Hi! I wouldn’t normally bother people here to answer stuff but I’ve search and asked everyone I know and nobody could help me so…
I’ve got a model made from scratch in Zbrush, I want to retopo it, export as .OBJ, do uv mapping in Max, reimport the object in Zbrush (I’ve been told that if I append it to the hi poly model while it is in the lower subdivition it will update the uvs, which by the way I’ve got no idea how it works because it would be a different topology) and then export the bump and normal map to use in Max with the optimized mesh. The problem is: I start from zero, make a Zphere, go to edit mode, go to the topology tab and when I want to select the mesh I want to retopo it says it should be less than 15000 points or polys (which of course it isn’t). But everybody has larger models than that and I see them using that way to retopo. So I’m completely stuck. If someone has a suggestion it will be more than welcomed
Hey there : )
When it comes to retopologizing something that’s going to have normal maps applied, you’re really just looking to capture the silhouette of the model (along with any edge loops that might be needed for good animation). So there’s no need to retopologize a highly detailed sculpt that includes pores and wrinkles. I’d recommend either saving out a medium res subdivision level and using that as the base for your retopology. If this no longer exists and can’t be reconstructed, you could try duplicating the model and then using either Dynamesh, Remesh, or qRemesh at a lower resolution, or run the model through Decimation Master. This should give you a lighter file to retopologize.
As for updating the UVs:
If you change the UVs in another program and reimport the OBJ, it will automatically update the UVs. But if the vertex order has been changed in any way, it’s going to instead load the model and will try to project the details back on (with a user-prompt). You’ll be better off importing the UVd/retopologized model as a brand new subtool without projecting the details, so that you can manually begin to subdivide the mesh and project the details from the sculpt onto it.
It’s also of my opinion that you’d get a better result just exporting the highpoly mesh out of zbrush (highest subdivision level of detail, decimated with decimation master), and using either Max or a program like xnormal to bake your maps instead. This will give you more control over the map baking process, along with a synched tangent basis for the normal map.
I would definatelyntry qremesher for sure. It seems to be fantastic. However, I’ve only had the error you describe when I was doing something wrong. If you can, reread the retopo instructions.
Yeah I had already tried saving a lower res of the mesh but in order to have a mesh of less than 15k it I sacrificed even the basic silhoutette. qRemesher seems really interesting. Do you know if it has the 15k limitation or something like that? Although I think I may have misunderstood, because you tell me that the uvs are updated only if the vertex remain the same. So if I could retopologize (for example with qremesher) and export the obj, make uvs, etc. I still wouldn’t be able to use it again in Zbrush because the vertex would be different? (I mean, it would be a whole new model).
About what you suggest, exporting a hi res mesh decimated, I would have the model in Max where I could in theory make uvs (of the hi poly mesh?) and use xnormal to bake the maps? My only doubt about that way is when I actually get a low poly model.
I’m really sorry to be so confused but this is awfully hard for me. I mean, I’ve been dealing with the normal/displacement thing literally for years and it still seems to be the only thing I cannot get right…
Do you have a pic of the mesh? 15k should be able to do quite a lot when it comes to the silhouette.
QRemesher doesn’t seem to have a limit on what it can work with (or at least not one that I’ve personally reached), though larger files might take longer for it to calculate.
Although I think I may have misunderstood, because you tell me that the uvs are updated only if the vertex remain the same. So if I could retopologize (for example with qremesher) and export the obj, make uvs, etc. I still wouldn’t be able to use it again in Zbrush because the vertex would be different? (I mean, it would be a whole new model).
It’s advised to use QRemesher on a copy of the mesh, as otherwise it’s just going to give you new topology without all the high-res detail. By creating a copy of model and using that instead, you can then transfer detail from the original sculpt to the remeshed version. Reading this should explain it more clearly: http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Environmental_Sculpting_Project
This also means that if you had a QRemeshed model with the details projected back onto it, exporting and adding UV’s would not change the vertex order. It’s only if you start adding or deleting faces before reimporting it that you will have to worry about that.
If you did change the vertex order, it’s still good. Just like with the tutorial above, you can add the new mesh as a new subtool, subdivide it and use Subtool: Project All to transfer the details from the sculpt back to the new mesh. That’s if you even want to use Zbrush to bake the maps.
If you decide to bake your maps in a program like Max, Maya, xnormal, etc, then your highpoly sculpt wont need UVs, and zbrush will never even need to see the final retopo’d model.
Unless I’m missunderstanding you, I really think you’re doing something wrong. I’ve succesfully retopologised meshes in the millions in Zbrush. I do recall getting the 15K limit warning when I was doing something wrong, I just can’t remember what I was doing at the time.
You are going about that the wrong way. If you want to “retopo” your mesh, starting with a blank canvas, select a ZSphere and draw it on the canvas and turn on ‘Edit’ mode. Go to ‘Tool > Rigging’ and click ‘Select Mesh’ then go to ‘Tool > Topology’ and click ‘Edit Topology’. Now you can start to retopologize your mesh.
Going to ‘Tool > Topology’ and clicking ‘Select Topo’ is only for editing the topology that is already on the mesh.
Yes, that was it. If your trying to edit the topology of the mesh you started with the limit comes in.
Oh that was it!! Thanks so much!!
Ok I think I’ve FINALLY understood. I can use either qremesher (or now the zsphere way) to retopologize my mesh and use uv master or export it and do uvs in Max and it won’t matter because then I’ll have the low mesh in Zbrush, subdivided, with all the details projected like the qremesher tutorial explains and I’ll be finally able to export the maps?
I didn’t submit a pic of the sculpt because I don’t have the 15k problem any more
@ Cuvey
LOL…The second quote in your last post is not from me, it’s from Cryrid.
lol how did that happen xD
All of you have been very helpful anyway 