ZBrushCentral

Zbrush 5.0 Wishlist (or 4.5 if possible)

ZBrush Usage Questions
#81

Pardon if I repeat what’s be said already.


  • Brush size - Keep brush size constant when working in perspective. The brush size will scale down if you work on part of an object that is further away from the camera.


  • Snap to vertex/ surface - Being able to move a vertex to snap to a vertex that is on a different subtool. It would be useful when working on the model at a low subd. This fits in with classic polygon tools of other software. That said, with the introduction of 64bit you probably won’t need to split models up or need to go into HD mode.


  • Transparency - Zb seams to lack true transparency on anything but alphas. The transparency between layers is rather buggy and I’m sure they are working it out. Using the alpha channel of an image to give it an embedded transparency. Object transparency to that you can fade out parts of the model, this transparency can then be exported as a map.


  • Painting different material tributes - You would be able to paint separate defuse, specular, reflectivity, spec col, ambiance, SSS layers, etc. And be able to export them out as separate maps. To also have them updated/rendered in real time.


  • Paint straight onto a texture map - Instead of painting onto polygons. I would like it to be more competitive to software like Bodypaint and Mari when it comes to texturing.


  • More Stroke settings - Vertical/ horizontal jitter controls, primary and secondary colour mixing setting when using Spray stroke etc. Much like Photoshop.


  • File compression - I have found in V4 (not with R2 as I haven’t worked on animate-able assets) that if you work on high rez model in normal or HD mode after you save the file several times a noise appears on the mesh. It can be annoying to watch the fine detail you have added slowly disintegrate. I think this could be down to the difference in rez between the lowest and highest SubDs and that possibly (it’s a guess) that the file is compressed when saved out. Bigger the file size, more it is compressed.


  • Mixing pallet - Somewhere to mix colours and be saved out with the project.


  • Camera Perspective settings - They are back to front if they are compared with camera lenses. Having the perspective set to 18(mm) is wider than 50 (mm) not the other way around.


  • Lighting - Being able to have the light move with the ztool instead of the light being fixed in one place. Also being able to keyframe the light when creating turntables and animations.


  • Animation tools - At the moment the timeline is quite primitive, as it would be as a new feature. Being able to use curvs instead of linear blends between each keyframe. Also being able to fine tune the curves like other software. A retentively small thing but it would be a lot more flexibility.

And that’s all I can think of at the moment. I’m sure the chap and chappets in pixologic are hard at work doing their best to get us an award winning piece of software.

MX

#82

I’m not so sure there is any compression going on. When I compress ZPR & ZTL files using 7zip, the file size is often reduced considerably, something that wouldn’t happen if they were already compressed. That is an odd problem you’re encountering though, and worrisome. I’m going to see if I can’t reproduce it to find out what’s going on.

#83

Zeddicus,

Fair point. It’s speculation on my part. I’m just trying to work out where the problem is being caused. The noise on the model seemed to be a bit like it was caused by some kind of compression. It increases each time you load up the file. I couldn’t think of anything else that could cause it. Maybe it was layers although I think I deleted all layers on one model to see if that made any difference.

If you could test the idea that would be great. I’d appreciate someone else’s point of view on the subject.

Start with a relatively low base mesh. Subdivide it about 6 times… or when you get to a good strong polycount that your computer can handle. Going by my computer, I’d aim for about 10 to 14 mil per Subtool in normal mode or 70 mil in HD. The clincher could be that you have to save out the project/tool incrementally quite a few times. Say… 20 or 30 times in extreme circumstances.

Hope this helps.

Thanks

MX

#84

So, what would I personally like to have in a new update ?

  • Native 64 bit.
  • A further evolved Dynamesh with better features for export-use, for high-detail modeling (f.e. a slider to enlarge the modelling cage over the 1024x1024 pixel-border when you have the hardware-power) etc.
  • A working retopo (I use 3D-Coat for that).
  • Since we have hard-surface-modelling, a better Canvas for a precise modelling and adjusting would be urgently needed (like the 4-view’s in C4d, Max, maya etc.)
  • a more evolved texture/polypaint function. We still have no texture layers.
  • a further evolved UV-features. The one that is implemented since a while is very basic.
  • Better than UV a UV-free texture system that gets rid of all that boring texture-distorsions (I mean a system that doesn’t need to convert polypaint into UV-texture when I use it in my main App C4d), in other words: PTEX.
#85

Didn’t read all the topics but a major feature that i find missing is proper documentation.

There are A LOT of features that artists don’t know about that you find out by reading the forums or just randomly playing with the buttons. (even some requests in this thread!!) Maya and 3Ds max are extremely well documented and you can find the purpose of every single button as well as additional methods of achieving certain results.

This has been an issue since I started using Zbrush and never really saw it being solved. The wiki is a great idea but its very messy and has tons of outdated stuff…

#86

Do you use the Strg-feature when you place your mouse-pointer over a button ?
This helps me a lot when I don’t have an idea what this new feature does. Mostly the information in the popup-box is sufficient enough to try the rest out by myself.

#87

Yeah, that feature helps on a high level or sometimes to remind what is the exact button but its nowhere near enough.
Here is an examplke of how max deals with the exact same feature:

Overlay explanation:
Overlay.jpg

F1 for Help -
http://download.autodesk.com/us/3dsmax/2012help/index.html?url=files/GUID-95AF3FBB-6A81-4E6F-9DC3-5B775F23A47-556.htm,topicNumber=d28e124378,hash=GUID-B788F1AC-9286-4BE1-8925-B41CE98D2C39

You can even learn about the other features inside the same panel as well as shortcuts, combinations and other variations of the same option with enough reading material to advance.

One of the most frustrating examples are the shaders in Zbrush, most of the work ends up being guesswork and a lot of trial and error without a clear idea of what you are exactly changing. The video tutorials help a bit but you cannot refer to them if you want to remember something or clear a question about a small option.

#88

Wow, It’s great to see the increased activity here. I’ll start adding everyone’s new suggestions to the master list and post an update soon.

#89

with scultping to have a object influence another object when moving scaling rotating etc like with the move brush except with another object like softselect in Mayahttp://s1133.photobucket.com/albums/m591/electricsun2/?action=view&current=1.png

#90

another thing that other people have suggested is use a camera or Kinect or ps3 cam and use ur hands with the brushes. Here is a guy using kinect with mudbox to sculpt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYaSf6wkl70 Dont get me wrong I like my Intous but would be cool to implement

#91

Proper support for 3dConnexion mice, or 3D mice in general. It doesn’t have to be the buttons, the six axis “joystick” would be fine. Mine should arrive next week and I’m saddened to read various posts here, as well as over there, that ZBrush doesn’t work properly with them. They’ve been trying to create a workaround, but it’s not compatible with tablets unfortunately. I’m certain there are a lot of artists whom would like to see this one implemented. From what I’ve read, 3D Coat’s implementation is purported to be perfect, so it might be worth downloading the demo to take a look if you own one.

#92

• a way to disable/remap right right click quick menu
• proper way to disable lightbox at startup rather than the macro hack.

#93

I’ve one small request for any update for the beloved Zbrush application.
Please implement or show me how to turn off the “Save Changes to Zbrush Project before closing?” alert box.
As experienced computer users savings ones data before closing a application is a universal given.
Do we have to be reminded each and every time?
As a person familiar with Blender, one is not encumbered with the such a prompt when quitting.
Blenders open source goodness has long ago disposed of such code.

#94

I would die for a “Brush” Timelapse Track for recorded brush strokes to be implemented in timeline.
Option between full recorded incl. used brushes and- 1st with changed model, -2nd without model and -3rd just stroke.

A fixed view for recorded brushstrokes is the intention. Imagine a timelapse in BPR :smiley:

#95

I’m seeing the following question asked quite often these days:

The above quote especially makes me wonder if an indicator of some kind might be beneficial to users. I could be wrong, but my instinct says yes. How about a small red dot encircling the letter M located in the upper right-hand corner of the canvas? Pixologic could make one for DynaMesh as well so people don’t forget it’s on (or turned off unexpectedly). Another could be added for hidden poly’s too. They’d be small and out of the way enough so that they aren’t distracting, but still close enough to your field of vision that a quick glance is all one would need to get an idea on the status of their currently selected subtool without having to hunt through multiple sub-palettes. Could even go so far as to allow the user to turn this feature on/off and customize it’s colors, which would probably need to be aware of the background color so they don’t ever blend in to the point of being invisible. In fact now that I think of it, you could allow the user to display the status of all kinds of things they might wish to know along the top and/or bottom. That’s my two cents anyways. FWIW my thoughts on this actually go back to when I tried to create a tiny custom button to indicate whether DynaMesh was on or not and discovered it wasn’t possible.

PS: Sorry if this has already been requested. The wish list thread has gotten kind of long and hasn’t been updated in a while. :wink:

#96

Is there a way to project a Spotlight onto the 2D canvas? Doesn’t seem so. I’d love this functionality as I’m always concept sketching on GrabDocs as I sculpt but want to also be able to “include” the Spotlight image in the GrabDoc. One could project Spotlight onto the 2D canvas to create their own maps also.

#97

It would be nice when using ZScript to press the main Icon Buttons the popup would be centered around the mouse just as when you press the ‘b’ key for brushes:

[IPress, “Brush:More Items”]
[IPress, “Brush:Current Brush”]
[IPress, “Stroke:Current Stroke”]
[IPress, “Alpha:Current Alpha”]
[IPress, “Tool:Current Tool”]

The added bonus is that if I have a zscript button with ctrl+b as the hotkey and it calls [IPress, “Brush:Current Brush”] then only the masking brushes show in the popup. If only this popup was centered around the mouse.

-ds

#98

Add the universal and QUICKER method of:-

moving and placing objects with a transform, rotate, scale gizmo

Copying/Pasting with hotkeys and to be used with Unmasked selections!!

It’s amazing that such a evolution product that has such refined work flows is so weak at these everday repetitve tasks

#99

[ UV-Master ]

  • Curve mode ( for HardSurface)
  • Edge select ( for HardSurface)

[ Multi Map Exporter ]

  • Project mode (kinda like Source [High res poly] —> Destination [Low poly]
  • Proxy Cage
  • Normal map paint tool

[ Tablet mode]

Can use any tool without keyboard (like without use ArtDockto replace keyboard key.

#100

My wishlist:

  • Real 3D-Connexion-Mouse-Support (instead of 3D-Connexion-Labz-Beta-version)
  • Paint directly on a Texturemap (instead of Polypainting-only right now)
  • A particle-system within iso-surface beneath the fur-system (based on ZSpheres?!?)
  • Animated Brushes/Strokes (using MOVs and/or the timeline; especially for MDD-Files; take a look at “Sparta” Particle-System!)
  • “Clean-Up” or automatic Clean-Up every x minutes (Check+Fix Mesh, WeldPoints, OptimizePointsOrder and more at one click)
  • QRemesher-improvement with an automatic edge detection generating sharp bevels
  • 64Bit for faster calculating (…or will Pixologic go straight to 128 or 256Bit-Systems???)
  • More/different viewports (I know it�s still a black box!)
  • Just like “B” for brushes a button for fast accessing ZScripts

…but 4R4 and all it�s new features are still awesome like no other software!