Multiple Subtools NormalMapping (answered)

[system]

Hi everyone!

Here’s the thing:

I have base mesh that I brought to ZBrush (I’m using ZBrush 4) without any UV Mapping, and I have split it into 7 subtools, then subdivided and sculpted each one.
Now I need to merge them into 1 single mesh again (without weld), and make the normal map of it, to apply it to the low poly version.

The (begginer’s) question is: How can I do this?!

I’ve already tried to merge them in the highest subdiv level and use Reconstruct SubDiv Level, but it does’nt work, even after I generate a UV map to each of the subtools. And i’ve already tried to generate a UV map of the merged Hi-Poly and then it crashed out of memory…

I’ve even tried to merge the lower and the higher; append’em and try to transfer the detail, but it’s really painful, and I’m pretty sure that there’s an easier way to do this…

Looking forward for some help… this is really freaking me out…

Thanks in advance, and sorry if I wrote something wrong, portuguese is my main language…

_______ Edit

I’ve just tried using MultiMap Exporter and it’s not working very well here…
I used the UVMaster and Unwrapped All, then I used MultiMap Exporter with Subtool and Merge Maps on, but the normal maps overlapped!
Here the separated UVs are on different places and it works fine…
How do I fix this ?!

[system]

Errr… I edited the first post and here it looks like it’s duplicated…
I didn’t knew this would happen…
If it’s really duplicated delete it and sorry about that…

[marcus_civis]

If all subtools have the same number of subdivision levels then you should be able to use Merge Visible in the SubTool palette to merge them back together again with the levels intact. You would then assign UVs at the lowest level and generate the normal map.

Using UV Master to generate UVs for all subtools will give you overlapping maps if you try to merge them using Multi Map Exporter. This is because UV Master makes the best use of the mapping space and has no option to say that you want maps that can be merged into one.

[system]

6 of my 7 subtools are on subdiv level 7, and the other one is on level 8.
I’ve brought it back to level 7 and deleted the higher. Hit merge visible again but still says that it’s unable to reconstruct lower subdiv-level…
Any other solution?

Another question: if I bring a base mesh already mapped to ZBrush (or map it on ZBrush itself) and then split it, when I merge it again the UV will be intact ?!
If not, then how is the standard workflow for it ?

Thanks again!

[marcus_civis]

Do you mean there are no subdivision levels after the merge? There should be no need to reconstruct the subdivision levels as they should all be there. (You can test this with the DemoSoldier main mesh - you can groups split it then merge back together and the three subdivision levels will be there.) Perhaps there is something about your original mesh that is causing a problem. You are merging with all subtools at the highest level aren’t you?

Anyway, if you system will handle the combined mesh, you can use a different workflow:

1. Import the original mesh and append it as a new subtool.
2. Subdivide enough times to get all the detail (so probably 7 levels).
3. Use Project All to project the detail from the subtools onto the new mesh.

Groups splitting and merging again should not affect the UVs. If you are wanting to generate a single map (displacement, normal or whatever) without merging the subtools you can use the Multi Map Exporter plugin which has a merge maps feature.

One question: why are you turning off weld when merging? Normally you would keep this on, unless in your original mesh the polygroups were topologically separate meshes.

[system]

Sorry for the enormous delay… I’ve been really busy with some other stuff lately…

Yeah, there are no subdiv levels after the merge. (all subtools at the highest). I tried to Project All, but it got all messy in some areas like the nose, back of the ear, and some parts of the cloth... I think that I'm going to do the UVMapping in ZBrush, then I can bring the low poly (already mapped) to Blender (the modelling software I'm using) and move the UV islands so they don't overlap anymore. And then I go to Photoshop to make the texture and normal map to match the corrected UV... It's gonna be a little tricky, but I think it might work... If anybody have another idea, please let me know! ______________ Another thing.. I have this other model that is made of 15 subtools (61 polygroups), that I haven't Mapped too. (Despite the image shows it in low-poly, I already detailed it..)

Due to the numbers of subtools(and polygroups), to do what I suggested up here will be nearly impossible, and it brings me back to the initial question…