That's it, another post about Displacement in Maya

[system]

I’ve been trying to render the images in this post since 3 days :
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=20310&page=1&pp=15
I read the manual and all the posts on the forum about maya and displacement.
The head is now pretty good although some details are lost but the sword…

Here is my result for the head model with maya 6 using maya software renderer and this tutorial : Tut

And the same settings (try to change them as well) for the sword (tested the 2 obj models) :

I know it’s just a matter of hitting the right buttons and enter the right numbers. The only problem is to know them…

If someone using Maya can tells me exactly the process and his settings to render the sword model, it will be really great.
Using maya software ? MR ? Grayscale image ? RGB image ? Displacement only ? Displacement + bump ? Using Set Range utility ?

I really don’t know what to do since I read a tons of post and no result
Thx in advance

[Jason_Belec]

Hello Corbier, welcome.

Sorry for your fustration, but it’s easy to make mistakes, until it’s old hat.

Can you give us your steps and even screen shots at each step? It will really help nail down what’s wrong very quickly and get you on your way.

[system]

Ok, here it is.
First, i use the the file find with in this post http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthrea...10&page=1&pp=15

1 - I import the sword into maya
It’s really big but I don’t scale it in case it mess up something

2 - Convert the gemotry into subdiv

3 - I create a new lambert material and add the displacement file (in my first post, I forgot to flip the file verticaly :rolleyes:)

4 - I enter some options : Feature Displacement is Off, Alpha Gain is 10, Alpha Offset is -5, Filter is 0.01

5 - Here is the result with Maya software renderer in production quality

Also tried to add a Set Range Utility between the file and displacement node but it doesn’t really change the render.
That’s it…

[Jason_Belec]

That looks better than your others.

Lets see if we can get it automated.

Try this.

http://www.warproductions.com/tools.htm

Now understand that Photoshop throws away most of the necessary info you need! It cannot handle the 16 bit images properly. You need CinePaint (free - OpenSource) or I believe you can convert under Windows at the command line - sorry I’m a UNIX and Mac user.

I’m trying to find where the problem is slipping by, that’s why I’m asking you to use the script, as many of us have and I can frame the results and hopefully help you.

[system]

At last, it works !!
Thanks a million Jason.

I imported the sword, made a level 2 subdivision smooth, run the script, render in Maya Software and…that’s all, it works really great.

I also tried CinePaint but it seems to be a problem when I want to save my file.
I wasn’t able to use the save as… command.
By the way, I used only the save command and I didn’t notice any difference between the CinePaint file and the Photoshop one.
Tried to save my file as a iff format but like I said, it didn’t work.
Haven’t already tried with mental ray cause it didn’t support the tiff format.

Here is the image :

This mel script should be recomanded to every Maya user

[Jason_Belec]

Glad to help.

You may be missing some files with CinePaint - what OS are you on?

OpenSource can be a pain when you don’t always know what the developer was using when he compiled. I’m working through 2 products that have issues, the coolest is Liquid, which allows me to export everything in Maya to RIB format and render under my API of choice.

[system]

I’m running Windows XP.
I’ve made another test with an alpha file frome myself.

I imported the sword obj. into Maya, made an automatic mapping, then exported it back into obj.

Imported this new obj. into Zbrush, divide a few time to have 2.26+ millions polys and painted some rapid details :

Here is the best render in Maya I was able to achieve :

I made the Alpha file with Adaptive check and 2048 px.
Can u tell me if this level of detail is impossible to render or did I miss something with the creation of the alpha (maybe use DPSubPix at 4) or with my rendering option.

Good luck for your 2 products and thanks again !

[Jason_Belec]

You are losing information.

A thread exists explaining some pertinent details…

http://www.pixol.com.au/zbrush_maya_tutorial.htm

Another exists, you can of course search for it…

[sadicus]

So glad I’m not the only one still trying to bridge ZB2 and Maya! Thanks for the info, I’ll be trying out these steps using TURTLE for Maya and MentalRay.

By the way Does anyone have issues with Store morph Target…?

Create Zsphere model
Create Polymesh
draw Polymesh on canvas press “T”
STORE MORPH TARGET

Now when i start sculpting to level 6, when i go back down to level 1, the only option i have is Del Morph …?

this has happened with several models, and i have to use CAGE.

any ideas?

Thanks!

[Jason_Belec]

Maya is fussy at best. Once you get a pipeline write it down, back it up, and pray a lot!

I pretty much do everything in other apps and assemble in Maya, rig in Maya, export from Maya. Model and texture in Zbrush. Animate in Motion Builder (real-time) and render under any RIB renderer. I have found this to be a very efficient approach.

As for your MORPH issue, I have no problems, how about a sequence os creen grabs so we can see what you start with, what you do and what you get?

[sadicus]

Thanks for the info! When i do get all these programs to play nice together,it it will be carved in stone! or on very small rocks.
I will post my flowless-workflow after work
Thanks!

[system]

Thx for the thread Jason but I’ve already tested this tutorial.
But it was saturday and my render settings in Maya were wrong.
Now, I think they’re good with your mel script and I think the problem is with my alpha file. Like you said, I’m loosing informations.

The problems is here, I read almost all the things I found about those damn displacement map and there is each time a different approach.

I tested this time to store a morph target, and to smooth the UV when I hit Divide but it doesn’t work.
I can’t wait to have all the process working and beginning to create something…

Do I need to export my geometry from Zbrush when I’m done with modifications or just use in Maya the same file I have imported ?
Do I need to hit the cage button before exporting ?
Do I need to smooth the UV ?
My Alpha must be Grayscale ? RGB ?
The displacement must be Adaptive ? with smooth UV ?

There is so much things who can mess my alpha, I can’t find witch one.

[sadicus]

when I’ve worked with DipMaps from Zb2 to Maya 6 using Mental Ray, i made the BumpMap.tiff and the Disp Map.tiff file RGB. or else Mental ray wou;d lockup :evil:

Is it correct to make the files RGB for use with MentalRay?
Maybe this link will help for alpha gain…

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=4571

[Jason_Belec]

OK Corbier, try taking the default head that you posted into Zbrush and Maya - paint detail in Zbrush - BUT - store the morph first. Now once you’ve painted a bit hit Switch under the Morph info, does it change back to the original? If yes, switch again and continue or create Displacement.

Now take that back to Maya using the Mel script and see what you get.

This process should always work. If you use Photoshop, it will lose data though.

Maya can only see RGB - yet another example of outdated software.

Use AUV or GUV if it isn’t already selected.

This process should allow you to detail in Z, move back to Maya and test relatively easy.

---

Sadicus, yes RGB for Maya - that is why I render with RIBs, bypass this nonsense.

[sadicus]

RIBs…? sounds yummy, please send a link so i can learn more!:lol:

thanks!

[system]

Well, this displacement thing makes me mad :evil:
Seems there’s not a easy way to do it. Or I definitivly don’t find it…

What I did is simple :
Import my obj.file into Zbrush with my own UVset or create the UV into Zbrush (pretty same result)
Hit the StoreMT button
Divide a few times
Add some basic details with Projection Master
Coming back in edit mode
Lower the divide to 1
Hit the Swith button in the Morph Target window
Create a displacement map with Adaptive at 2048
Flip the alpha Vertically into Zbrush
Import into Maya the same .obj file I have imported into Zbrush
Smooth the geometry
Use the script to generate a meterial with the displacement settings

Here is what I’ve got in Zbrush and then my render…
Damn, will I ever made it ?

It’s weird, cause I got a descent render (stille loosing some details but descent :))with pretty much the same details added in Projection Master with the sword. Maybe an UV problem…

When I see this post http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=021774 I know it’s possible to achieve a nice displacement

[system]

I was rendered with Maya software.
The head and sword model worked pretty well and I didn’t use MR cause he can’t handle the grayscale file

I converted my precedent Alpha file (on my “sort of” orc) in rgb and tried to render it with MR.
And it works…

Don’t know why some files work with Maya Software and others are not…
And by the way, someone knows a prog where I can save my files without loosing information ? (using photoshop at that time)
Or do I need to dl some stuff to make Cine Paint works ?

And finally, thx to all the people who respond to me, it helps a lot !

[Jason_Belec]

Sardicus - Renderman, 3Delight, Aqsis, Render.C, andy Renderman compliant RIB renderer.

Corbier, I will try to narrow things down for you today and post instructions. A command in Windows exists to convert to IFF? I think at the command prompt to convert Zbrush files to Maya files, I’ll look for that for you as well. However I do recommend Cinepaint, just try to find Windows instructions and Forum info to help you with issues before going ahead.

[sadicus]

Thanks Jason, i look forward to yet another Disp Tutorial! …so close to getting some setting that are consistant.
Maya’s Fcheck should be able to convert the files.

Also using the provided ZB2 Headtest model, i am getting good results using the zatt6 script and rendering with MentalRay. TURTLE is what i’ll be trying out tonight, but i’m still going thru the tutorials. and will post some settings.

The zatt6 script is very usefull but it seems to use only one map for Dispacement and Bump…? not sure if i’m missing something but i thought you would use two different RGB .tif images for each one…?
…also does anyone know how to connect the MRmissphysical shader into the default zatt6 setup…?

[sunit]

Here’s another thought. For this guy,

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=021774

I was using an approximation-node, but then I did some tests without any approximation, and with mental ray, and lo and behold, to my surprise, the renders were faster.

Here’s the method:

1)Export your lores obj out of zbrush.
2)Export the displacement tif file, convert it in Photoshop to an RGB (instead of Grayscale) tif, and flip vertically.
3)Import the OBJ and go to Edit Polygon -> Normals -> Soft/Hard[option box]. Make sure the setting is at 180, and apply it to your model.
4)Load in your tif file (which should now work with mental ray), apply it as a displacement on your model.
5)Render with mental ray.

You may have to turn off feature displacement in your model shape tab (don’t remember if that affected anything).

This application of displacement isn’t completely accurate - ideally your model should be smoothed, but this way seems to render much more detailed with less processor usage, than using approximation nodes.

Maya default renderer doesn’t tessellate geometry very well with detailed displacement maps. Any of the renderman compliant renderers will look better, but mental ray will also give you decent results.

I’m testing Turtle, and once they release their new beta this week, I’ll post a review.

Cheers
-Sunit