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Wings 3d Obj import

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I am trying to use Wings 3D to do some UV stuff that cannot be done inside ZBrush.

I have a 6 Sdiv model. I export SDIV one as an OBJ and re-import it to make sure everything works. No problem.

I go to Wings 3D and load and then save the OBJ file.

I re-import into the base mesh the new OBJ file and it looks okay, but Sdiv 2 and abouve are all scrambled.

I believe this is because Wings 3D has modified the vertex order. But I don’t know how, or if, this can prevented.

Does anyone know how to export an obj file out of Wings3D so that it will work as the base mesh in a multi SDiv ZBrush model?

Thanks.

#2

:confused: Does anybody have successful experience exporting a base mesh out of a ZBrush sub-divided model, altering it in Wings 3D, and bringing it back in? I cannot get this to work, as the 1st Sdiv looks fine, but after that it is all scrambled.

Thanks!

#3

I don’t have any problems importing or exporting back and forth between wings and z unless the poly count is too high.

what you might try is after exporting from zbrush and importing to wings…do your thing then export back to zb…

is either try importing back into zbrush using the polymesh tool and import menu available when it’s chosen in the tool menu and select options that apply.

or try using uvmapper inbetween wings and zb to flip it and see if it comes back the way you want.

what version of wings are you using? lastest version or latest stable version?

#4

Aminuts, thanks for the response. Not sure what you mean by import with the “polymesh” tool active. I need to have the original, multi S-div tool open so that the obj file imports into its base level, and becomes the new S-div level 1 of the multi S-div model. Just importing the OBJ as a single mesh works fine; it is importing it into an active tool that fails.

Perhaps if I explain what I have done more clearly, it will help:

  1. Export the lowest S-Div level of an S-div model (tool) created entirely in ZBrush. The lowest S-div has 1950 polygons (Pic 1). I exported with the settings in Pic 2.

  2. In Wings 3D version 0.98.26 (latest stable version), import the model, and export it as an OBJ, without making a change.

  3. With original tool (model) open to lowest S-div, import the new Wings 3D created OBJ file. Looks fine in S-div 1, but S-div 2 looks like Pic 3.

[Pic1.jpg]Pic3.jpg
Pic3 The result after re-importing the OBJ file created out of wings and increasing the S-div level to 2.

Aminuts, by importing and exporting from uvmapper, I expect that you are thinking the mesh will be “fixed”, and the vertex order restored? Downloaded UVmapper and tried this- failed.

I also tried using Rhino 3D, and that failed also.

Also, I have tried getting rid of polygroups so that groupings don’t mess it up, and that has failed also.

Any help on this is much appreciated.

Thanks.

Attachments

Pic2.jpg

#5

hi Owen,

I will try a little experiment in a little bit going between zb and wings…the version you listed.

if you see this before I reply again…what is it you are doing in wings to the model before you export it back out again?

I will follow the steps you listed below on a model i have laying around and see if I get same results without doing anything to the model in wings and see what happens.

oh …one more thing…did you try flipping either on export or re-importing. I think that is the problem but will test that out as well.

#6

hey owen,

ok tried the same thing…and yes same problem…

don’t have time to try my fix but here it is…

first off when exporting an object from wings…it exports that obj without uv’s…hopefully that will be fixed someday.

anyway…what I would try is …

after exporting from zbrush go to uvmapper and save out the uv’s. go to wings do a test of nothing and export…
now go back to uvmapper and reassign those uv’s and reimport back into zb and see if that works.

#7

Aminuts,

Actually, I did not do anything to the model in Wings 3d- eventually, I plan on doing UV work in Wings 3D. I am just trying to get a handle on the import into the base mesh.

As for flipping, I did no flipping before or after. I will try that tomorrow.

If you get it to work on your model, let me know. Thanks for your effort.

The disappointing thing is that it would not be hard for ZBrush to handle the issue of vertex order, if the vertex coordinates have not changed in the re-imported mesh. In that case, the importer could simply re-order the vertices, as the coordinates are the same in each model. Even better, if one polygon matched up, the rest of the vertex order could be extrapolated and corrected, even if vertices have moved (as long as the topology remains the same). They should really implement that. I have seen a lot of posts about bad vertex order upon re-import, and it is not a difficult thing to make ZBrush handle that stuff (maybe in the next update!)

#8

hi

still don’t have a chance to play more…

but if wings is flipping the order then you can export from zb to flip then when wings flips it…it will be correct for reimport…but still have some playing to do…

will try to grab a minute or two later for ya.

#9

The version of Wings 3D that I have does export UVs in the OBJ format. I tested this by creating UVs in Wings 3d and importing the model into ZB- they are there and intact. But, of course, when I go to S-div 2, trouble ensues.

I don’t think using UV mapper, or any other program, as a middle step will help, because while it might correctly presere vertex order, it will not reorder vertex order in a model whose vertex order was corrupted in Wings 3D. After all, how would it know what the “correct” order was?

I am afraid, for now, that one simply cannot use Wings 3D in conjunction with an S-Div model in the way that I want to.

And if anybody else is out there that knows better or can confirm this, please post!

Thanks for all your effort Aminuts!

#10

yes if you create uv’s in wings it will export them,

but any mesh I have ever brought into wings with uv’s already laid out…they seem to disappear when i export which hasn’t been a big deal cuz I don’t like wings mapping anyway.

but soon as I finish this cup of coffee am gonna play a bit and see what happens…will let ya know.

oh yeah…dohhhhhh how could I forget…Mahlikus the Black would probably be able to answer your questions…he started a Silo thread in the community forum if you reply there you should be able to get an answer from him that would help ya out alot more than I have been able too…:rolleyes: (I know you are using wings…he loves wings…just testing silo’s capabilities…so he is the one to contact!!)

#11

Thanks!
I will contact him and ask him to look at this thread.