Zbrush - FBX export loses polypaint

CheeseOnToast

Hey all.

I'm trying a tweak to my usual baking workflow. It involves exporting FBX files from Zbrush instead of my usual OBJs. However, the FBX files don't seem to be retaining polypaint info making my polypainted ID map useless.

The FBX options in Zbrush are pretty light. Any suggestions on how to get this to work?

Norstu

Its definitely exporting polypaint data with FBX. Did a quick test with default settings & Marmoset as viewer.

Doesn't show up correctly in 3ds Max though.

Norstu

Polypaint shows up correctly in Modo via FBX.

Don't have any other software installed.

CheeseOnToast

What happens if you export multiple subtools as a single FBX? Still retains your polypaint?

Thanks for looking into this, by the way.


Edit : Scratch that. Just tested myself using marmoset. The vertex colour is there. Going to check that Xnormal is reading it properly.

Norstu

xNormal works for me. Loaded mesh via High Definition section & turned off "Ignore Per-Vertex-Color".

CheeseOnToast

Got a bit of a weird result with my test. I exported a (polypainted) red cube and a purple cylinder primitive from zbrush. So that's two subtools exported as a single FBX. Made lowpoly versions, UV'd etc. and baked vertex colour in Xnormal. The cube came out red, but the cylinder was a pale green. Same colour as I was getting in my failed ID map bakes. The only difference between the meshes that I could see was that I gave the cube a polygroup before exporting.

Norstu

I've been able to replicate your result.
Purple polypaint does show up as green in xNormal. Used xNormal's 3D viewer to check.
Don't know why. Colors are correct in Marmoset though.

Tried different polygroup colors (including white) & that seems to have no effect.

Perhaps the RGB values for purple are different in xNormal. In the same way that Photoshop RGB does not match 3ds Max RGB.

Try contacting Santiago Orgaz.

CheeseOnToast

Tried changing the colour of the cylinder and baking again. Did this several times with several different colours. Xnormal changes the colour to something else, seemingly at random. I'll give Jogshy a shout with some sample files. Thanks again for doing the tests at your end Norstu.

Norstu

Happy to help

spitty

i've noticed different colors from zbrush to xnormal too.

anyone having an issue that fbx exported from zbrush then imported into max has a turbosmooth modifier with 2 iterations? is this a max or zbrush issue?

it also seemed to export some hidden subtools from zbrush when i used fbx. back to objs i guess.

spitty

it looks like zbrush automatically exports with a meshsmooth set to 2 subdivs.

I exported an ascii version of the fbx file and searched for "smooth" found this,

Objects: {
Geometry: 122161104, "Geometry::sword", "Mesh" {
Smoothness: 3
PreviewDivisionLevels: 2
RenderDivisionLevels: 2
DisplaySubdivisions: 0

i changed it to this and it didn't import with turbosmooth anymore.
Smoothness: 0
PreviewDivisionLevels: 0
RenderDivisionLevels: 0

am i missing something? this seems like a stupid hack to prevent automatic mesh smoothing of my decimated mesh. i don't think xnormal is adding any smoothing at least, probably just max does this.