zbrush newb, subtool and normal mapping questions
Hello polycount community, some awfully newb questions.
Thanks for your patience, and hopefully, answers.
I've watched a ton of videos, read a ton of threads, and figure I had just better ask my questions directly, to get direct answers to my direct issues.
I'll make this long story as short as possible
*not sure if this matters, but wanted to relay this in case it does make a difference.
I need, obviously, to have low poly versions of the subtools to do my normal mapping.
It seems I could reimport the low poly maya .obj's, create duplicates then do lower poly dynameshes, then zremesh, or perhaps none of the above, and do something else...
Thats what I'm here to ask, where do I go from here? These will be taken into substance when I have them ready, I just need a clear answer to my particular issue to continue with this particular asset, and perhaps some pointers on how to avoid this issue in the future (i.e. steps to take BEFORE losing my subdivisions to dynameshing, or duplicating first before dynameshing, etc... I just don't know, since I'm completely new to zbrush.)
The separate subtools are as follows: Hande, grip, trigger, barrel, muzzle, scope.
Using zbrush 4R7
If you require any more information to help me, please let me know. Also, my feelings wont be hurt by telling me I screwed something up in the process, so just tell it how it is.
My appreciation in advance.
Thanks for your patience, and hopefully, answers.
I've watched a ton of videos, read a ton of threads, and figure I had just better ask my questions directly, to get direct answers to my direct issues.
I'll make this long story as short as possible
- Created a five mesh model in Maya_LT
- Exported as FBX with UV maps
- Two of the meshes required me to re-import low poly redesigns to the zbrush file (with new uvmaps) from obj files*
- Three of my subtools used dynamesh to be able to get the detail I needed with alphas and some deformations/etc
- Those three subtools have no subdivision levels
- Those three subtools cannot reconstruct subdivisions (something about triangles, though I checked and fixed mesh integrity)
*not sure if this matters, but wanted to relay this in case it does make a difference.
I need, obviously, to have low poly versions of the subtools to do my normal mapping.
It seems I could reimport the low poly maya .obj's, create duplicates then do lower poly dynameshes, then zremesh, or perhaps none of the above, and do something else...
Thats what I'm here to ask, where do I go from here? These will be taken into substance when I have them ready, I just need a clear answer to my particular issue to continue with this particular asset, and perhaps some pointers on how to avoid this issue in the future (i.e. steps to take BEFORE losing my subdivisions to dynameshing, or duplicating first before dynameshing, etc... I just don't know, since I'm completely new to zbrush.)
The separate subtools are as follows: Hande, grip, trigger, barrel, muzzle, scope.
Using zbrush 4R7
If you require any more information to help me, please let me know. Also, my feelings wont be hurt by telling me I screwed something up in the process, so just tell it how it is.
My appreciation in advance.
Replies
First of all your edges are too tight.
The low poly should be 1 big mesh. Separate out any moving parts.
To make your low poly use a tool like 3dcoat or froretopo (maya plugin) to construct the low poly by placing points on top of the high poly.
I left many edges hard because the weapon will be small as hell on the screen (its a sort of 3/4 top down situation), but I can smooth the edges down a bit.
Now, on to your suggestions:
"The low poly should be 1 big mesh."
How does this work when the high detail normal maps, the UV's, are for separate parts?
Also, are you saying I should take the model back into maya to do my normal mapping, and not do them in zbrush?
Also, "Though usually you can re-use the low poly sub-D cage as a starting point. "
I do not have the low poly, pre-subD'd version available in zbrush anymore, should I re-import the low poly meshs to the zbrush file? If so, how do I apply the normal map from the high poly model to the new (old, low poly) subtool?
I can do the normal mapping in maya if thats' the way to go, jsut make the cage, but the problem will be exporting the millions-of-polies zbrush file into something that maya can use.
I know, I'm sorry, like I said, zbrush is totally new to me.
/edit: headed to work, won't be able to read these for another 8 hours. Thanks again for your help.
It doesn't matter how many parts are in the high poly or in the UVs.
Have a look at this thread and it will probably make more sense http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117017
I would do the bake in either Xnormal ( or a different external baker) or Maya. AFAIK zbrush isn't good at baking clean normal maps and it's less straight forward I think.
Maya should be able to handle a few million polys. If not you can use decimation master to reduce the polys a bit.
This doesn't make any sense. The smaller it is, the softer the edges should be. The smaller an object is, the less space it will take up on a screen, which means fine details will wash out or alias.
Nah, I mean it's so small, smoothing wont make a bit of difference. TO be fair, there's far too much detail on the asset for the size it will be displayed, but as I said, Ill smooth it a bit, not a problem.
That's besides the point, though.
Going to look into taking it back to maya and caging and normal mapping it there.