Troubles Mirroring Geometry

[system]

Ok, I’ve been searching all over for this before posting, but nothing has helped. I’m sure it’s an easy fix, but I’d just like to know about it!

I’ve got a bust of a female model game-quality model. Her UVs are going to be mirrored in the end to save texture space. She’s split down the middle, and all I wanted to do is display another mirrored half.

I’ve tried TRANSFORM–>ACTIVATE SYMMETRY, but it doesn’t display. How can I mirror the model to make it look like it’s a complete bust? I want to see what my work in zbrush looks like so I can eliminate the ‘mirroed texture look’ as I work. Please help! This is a fresh install of zBrush…AND Windows!

[Kerwin]

Zbrush doesn’t display mirrored geometry unless it actually exists.

To do what you want, probably the best approach is the following:

Bring in your half-head. Use Subtool master to mirror and merge the half-head into a single tool (use the mirror function.) If you don’t have subtool master, you should get your hands on it here: http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/downloadcenter/zplugins/

Now you have a whole head, sculpt away. Turn on Transform->Activate Symmetry to mirror your brush strokes. (That’s what that feature does–it mirrors your brush activity, not the geometry.)

When you’re ready to generate your half-head maps, hide the half-head subtool master created in back in step one (it should be a separate polygroup, making it easy to select. Use “Del Hidden” to remove it. You should have a your detailed half-head ready for map generation.

Other transforming/mirror tools for geometry are on the “Deformation” subpallet of the Tool section.

-K