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swapping the base mesh in Zbrush

ZBrush Artworks
#1

I thought ill share the tip, since it seems its not that obvious.
I have posted it on XSI base com, its something I tested with Softimage OBJ export.:

you can use XSi UVs in Zbrush
Simply dont press the button that creates UV tiles. Just export the Displacement map, it will be automatically conformed to you UVs you exported from XSI.

If, you already have your OBJ in Zbrush (that doesnt have UVs from XSI)
go to your tool, switch back to the lowest subd level (switch the morph to saved one) and then click the import tool button (on the Tool menu where you do your subdivisions)

pick the new exported OBJ (with new UVs created in XSi)
Zbrush will swap the base mesh, importing new UVs from the file

now you should have all your Zbrush changes in higher subdivisions, and be able to export the dipsplacement map
to your new UV layout.

important thing is, to keep the new imported OBJ exactly in the same 3D space.
So if you moved it in XSi (and saved trasforms or something) Zbrush will freak out and the displacement generation time will be endless.

g

it would be cool to test it with Maya and other software to see if this thing works

#2

Hey jonkajtys. it works in other packages. The key here is that objs are impartial to software. They care geo information and uv information. that is all. You could layout your uvs in anything and then import that mesh back into zbrush and you would transfer uvs and verts.

What ZBrush is doing here is transfering vert position and uv information when you import one model into another. The key thing to remember is not to change your vert order or number of vertices! It has to be the same model.

Best,

Ryan