ZBrushCentral

Solution for 3dsmax7 export problem when working with subdiv resolutions in zbrush

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

I am new to zbrush.

While testing the workflow of zbrush in connection with 3dsmax I encountered the problem of destroyed meshes (exploding faces) when you export a mesh to max and later import the mesh after some uvw changings or vertex movements back into zbrush and select a higher subdiv resolution level.

I think I found a solution.

When you import a zbrush mesh into max you need to export it again to .obj
Then import that new file again into max.
When you export that new mesh to .obj it works correctly in zbrush.
While doing this export/import/export in max you need to keep the mesh as editable mesh.

If you convert your mesh to editable poly you need to do the export/import/export.

If you change the uvw or move a vertex you don’t need to do the export/import/export.

There might be other changings in the mesh that need an export/import/export.

I hope that helps

Steve Weber

www.steve-weber.com

#2

Thanks for that info, Steve. I’ve added it to the QuickLinks

#3

Update:

It seems that everytime max imports an .obj or converts an editable mesh to editable poly a reordering inside the object is happening.

Let’s call the normal order 1 and the changed one 2
When you import a zbrush .obj inside max 1 is changed to 2
Now when you convert the imported object from editable mesh to editable poly the order changes back to 1.
Exported .obj works in zbrush.
If you convert the editable poly in the 3dsmax scene back to editable mesh nothing happens but if you convert the editable mesh again to editable poly the ordering changes to 2.

So everytime you import an .obj or convert a mesh to poly you need to remember that the ordering changes and you have to export/import/export or convert the editable mesh to editable poly to change the order again.

Steve Weber

www.steve-weber.com

#4

Hi
I have been trying that for a long time and it looks like i am doing soemthing wrong because it doesn’t work at all…is there any other thing that i should do? or could you post a picture of the max2obj obj2max exporter with the settings? thanks a lot!!!

#5

I have test a bit and i came to a early solution. ( maybe )

  • Export the model to a .obj in max.
  • Import the obj in polytrans.
  • Export again the obj to the same obj :slight_smile:
  • Import the mesh to Zbrush and do a geo-Flip
    - Import the obj in max.

Right now i’m not sure about all reasult. but seems to work ( cross finger ).:cool:

#6

i tried the first solution with 2 different models, and it seems to work just with one of them, but i can’t manage to make it work with the second one…does anybody knows why? i am getting mad with this! :smiley:

#7

Hi,

metamesh: I am using the settings posted here http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=17027

And the meshes are composed of 4 sided polygons only (as written in the zbrush2 practical guide).

Here it is working every time.

Have you tried with the model that doesn’t work to convert it to poly or exporting/importing/exporting a second time as explained in the 2nd post ?

Steve Weber
www.steve-weber.com

#8

Hi Steve

Could it be that because i have 1 triangle in the mesh it doesn’t work? i have tried with some other meshes and it worked well, but with this one is impossible! i don’t know what else to try…i will try in maya but the thing is that i want to be able to work in max…anyway thanks for ur help steve!

Alex Metamesh

#9

Hi metamesh,

The triangles can cause a problem sometimes when exporting between Max and ZBrush. I wrote an app that will fix the problem by changing the the file data around a bit. You can check it out and an explanation of the problem in this thread: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=24089

#10

hi pix0l_d00d
thanks a lot man! i will have a look 2night at home, i hope i will manage to export/import back again… thanks again :smiley:

#11

I could kiss you^^ :smiley: Good work!!
StevO

#12

lucky you man! it didn´t work for me… :frowning:

#13

Oops Soz :o

If your stuck and wanna get that mesh with the tri working, you could tri:D a work around, and applying a displacement of your model to an edited version of your model, with no tri’s!

Here’s what I mean:-

Render a displacement map of your final ZB model

Then export the lowest Level mesh from ZB, to 3dsmax and get rid of that triangle.

Import your newly edited 3dsmax model, into a NEW SCENE, in ZB

Apply the displacement map you renderd before & divide you mesh untill it looks like what you had earlier. And then just apply it to the geometry! Wala! You should be able to do as you wish from here on in.

If your displacement effect looks warped it’s because your model needs resizing - at the base level - to what the original was. Most likely sizing up.

Hope this helps

#14

thanks man i will try that approach! :slight_smile:
anyway is it possible to have problems even of the mesh hasn’t got any tri? i think it happened to me with one of the models… :frowning: the weird thing with zbrush->max-> zbrush is that sometimes it works fine and some times it doesnt, even with the same model… ??

#15

… im on max7 , and cannot find obj export/import plug-ins :confused: , of course i got so hard problems with .obj import ( max6 with plug-ins froze , max 7 import .obj on facetes ) …

:small_orange_diamond: so if I export .obj from max and after that import re-writed .obj result`ll be better … right ?

#16

Poppof what is exactly your problem with the import? i can import from zbrush to max without any problem…

#17

I’ve now it the same bump in the road as Metamesh! Like the dude said, That double export trick only works with some models… grr I swear it was importing back into ZB ok before but, then suddenly Pow* it’s not budging any more.
How very sucky!:confused:
Anyone found a 100% sure fire fix yet? Any luck yet Meta?

#18

… for a moment i leave Zbrush :frowning: and start working with NURBS in Rhino … when i got nerves enough I`ll back on Zbrush , at less i can import model in max , well not perfect but like that :

regardzzzz :stuck_out_tongue:

#19

cowboybunny not luck yet…i’m working on a model right now, and it seemed to be working fine between max and zbrush ( using max8 now ) but sometimes it still does all that crap when u import to max and then bring back to zbrush…so i don’t really now why, sometimes it works, some other time it doesnt…WITH THE SAME MODEL!! :smiley: i don’t understand…:eek:

#20

… glad for you :smiley: … im on max 7 … i still got problems …