I’m using 8k resolution alpha maps on a mesh with 11.8 million polygons. I still get jagged edges when I look closer.
What should I do to get sharp edges?
I have made a screen recording of what exactly happens.
Hello @archz2 ,
Too much thin, fine detail in your alpha with too sharp a transition in between the values, at too high of a displacement value. This alpha would be suitable for surface detail with minimal elevation.
You can try increasing the maximum polycount further. 11 mil polygons is not sufficient resolution for an alpha that intricate. You can increase the maximum polycount if your system will handle it in Preference> Mem. The maximum per subtool polycount in ZBrush is 100 mil polygons.
Because of the nature of alpha displacement, the detail will become coarser the further you displace it from the surface. It does not create new geometry–it can only stretch the topology that is already in place. If you try to stretch the topology into tall 3d forms on the surface, stepping and overly stretched topology is inevitable.
Try using the Layer brush with the DragRect stroke instead at a much lower ZIntensity. This should create nice even surface detail.
You might also try putting a minimal blur value on the alpha. This results in less harsh transitions between the value on your alpha maps, which may result in better looking lines in some situations.
In addition, base topology matters at high levels of subdivision. The optimum topology for the best results while sculpting, painting, or projecting detail in ZBrush are well distributed quads, as uniform in size as possible, and as close to square shaped as possible. In your video it looks like maybe you are subdividing Dynameshed topology? That sort of topo is adequate for sculpting up to about a medium level of detail–the intended effective range of Dynamesh. For ultra high detail work you want as high quality topology at the base level as possible, so the nice even quads from a regular primitive sphere may produce better results for you.
Good luck!
Sorry for replying late. Got caught up in lot of work and didn’t get time to open zbrush at all.
Thanks for replying and giving lot of detailed insights. I’ll try again with more polygons and post my results.
My sphere was not dynameshed. I just increased its subdivision by going to geometry>divide, and then pressing the divide button multiple times.
How do I put a blur value on my alpha?
EDIT…
Okay. I just increased the polycount to 44.573 million polygon. Very good improvement in quality. The jaggedness is only seen on clos-ups in some areas.
