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Several UvMaps destroyed

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m researching a little bit about meshes with several maps (in UnrealEngine4 is required two ones, for usual textures, and for lightmaps).

Appears .obj format is unable to manage that. Just in Maya export the multi uv map mesh in .obj and reimporting it will result in total lost of the second Uvmap.

But this doesn’t happens with .fbx files.

Now, in Zbrush we have the ability to import/export in Fbx format (several years versions).

If I import my multi uv map mesh into Zbrush R7 using Fbx importer plugin, and check Uvs, they are wasted. Of course, If I export it again to .fbx and open it in Maya, there is only one Uv map, the wasted one.

Am I doing something wrong?. Or is just about Fbx importer/exporter is still in development?.

Of course, my first idea here, since Zbrush is perfect to get several Lod meshes, is import the mesh with the uv for lightmaps (which will be the same in every lod), and use UV Master to create the “usual” uv map, being able to export all lod versions I need including both maps (more subidivided, but in the same exact place).

#2

ZBrush doesn’t change the UVs at all but it can only display one texture map per subtool so that is what will happen with the FBX plugin. Because that map will be displayed all over the subtool it will look wrong when you have multiple UV tiles.

One solution may be to use the FBX plugin “Import Mats as SubTools” option which will split the model into separate subtools based on the materials in Maya. This should ensure that the model displays correctly in ZBrush (but of course your model will then be in separate pieces which you may not want).

#3

Thank you Marcus, for the point, but I’m gonna need a little bit of lateral thinking. Realize yourself two UvMaps doesn’t means two materials.

Probably the way to go right now gonna be, as you suggested, two meshes (topologically identical) every one with its own UvMap. And then, play to export and import individually to get subidivisions versions, reimport in Maya, and trying to copy (or transfer) UvMaps between meshes.

Well, at least, there is a way, not the smarter/quickest/comfortable one, but here it is.

Anyway, thanks for your time and knowledge.

#4

did you found the way to do that? im in the same position, without knowing what to do, tks in advance.

#5

5 years later… Lol and still the same problem! Did someone discover why this happens? As soon as I import my fbx to zbrush it ruins the UV map.