3DS Max / ZBrush Workflow Tutorial / Critique

iamtravis316

Here is a little tutorial/guide I worked up on my workflow of using 3DS Max 2011 and ZBrush 4.

This is for people that are newer to ZBrush. I am also looking for some critique/suggestions on my workflow as well. I'm always looking to improve the way I'm doing things.

I just used a simple model for this so I'm not looking for critique on the model itself. However I do use the same workflow on more complex objects and multi object mesh's. (With some changes on the normal and ao projection of course)

Enjoy!

-Travis

[HP]

Looks like a pretty decent workflow to me. I just wouldn't use MR to render out AO if I were you, MR literally sucks at that, from my experience.

PogoP

I've always found Mental Ray AO to look really nice!

Jeff Parrott

Seems like a solid workflow. It seems like it would be faster for hard surface it would be faster to stay in Max. But you said for newer people to ZBrush. Still gets the point across. Just seems like it would be more beneficial to do something that relies on more sculpting in ZBrush. Good stuff, thanks for sharing your process!

JobyeK

PogoP wrote: »

I've always found Mental Ray AO to look really nice!

MR's AO is decent, but xNormal's AO > MR's AO.

Dylan Brady

jeffro wrote: »

Seems like a solid workflow. It seems like it would be faster for hard surface it would be faster to stay in Max. But you said for newer people to ZBrush. Still gets the point across. Just seems like it would be more beneficial to do something that relies on more sculpting in ZBrush. Good stuff, thanks for sharing your process!

Agree, Your zbrush work seems like it would be fairly simple to do in Sub-D and would be more optimal polygon wise (thus decreasing render times)
but certainly, if your doing things like damage. or organics of any kind I can see this going alot faster than trying to box-model it out in MAX.
Just depends on what your trying to do I guess.
Good demonstration though. very concise/clear.

iamtravis316

Thanks I'm glad yall liked it,

I've found that I generally get good AO maps with mental ray, but the next thing I make I'm definitely going to try xNormal now and see If I can get some better results with that.

Generally I will put more detail in the model before I take it to zbrush, if I take it into Zbrush, But I've recently found it to be a little bit faster just to do it in ZBrush (but I normally make more complex objects than just a simple wall tile) but it really comes down to how I'm feeling at the time, and how much time I have to complete the asset. This wall tile may have not been the best example, its just what I had pretty much set up at the time. But I do agree with Jeffro, It would of probably been a little bit more beneficial if I would have had something more organic. If I make another guide/tutorial, I will definitely do it with something more organic.

Thank you all for the feed back I really appreciate it, and will try and start implementing yall's suggestions into my workflow.

-Travis

RictusGrin

Nice walkthrough Travis!