ZBrushCentral

Trouble creating a projected normal map.

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Ive been trying to figure out normal projection in zbrush for a while now but Im still running in some problems.
Here’s what Ive been doing:

I first of all open the high poly mesh Ztool so I can use the “capture current mesh” option but Zmapper will not launch if Im on the highest geometry level, forcing me to use the second highest instead.

Zmapper will also not launch initially if the mesh sub-div level is greater than 500k.

The normals simply must be projected since my base model didnt have enough geometry to be sculpted properly in Zbrush for optimisation reasons.
Any ideas?

#2

don’t store the current mesh.

just go into zmapper
load the config you want
click on projection
then click on the big button that says “create projected normal map”

#3

Well thats what Ive been doing.
How do I establish wich mesh will be projected onto wich is my question.

Or is this function not supposed to be used to project the normals of a Ztool onto another?

#4

You’ll get better results and have more control if you do the following:


  1. Load your new model and append it to the original as a SubTool.
  2. Store a morph target.
  3. Divide the model so it has as many polygons as the original.
  4. Use Tool>SubTool>Project All to copy the details to the new one.
  5. You can now use the other sculpting brushes (including ZProject) to fix any problems with the copy.
  6. Go to level 1, switch to the stored morph target, and create your normal map.