Zbrush-How to make insert mesh pieces to share uv space

mzprox

I try to explain better what i'd like to do:
I use an insert mesh brush in curve mode (stretch and weld mode active), let's say I draw the tracks for a tank. Since these mesh pieces are the same i want them to share uv space on the final uv map. What is the workflow to do that? Probably I can't do it in Zbrush, then maybe I could use an external ap for it (like Blender). (I know I could probably do the curve thing in blender too, but i like Zbrush curves more.. just need to save time and uv space so I dont unwrap every single piece.)

cryrid

The best bet is to delete all but one repetition before you UV/export, and then rebuild then externally afterwards. Otherwise IMM can't handle UVs.

mzprox

I know IMM can't have uv's.. i just hope someone has figured out some usable method.. though it is possible there is none.

CheeseOnToast

Headus UVLayout has a cool tool for exactly this kind of thing. You can unwrap a single track section, and tell the program to unwrap all identical or topologically similar pieces and stack the uv shells.

It's a great program in general, well worth the cost in the end.

Larry14

1. First of all we nedd a low poly of our bullet.



2. Convert our bullet into an Insert Mesh.
3. Now we create the bullet belt using Curve.



4. We need to split all the bullets into different subtools.
5. Choose ONLY ONE bullet. Detail it. Define hard surface edges if you want and polypaint it.
6. Unwrap that bullet UVs in the first level of subdivision and bake all the textures you need.



7. Delete higher subdivisions, keeping the lowest one. COPY UVs in the Uv Master.
8. Now we need to paste that UVs into the other bullets. If we have 100 subtools this becomes a problem. To solve this, we reached this solution:

8.1. With Enable Customize, and Ctrl + Alt, we can place the "Paste UVs" and "Select Down" arrow (subtool palette) in a more accesible place. Now it's a matter of selecting both all the time, for the 100 subtools.



*** Recommended***:
8.2. If we prefer a faster method, we can set hotkeys for both buttons (Ctrl + Alt + Click the button and pressing the desired hotkey). For example assign "1" to "Select Down" and "2" to "Paste Uvs". Now just press "1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2" until all the subtools have the original UVs.



9. Now, to merge all into one subtool, we need to merge with "MergeSimilar" and to activate "Uv" button.



10. Now we have only one subtool sharing UV space. You can check it in other software (Marmoset Toolbag 2, 3Ds Max...).




Made by Xavier Larrosa (Larry14) & Juan Gonz

jota

Hope you guys like it and find it useful.

willpreston

not sure if you were using a older zbrush when you posted but ive got IMM brushes with UVs intact,

(not the curve based one)