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ZBrush to Modo Displacement

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi There,

I am running into problems rendering displacement maps that have been UV mapped in ZB using GUV or AU. The problem on the render is that I get small holes and tiled seems all over the rendered mesh. If I use a model that is UV mapped outside of ZB using a more standard layout then things seem to be OK. I saw some early videos on the Modo site on how to do this and there did not appear to be any problems. It would be really good to use the ZB UV’s as they are fast to put on. What can be going wrong?

Thanks,
TD

#2

Hi,

If anybody has any ideas I would appreciate any help.

Thanks

#3

AUVs and GUVs are for use in Zbrush only, I really don’t’ think it’s possible to use them effectively in other programs.

#4

Modo can read AUV & GUV’s pretty well, just flip the texture before exporting… :smiley:

I did have a great link to a tut, but it has now disappeared, which is a shame… :cry:

#5

I used to use them in Lightwave without issue. I think its perfectly possible to use them, its just that they’re impractical for any kind of production workflow because they defy the kind deliberate editing you need to be able to do.

This issue undoubtedly has more to do with the various kinds of quirks that must be solved for each individual external renderer and Zbrush. I would reference one of the workflow guides for Zbrush and whatever program you’re using, and see what special concerns there might be.

#6

Found this on 3d total under free stuff/tutorials/general…

“'Modo - ZBrush displacement workflow with Displacement Exporter”

Sorry can’t link to it directly…

#7

Wow, I din’t know you could use AUVs and GUVs in other programs. That’s really cool! I stand thoroughly corrected. :idea:

#8

Thank you All for the feedback - much appreciated.

I have gone through the tutorials on the Modo site as well as the link that Buckie suggested. All the steps are the same as what I am doing. As I mentioned before, the problem is really with the GUV and AU tile mapping in ZB. Here is a test render in Modo showing the problem. This is Pixolators test head and is GUV mapped. AU mapping is a lot worse.

head render.jpg

Thanks,

TD

Attachments

head render2.jpg

#9

I had a similar thing happen to me, but I can’t remember what I did to resolve the problem. As I don’t have ZB installed I can’t test it out. I do some searching & report back…

This was my thread from last year, I did solve it but can’t remember how… :mad:

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=141&t=436171

#10

Hi Buckie,

I checked out your link and that is the exact problem that I am getting.

If you have a fix then I need it now!:slight_smile:

Thanks

TD

#11

Don’t forget in modo disaplcement map locator, to set the minimum value of the map to -100 (0 by default, leave the Max value at 100%).

If I remember, Brad Peeber did a video about the Zbrush 2 to modo 203 workflow… with this sample! Check the luxology.tv section of their website.

#12

You know I think that was it… :smiley:

I can’t check it as ZBrush is not installed but I’m sure that was the problem, Totyo you are a legend… :+1:

#13

I’m not a legend at all, I just wrote what I read/watch somewhere else and experiment myself :slight_smile: I had the same problem as you with my modo 301!

Edit: I found the video: http://content.luxology.com/modo/201/video/ZB-Basic-01.mov

#14

Hi Totyo and Buckie,

I had already triple checked my settings in Modo and they all match. Just for fun I went back to Modo 203 and tried the render and it works without a hitch with the same settings! Same file in 301 does not! I uploaded the file in the image link. Main reason for wanting to get 301 working is it’s fast rendering of motion files using MDD data.

Any more light shedding would be appreciated.

Thanks

TD

#15

please, can you provide a link to your mode file and the displacement map (or is it the Pixolator file just loaded in modo?)

#16

Hi Totyo

The test files were the Pixolator head files. I have checked these files out on Modo 203 and they render without a hitch - in fact faster. This would appear to discount any problems with the obj or tif files. Just for the sake of inflicting further brain damage to self I went and adjusted every parameter in the scene and system settings - did not make any differance to the actual problem.

This may be connected, but when I bring in other files for rendering in 301 I was also noticing odd artifacts on the render with files that had a more conventional UV layout possibly in areas where there were seams. If you apply any other file as displacement ie a noise pattern within 301 then that appears to be clean.

I can email you the LXO scene files - if that helps.

Thanks,
TD

#17

Im using Modo 301 and I havent had any problems with any dislacment maps. If using zbrush uvs I normal use GUV.

Here is a basic test using a Zsphear Uv ball.

#18

Problem Solved!

I got hold of the the fix over at the Modo site. It appears that the in Modo 301 the Vertical Flip function is erratic and creates a missalignment. The ZB maps need to be flipped before exporting from ZB. When I did that it all works fine.

Thanks to everyone for taking time out to assist.

TD :smiley:

#19

Sorry to quote myself, but I’m not often right… :smiley:

Glad things got sorted though… :+1:

#20

tez what are the setting you use to get the displacement map from zbrush?
i try so many.

they lok good from far away in modo, but when i get close i dont see all the nice detail from zbrush (like little veins, they look like if the map is very low resolution)