ZBrushCentral

transform->modifiers->y

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

theres something wonky with my transform->modifiers->y

Using this to sculpt on a plane as a height field, without disturbing the x/z coordinates to preserve the nice square edges. Works ok with a bog-standard standard brush, but try to use alpha and dragrect stroke? no way! it does some wierd behaviour. Mostly looks like a brush with no alpha, but occasionally on different heights some kind of alpha-looking information appears, but it is not as one would expect. Try it! I’d like to know I’m not crazy. :wink:

It would be lovely to sculpt some planes into nice tiling texture bases, but with this bug-like behaviour it gets a bit messy and workaround-y, so I thought I would post up in case anyone else has noticed this or pixologic happen to see this and know of this bug/need more details and can add it to their internal bug list. It seems a shame that it is part-working like that when it is a golden feature! :slight_smile:

Fingers crossed!

cw

#2

Which version of ZBrush are you using?

#3

3.5, the latest one.

#4

If anyone has a few minutes spare and would be willing to see if this reproduces for them I would be ever-grateful.

Try to use alphas to sculpt after setting the transform->modifiers->y or any other single axis.

Many thanks,

cw

#5

come on lovelies - I will beg if necessary! :smiley:

#6

Hi

I am not seeing any artifacts although I am not sure what I am looking for (picture please :)).

With only one transform axis modifier enabled the alpha seems to be disregarded. With the DragRect stroke I get the same results with Transform > Modifiers > Z and an alpha as I do with Transform > Modifiers > XYZ and no alpha.

I would suggest you model with Transform > Modifiers > XYZ enabled but store a morph target at the highest subdivision level before you start modeling (store another morph target if you subdivide further). As often as you want you can apply a Tool > Morph Target > Morph at 100 with the morph modifier set to the relevant axis. This will morph the XY position of the vertices back to the original square shape but leave the Z axis position (for example).

I wrote a rather lengthy post about creating tileable textures through sculpting and/or drawing on the canvas. You might find something useful. The post is >> here << and the full thread is >> here <<.

Hope that helps.

#7

thanks TVeyes, those are exactly right, i will post a pic of the way the alpha shows through strangely in a sec.

Thanks for the threads, I shall digest them, but it feels like a but so I wanted to pop it on here in the hope that some pixologic folks can check if it is expected behaviour or not. It really was unexpected to me and I hgope it is a bug which could maybe be fixed?

Many thanks for your assistance! I will post pics shortly…

#8

so as described, alpha doesnt show up with axis constrained to 1 and so-on

[zbrush_dragrect_bug_1.jpg](javascript:zb_insimg(‘186592’,‘zbrush_dragrect_bug_2.jpg’,1,0))

Have a play if you get a chance, I really feel it is a bug - I’d love someone from pixo to prove me wrong! :slight_smile:

Now off to find a workaround. Or try mudbox trial.

Cheers folks!

Attachments

zbrush_dragrect_bug_2.jpg

#9

Yes, I see what you mean. I tried adding some elevation and indentation to a standard plane3d and afterwards used the standard brush, alpha 58/64, the DragRect stroke and Transform > Modifiers restricted to Z.

[attach=186616]Stepped-alpha-with-z-axis-restriction.jpg[/attach]

Seems to work like the PlanarCutThin brush. Pretty neat effect, not sure I would like it fixed :wink:

As you saw in the other thread, using brushes with alphas and restricting the deformation to 1 or 2 axis does not seem to function properly. Your best bet is to avoid alphas when restricting modeling to 1 or 2 axis, or, avoid using axis restrictions and model as you would. Finish up the model by applying the morph trick to some or all of the model. IMO a valid workaround.

But yes, I would like to see alphas and axis restrictions living together in perfect harmony.

Attachments

Stepped-alpha-with-z-axis-restriction.jpg

#10

Heh heh, part of me agrees, but a bigger part of me says - If I want the planar cut brushes I can use them on purpose, why doesn’t this feature work properly!

I shall nobly workaround until a better option is forthcoming. Is there any official method to report bugs to pixologic or is it only through the beta program that this is possible?

#11

If you have not already done so you should register on the Pixologic Support page. That way you will be notified of zbrush updates and can submit support requests.

#12

yep i’m registered, i’d forgotten about that avenue - I popped a ticket up for it.

Fingers crossed! :smiley:

#13

the ticket changed to ‘escalated’ whatever that means - fingers crossed!