Total nub Q - Bring in model w/texture, paint on it, then export...?

[system]

Hi, I’m totally new to ZBrush, but I’ve been in 3d for a very long time, and I’m having some difficulty getting started. I’ve watched most of the video tutorial, but I can’t seem to find what I’d like to do specifically, and I’m pretty sure ZBrush is made for this kind of thing.
Basically, I have a textured model in 3d Studio Max (2010), and all I want to do is bring it into ZBrush, paint on the existing texture (or a new layer) a bit, and then export it back into 3d Studio Max.

I’ve tried uzing GoZ with Max, but something about the newer dotNet version not installing into Max 2010 or something…? I don’t know. All I know is when I load up Max now, I get an error that says, “-- Runtime error: dotNet runtime exception: Invalid directory on URL.” I did some searching.

I’ve exported an obj with the materials from 3d Studio Max using the using the ZBrush settings. I can import the obj into ZBrush, but all I get is the `red clay’ version. I can’t see the texture or anything. I’m imagining I’m supposed to use the Spotlight to paint on it, but I’d really like to be able to see the existing texture while I do that, and I do not want to use PolyPaint. I’d like to paint directly onto the existing texture, or a new texture layer using the same UVW map.

I know this must be some simple thing, and I’m just missing it.
Thanks in advance.

[beta_channel]

zbrush doesn’t support texture painting. only polypaint.
you’ll want to look into something like 3dcoat, bodypaint, mari, mudbox, etc if you want to paint on your flat texture. Photoshop, Max, Modo, etc all have layer painting systems as well.

[system]

I guess I don’t understand… Doesn’t the Spotlight function allow you to essentially paint' a texture onto your model...? That's notPolyPainting’ is it…?

[Cryrid]

Zbrush is a valid tool for this, I use it all the time for tasks like fixing seams (I was doing it at work this morning even).

For starters your tool will import with UVs, but without a texture assigned. You’ll have to manually go to the Tool: Texture Map subpalatte, and import your texture image there in order to see it on the model. Just a little heads up though that it will look wrong at first: zbrush flips your UVs vertically so nothing with match up. Luckily it’s a really quick fix; you can either use the Texture palette to flip the texture itself vertically, or use the Tool: UV Map subpalette to flip the UVs back (which is what I do).

From here you have to options.

Polypaint:

1. Subdivide the model sufficiently so that it has a good deal of vertices to work with. If your model is really low-poly, you might want to disable smoothing during the subdivision stage (the smt toggle button next to the divide button)
2. Convert your texture to Polypaint (Tool: Polypaint: Polypaint from Texture)
3. Polypaint on your model (I tend to stick with the standard brush, RGB on, Zadd and Zsub off, make sure its the same for your smoothing brush as well)
4. Convert the polypaint back to a texture (Tool: Texture Map: New From Polypaint)
5. To export the texture you can then hit Tool: Texture Map: Clone Txtr to send it to the Texture Palette, and from there you can either flip it vertically if you need to, or just export it straight away.

Texture Map:

1. As long as your model has a texture loaded and turned on, you can hit G to use Projection Master to temporarily drop it to the document.
2. You can then paint on it using zbrush’s 2.5D tools, or use Zapplink to send the document to a program like photoshop in order to take advantage of some of its tools. If you do use it, save the file once you’re done and return to zbrush and accept the results.
3. Hit G again to pick your model back up from the document (when the projection master dialogue appears, be sure to do colors only, fading is optional)
4. The result is then converted directly to a texture (this method lets you paint directly on the texture without needing to use additional geometry to support vertex colors, so you can work directly with low-poly models). You can then save the texture, rotate your view, and repeat the process as needed. Projection painting is a bit more prone to errors, so when it comes to problem areas I usually export every texture it creates separately so that I can then blend between them and the original where I have to.

For either method, you’ll probably want to delete any faces that might be sharing UV space (such as if you have the arms mirrored) to prevent any errors when it tries to bake different information to the same texture space. This can be done easily using Polygroups (autogroups from UVs) to create polygroups based on your UV islands. You can then hide the ones you need and then delete hidden faces

[system]

Thanks! Yeah, this sounds like what I need. I’ll give it a go. Thanks again!