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Importing UV problems

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello all,

I’m having some trouble importing new UVs into an object sculpted in Zbrush. I created a mesh based on Zspheres, subdivided, sculpted, and retopologized. At that point, it being ready to be textured, I brought it down to subdivision lvl 1, and exported the mesh. I imported the .OBJ into Maya 8.5 (yes, I had “create multiple objects” set to “false” so the points would not be reordered), and proceeded to lay out the UVs. When this was done, I followed the instructions here, at the bottom of the page:

Baking PolyPainting into a Texture Map


  1. Create a texture at the size you want for your final map. If its 2048 by 2048, follow the steps below:[list=1]
  2. Set Texture: Width to 2048
  3. Set Texture: Height to 2048
  4. Press Texture New Texture

  • At this point the texture map will override your polypainting. Don’t worry. Its still there. :)
  • Do you have UVs? If yes, skip this step. If not, you have two options.


    1. Create UVs outside of ZBrush[list=1]
    2. Set Tool: Geometry: SDiv to 1
    3. Export mesh by pressing Tool: Export.
    4. Layout UVs in your other application.
    5. Back in ZBrush, store a Morph Target by pressing Tool: Morph Target: Store MT.
    6. Set your model’s SDiv level to 1.
    7. Import your model by pressing Tool: Import.
    8. If you have sculpted moree since you laid out your UVs your mesh, at SDiv level 1, will be different. You will only want to import your UVs and not your mesh. To do this, simply restore the Morph Target, Tool: Morph Target: Switch.

  • Create UVs inside of ZBrush


    1. Press Tool: Texture: GUV or Tool: Texture: AUV

    [/list]
  • Press Tool: Texture: Clr>Txr
    • [/list]I run into an error at step six, where instead of allowing me to import my UV mapped object into the base mesh of the Zbrush sculpt, it simply opens it as a new object (entirely independant of the mesh I want to texture). I can’t even create UVs inside zbrush, as the option is greyed out. Any thoughts? I’ve checked the other threads here, and none of them seem to have the problem where zbrush just creates a new object, instead of merging it with the original. Thanks :smiley:

    –Matt

    PS: I attached a screen shot of the Tool:Texture box not allowing the activation of UVs. o_O
    [HALP.jpg]

    #2

    I’m not sure if there are rules against this here, but bump for importance! I’ve spent a lot of time on this model and need help! PLEEEASSEEE

    #3

    Are you using Subtools? Maybe you’re on the wrong subtool?

    Also, I’d advise importing the mapped OBJ individually into a new tool in ZB, then exporting it (without doing any work on it) as a new OBJ, and trying to import this newly exported OBJ into your hard worked on zTool.

    Looks nice, btw, show us a screen of the hires :slight_smile:

    #4

    No subtools on the model, so that isn’t it. I tried reimporting and exporting a newly mapped low rez obj. That didn’t work either. I had a saved version from immediately after retopologizing, so I re-created the adaptive skin. It lets me try to import, now, but crashes when it gets to “subdividing mesh” for some reason. I tried importing the low rez into maya, and it looks as though the normals are inverted. I’m not sure if that would have anything to do with the high-rez crashing or not. I tried importing the high rez into maya, but 2.4 million polygons did not seem to agree with it at all. GRRRRR I’m pretty sure I could get it to work if I could just invert the normals. Is there a way to invert them in zbrush?

    #5

    Well, in your Tool menu, under the Export submenu, you can select “Flip” to export with flipped normals… I’m not sure this will help…

    I think this is out of my league and requires more professional help. Sorry :\

    #6

    try to hit the : make mesh 3d button again–

    or apply a simple texture (white… pattern whatever) then it says: mesh got no UV should i create for you …

    hope that helps

    #7

    This is odd. I can’t seem to reproduce this with maya-zb-maya process. Can you upload a mesh that exhibit this behavior so we can better investigate this issue?

    #8

    Opeth and DocChaos - I tried your suggestions, and they delete all other levels of subdivision unfortunately. Also, I tried just importing two seperate models into mudbox and using its normal map generation. For the record, it’s pretty terrible.

    Feureau - Here is the Ztool. Work your magic! (it’s a rapidshare link, because these forums wouldn’t let me upload such a large file)

    #9

    I’m just going to have to resculpt it, I think. It’s a pain in the ass, but I don’t see any other solution.

    #10

    would be nice if you could post that model, so we can reproduce if its a user failure or bug or somethin else…

    procedure:
    export as OBJ and reimport it doesnt help?
    export as OBJ import maya/max, apply UVW and reimport as OBJ to ZB doesnt work too?

    strange…
    regArts
    k0s

    #11

    Your model has a zsphere in it, presumably it’s still the retopo’d version. Press Tool:Adaptive Skin:Make Adaptive Skin then choose the new ‘Skin’ version of your model and all should be well.

    #12

    I can’t believe it was that simple XD. <3 Marcus. How could you tell there was a zsphere in the model, so I can look out for this in the future? Thanks again! :smiley:

    #13

    Glad to help. If you put the cursor over the large ‘Current Tool’ thumbnail (in the Tool palette) you’ll get a popup with lots of useful info.

    Cheers,

    #14

    For that matter, any time you have Tool>Adaptive Skin, Rigging, Topology or Projection available, you have a ZSphere selected. :slight_smile:

    #15

    Hi, I’ve never posted to one of these before so if I’m in the wrong place I’m sorry. I was having almost the exact same problem with my mesh. First of all I retopologized over my original sculpt and projected back the detail, good enough for now anyway. I then exported my lowest level obj back into maya and unwrapped it. I made sure to select false on the import options. However when I tried re-importing my uv’d mesh into my ztool zbrush would just crash everytime. So I imported my obj into zbrush all by itself and re-exported it. I then re-imported it into my ztool and it worked. But when I went up in subdivisions, I got all sorts of wierd artifacting all over the place. I’m really stuck here, so any help would be muchly appreciated. Ignore the crappy bikini, I had trouble with re-projection.

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