets changed (you can convert to editable poly too no probs) the topology can actually change when the verts are moved around, such as when you are posing. For example if you have a very non-planar quad (say with a large overhang) the guruware exporter or even Max itself will split it up into tris before export. Has anyone noticed this?? This means that you are unable to guarantee the same topology when posing meshes and it can cause a hiccup. Try with a small object and see what the exporter says it exported (or open in notepad).

FIX: since the vert order is unchanged, you can actually open up the .obj file in a text editor, copy all the data after the vertex position data from the .obj exported from zb, and paste it over the same data in the posed .obj exported from Max. It works!! So you use the new vertex position data, but the old topology data.

NOTE: this is only applicable when the vertex order is UNCHANGED, and only the topology (the face definitions) has changed. The beauty of .obj is it’s very human-legible.

#47

Here’s an example scene for you guys to try: http://www.mediafire.com/?byjdil4t9rx

Simple extruded shape… try to see if you can export to max and back to zbrush in one piece(with higher levels working) :rolleyes:

#48

sonn,
I was able to export to Max and back to ZBrush with higher level intact.

The important step was to convert the imported mesh to an EPoly. Exported EMeshes resulted in a scrumbled mesh on higher levels in ZBrush.

I used Max9 SP2 with the default OBJ exporter.

-Andrea

#49

I updated to 3.1 to be able to use Zmapper and now when I try and load the lo-res (fixed UVs) version it explodes…didn’t have this problem with 3.0 version…I hope they are reading this thread because I’m starting to learn Mudbox as well…hopefully they aren’t as freaked out by a little competition and not try and tweak it to death causing unforseen issues…then issue another update to fix the last issues with more tweaks that cause more issues…repeat…repeat…all I wanted was to use Zmapper :rolleyes:

#50

Sonn,

I too was able to export Sdiv to Max and back to Zbrush with higher levels intact. I used Max’s default obj importer/exporter and converted the mesh to an editable poly. I’m using Max8 SP3.

Problem for me though is that even though this test piece works, I have other ztl’s that explode when I try to go through the exact same process. I get the feeling that some of my ztl’s are somehow getting corrupted in zbrush.

#51

I just tried my own scene again and it works… :o that’s weird cause it wasn’t working when I was playing with it before…

But I agree with nolan… There are scenes that I can never get to work… I’ll try posting another one soon

#52

Combined with Using the free FBX converter from Alias to convert to .obj

:+1: :+1:

#53

here’s a way to create normal map without using zmapper or exporting the hi-res model into max. well if you can manage to import and export between zbrush 3 and max 8 or 9 successfully. first, create a displacement map in zbrush 3. then take that alpha map into photoshop and use this free plugin to turn it into a normal map. (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html)

#54

I have a file that I reconstructed subdivisons on after something happened to the layers greying the tab out on the tool even after zbrush had been closed and relaunched. Layer tab just completely grey.

I reconstructed sub-d on it and the layers reappears but I swear it busted the ztls. Communication lost with Max forever. I can imp/exp/reimp lowest division to modo and Mudbox and step back up the divisions fine, but if Max touches the obj, it explodes when stepping up to division 2.

I saw this a couple of years ago after looping in edges on a ztl.

I tried the above FBX test to no avail. In fact I just tried the simplest operation I could to no avail. I exported lowest from ZB as obj, converted that to FBX using the converter, did nothing more than convert it back to an obj, and tried to import that back in as division 1. “Must have identical number of point and faces…” sigh This is with force tris turned off when using the converter to convert back to obj. So even with Max entirely skirted, failure.

Mark

#55

here’s my setting for both zbrush and max. Most of the time works but ya I agree with what people are saying here. Sometimes it just does not work no matter what. Oh and after importing the obj into Max, it’s an Editable Mesh. You got to convert it to an Editable Poly then unwrap it and export it to obj.
zbrushPref.jpg

Attachments

zbrushExport.jpg

Max_Import.jpg

Max_Export.jpg

#56

same here. I actually started using the forum because of this max to zbrush problem.

#57

lads export as a fbx from Max then convet to obj using the fbx converter and import the obj

#58

Does anyone get scale problems by using fbx importer/exporter? After using fbx exporter )obj to fbx, my object is 100 times smaller than original Zbrush .obj at least that is the case in Modo.

#59

HI，Boa
can You make a tutorial? I tried it and found that the imported model（fbx>obj） will change the amount of Vertices ( the amount of poly did not change)

#60

Hi guys
When I use FBX converter to go from obj to fbx it works for a very low rez obj but as soon as I try an obj that is exported from zbrush after it was subdivided the FBX converter does some very nasty stuff.

First it starts and then it just takes over the cpu capacity to the point where I can do nothing else and it just does not seem to want to finish the job.
Is this problem peculiar to my system or is it a problem others have encountered?
Any help is appreciated.

PS I have found that if I import an OBJ into ZBRUSH 2 with merge on and save out as a tool and then open this tool in ZBRUSH 3.1 - then when I subdivide I do NOT have an Explosion of the mesh.
Now I have only tested this a couple of times and maybe I was just very lucky but let me know if this helps anybody.