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Morph Target effects displacement maps

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

I’ve just been trying to generate displacement maps using Multi Displacement 3. I was having a bit of trouble as the map that was generated was showing detail that wasn’t on the model.

The model I was doing had bite marks in it. I was advised to reduce the shape of the bite marks but each time I generated a disp map the marks were there in their original form.

I saved a morph target of the newer detail (on highest detail level) and that seemed to fix the problem.

Is this a bug or part of Zbrush work-flow?

Thanks

Mathew

#2

As far as storing a Morph Target, it is something I always do in my
workflow, IMMEDIATELY after importing an .obj

So, when sculpting in higher SubD levels, then going back down, you’ll
see that the original object looks different from what you’ve imported…

If you have a guy rigging the character (bones and all) while you’re in
sculpting, I definately suggest storing a Morph Target. You can then
hit the ‘switch’ button when you’re finished sculpting, and see the original
shapes of the .obj you first imported… THEN generate your normal and
displacement maps off that, so they fit the rigged character…

If you plan on doing this all yourself, and plan on adding the skeleton
after your sculpting, there’s no need to store a Morph Target. You
can simply export the lowest subD level (.obj), and re-import the new
shaped basemesh into your 3D application… Generate the normals and
displacements -straight-up, yadda, yadda…

~Drew Can you help me on this?

#3

Thanks for the reply.

I work much the same way that you do. But I also save Morph Targets at the highest level when I’m adding detail. This way I can use the Morph Target brush to erase or increase the strength of the added detail without erasing form or other detail that I had before I saved the new MT.

I’ll go over the steps that I took… just to make it clear to me as well as you.

  1. Created a model of chocolate with bite marks in it.
  2. Saved Morph Target at highest level
  3. Exported OBJ of model
  4. Set the ZB model to lowest rez and generated a Disp Map
  5. Took it into Maya and got the Disp map and final render to look much like the Zb model

Then I was asked to change the teeth marks so they weren’t so exaggerated.

  1. Pushed in the faces at a level 3 to reduce the teeth marks
  2. Did NOT save Morph Target
  3. Exported OBJ
  4. Set the ZB model to lowest level and generated a DIsp Map
  5. Took it into Maya and updated Disp Maps and Model
  6. Final rendered image still had the bite marks that I had reduced in step 1

When I checked the ZB model and switched the Morph Target I noticed that the Morph Target still had the bitten marks before the changes were made. I never noticed that generating a Disp Map takes it’s mesh information from the Morph Target and not the mesh itself.

Thanks

MX