ZBrushCentral

Maintain layers while combining subtools? (answered)

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I want to merge belt loops to the pants that I have sculpted. Right now they are separate subtools. The pants contain multiple layers while the loops have no layers. Is there a way to maintain the layers that I have created while combining the belt loop subtool to the pants? So far it has only combined everything and created a new tool with no layers. Thanks!

#2

There’s no way that I know of. Layers work with an exact number of polygons and the moment you combine subtools the polygon count changes.

#3

I thought of a way that might work but it will depend on how much the layers vary from the original sculpt:

  1. Clone the pants subtool by pressing Tool>Clone.
  2. Merge the belt and pants.
  3. Append the cloned version of the pants to the new merged ztool.
  4. Switch on one layer for the appended cloned pants subtool.
  5. Create a new Layer for the merged ztool.
  6. Use ProjectAll to copy the layer.

Repeat 4-6 for each layer.

You may need to clean up the layers depending on how much detail and the quality of the projection. Storing a morph target before recording any layers will mean you can use the Morph brush to restore any messy areas.

HTH,

#4

Thanks for the responses. I considered the method that Marcus described, but it is a lot of work just to attach belt loops and I haven’t quite mastered getting good quality from the project all process. This is all going to be baked down to normal and displacement maps so it isn’t a necessity. I’ll just combine put then together on the lowres mesh. Thanks again guys!