Is Zbrush the best for hardsurface character modeling?
It seems like it is, considering all of the tutorials and artists who use it to create their character's armor. (They get great results)
Perhaps I am thinking wrongly here, that is why I ask this question. I've read that, it may be best to use Zbrush for concepting, even for hard surface objects/detail, on the other hand, it may be better to use something like Maya if you have 2d concepts that need to be executed in 3D.
I'm still quite inexperienced with the more traditional modeling applications, like Maya, but I can see the benefit of being able to manipulate each of the vertexes when working on inorganic models.
However, I understand it's the 'Maya like' applications that dominates when it comes to vehicles and environments.
What do you guys think about the character modeling process?
Perhaps I am thinking wrongly here, that is why I ask this question. I've read that, it may be best to use Zbrush for concepting, even for hard surface objects/detail, on the other hand, it may be better to use something like Maya if you have 2d concepts that need to be executed in 3D.
I'm still quite inexperienced with the more traditional modeling applications, like Maya, but I can see the benefit of being able to manipulate each of the vertexes when working on inorganic models.
However, I understand it's the 'Maya like' applications that dominates when it comes to vehicles and environments.
What do you guys think about the character modeling process?
Replies
Normally in a modeling session, you have 2 things to worry about simultaneously - form, and topology. Zbrush allows you to focus solely on form so it's great for anything in that regard. Once you got your form finalized, you can do the topology at the end if needed.
It takes me longer to do hardsurface stuff in Zbrush but that is only because I am not used to using it in that way. The advantage of doing hard models in Zbrush is you are going to use different methods and you are going to be able to 'freewheel' because the method lends itself to sketching and experimentation. For concepting I would recommend younger artist start off in Zbrush and do as much as possible in it. I have see finished hard surface work done in Zbrush that has the same level of quality that standard apps have so no limits there.
As far Zbrush being a single solution well, that would depend on what you need. To make game models you need an app for uvs because the ZB uvmaster is only intended for internal use and isnt suitable for final texture work. Its easier for me to do my lowpoly cage in max along with the uvs and then export meshes with projection cages to use in xnormal. So I use ZB in that way.
I would say that Zbrush is not only suitable for hardsurface concepting, that is what it was built for.
Direwolf put it very nicely. Form solving is one task ; topology solving is another. From there anyone can use the most efficient and appropriate tool for each. Sometimes both can be solved at the same time, sometimes not. Sometimes a blueprint or a precise side view is provided, and sometimes not !
On the topic of people using this or that approach *only*, and getting great results : I'd say keep a critical eye on this. A "zbrush only" hardusrface timelapse video on youtube might look cool played at 5x speed, but it would probably look terribly inefficient when seen in real time - and the same goes for any other process. Some artists are fine with grinding their way through very inefficient workflows and some are not. The best ones out there are the ones always willing to optimize their approach.
It also highly depends on the final use of the asset. Ironically enough, game art assets are *much more* demanding in terms of surface quality than models used for fancy renders. Taking the Evangelion example mentioned above : It is indeed very possible to sculpt an Eva in Zbrush only, and have it render extremely nicely in Vray/Mentalray/Keyshot/Cycles. However, take the same model and bake it to an ingame lowpoly, and you would notice a ton of warping and surface pinching issues that an art director would certainly not be too pleased with.