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ZB 3.1 to Maya Blend Shape Help

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey Guys,

So, I have been searching through the old questions in regards to applying blend shapes created in Zbrush. Unfortunately all of the responses are old and do not apply to Zbrush 3.1

The question I have is this. I created my original base mesh of a character in Maya. The Original base mesh is 3,182 polygons. I then imported my model into Zbrush 3.1 and divided my mesh to level 6. Bringing my poly count to 3,252,224. I decided that Level 1 does not have enough details so, deleated level 1 so that my second level is now my base mesh. I exported out my level 2 as an Obj with 12,704 polygons.

I then imported Level 2 into Maya and rigged my character. I am now at the stage where I want to create blend shapes for the face. I have posed the face with the jaw open and then expoarted out my mesh as an obj. Back in Zbrush I I imported my new altered mesh back into Zbrush. I then made my adjustments to the face to create my first blend shape. Now, I went back to my lowest level subdivisions I.E = 12,704 and exported as an obj for my first blend shape.

So here is where my question begins. Do, I need to export out individual displacements and normal maps for each blend shape I create. Then apply these maps to the newly imported blend shape obj? So, if I have 18 different blend shapes, will I need to export out a displacement map as well as a normal map for each individual blend shape. Then apply them back in Maya. Once each network has been setup, I would then establish my Blend Shape’s?

Will Maya understand, how to interpolate between the Original Rigged Base mesh with Original Displacements and normal maps. With the new blend shapes with new displacements and Normal maps?

Thanks guys, Any advice would greatly help. I hope I did not confuse anybody with my question. I have attached an image to show just a rough model to illustrate my question.

Thanks in advanced

Brian.

#2

I’m pretty sure maya isn’t that smart, you’re going to have to create a shading network that allows you to parallel you geometry blendshape animation with different disp/normal maps being fed into the character’s material.

There’s a great tut on how to do this with normal maps here.
http://krisdemartini.com/html/expressive_normal_maps.html

I’ve been trying to get a network similair to the tutorial’s to work with displacement and sss, but so far I’m not having much luck.

#3

Jgibz,

Thanks a lot for your help. I will check it out and see if it work.

Thanks again.

Brian.