ZBrushCentral

Strage artifact using ZApplink3

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi, I’ve started using ZApplink3 to paint out seams along my uv borders in my textures, but have noticed that when I return to ZB3, the projection gets applied with a strange graphical artifact. It kinda looks like water damage on a paper product. Here’s a video capture to demonstrate (captured using TechSmith’s Jing…all it needs is the latest flash player installed for your browser):

http://screencast.com/t/oWXnKXQrK
( at the end, i switch to a texture of the uv projection just so you can see the uvs are there and clean )

  • I use a standard brush in PS with some slight falloff but that’s all. I’ve also noticed that heal brush and smudge will produce the same effect. i suspect all the PS tools do
  • I only paint on layer 1
  • I turn off the Zshading layer so i can sample colors from the texture without lighting info, but always turn it back on before saving the file

My PC specs:
-Windows XP Pro SP2
-3 GB of ram
-Nvidia Quadro FX 4400 (with latest drivers)
-Xenon Quad core 2 Ghz proc

Zb settings/info:
-ZB3.1
-Zapplink3
-Multithreading: ON
-Multithreading Steps: 6
-Compact Mem: have tried default (256) and 1024 and 2048

I’ve found that I am the only one who has trouble with this issue in my studio. All my other colleagues can use ZApplink with no problems whatsoever. In fact, they can even use this asset that I am having trouble with and paint out the seams without getting the artifacting!

Any one ever see this before? I’m at a loss. Thanks in advance!
-Chan.

#2

Out of curiosity, are you running two different monitors, with ZBrush on one and Photoshop on the other? It’s possible that the calibration is different between the monitors, which then causes problems that are invisible on one monitor to be visible on the other.

#3

Hi aurick,

yes, I do have two monitors BUT i did the seam paint out work and reprojection in ZB3 on the same monitor for the video i posted. I have also tried unplugging one monitor so i only have one for the system and still get the artifact when i reproject.

other artists in my studio have 2 monitors that aren’t calibrated to each other and can use ZApplink3 on 2 monitors fine as well.

#4

any other ideas aurick? the dual display theory is not the culprit and i still can’t figure this one out.

#5

Hello there,

When it comes to fixing seams I use the same workflow, but I never had that problem. Try to enter first in Projection Master with only the color on and then hit the ZappLink button. This is how I work with textures and never had that problem (if you were polypainting that steo wouldn’t be necesarry but I saw you work on a texture). Maybe this will help.