Max/zbrush smoothing topology

MancD

Hey everyone.
 
Above is a bolter, made in max with support loops and open subdiv 

My aim is to take this model into zbrush and apply some dents, scratches surface noise etc, take exported height maps into substance painter then finally export  all maps back into max/vray. 

I'm stuck at getting this into zbrush currently. As you can see, the topology above is uneven so I get inconsistent sculpting results. 

What is best practice here? I just need to crack this and I'm on my way! 

Thanks 

wirrexx

MancD said:

Hey everyone.
 
Above is a bolter, made in max with support loops and open subdiv 

My aim is to take this model into zbrush and apply some dents, scratches surface noise etc, take exported height maps into substance painter then finally export  all maps back into max/vray. 

I'm stuck at getting this into zbrush currently. As you can see, the topology above is uneven so I get inconsistent sculpting results. 

What is best practice here? I just need to crack this and I'm on my way! 

Thanks 

Turbosmooth it 4-5 times(without isoline display) add an edit poly modifier on top and export. In Zbrush, you separate all the pieces into different playgroups. Use Dynamesh at a higher count (700-1000) and you have even topology. You can create your highpoly there, to bake down on a low poly mesh later on.

MancD

wirrexx said:

MancD said:

Hey everyone.
 
Above is a bolter, made in max with support loops and open subdiv 

My aim is to take this model into zbrush and apply some dents, scratches surface noise etc, take exported height maps into substance painter then finally export  all maps back into max/vray. 

I'm stuck at getting this into zbrush currently. As you can see, the topology above is uneven so I get inconsistent sculpting results. 

What is best practice here? I just need to crack this and I'm on my way! 

Thanks 

Turbosmooth it 4-5 times(without isoline display) add an edit poly modifier on top and export. In Zbrush, you separate all the pieces into different playgroups. Use Dynamesh at a higher count (700-1000) and you have even topology. You can create your highpoly there, to bake down on a low poly mesh later on.

Hey. I did wonder if this would be the best course of action. 

My worry is, if I then take the height maps into vray, the displacement will still displace on the geo as it stands now in max. Right? The uneven geo I mean. So whilst dynmaesh will give me freedom in zbrush, if I then apply the maps onto the low poly i am unlikely to get nice results?

I guess the question is, will I be using the zbrush stuff for height maps or normal maps? Normal maps this wouldn't matter i suppose? 

I guess its obvious I'm little confused with things here.

MancD

here are my results after dynamesh. I've highlighted some issues. Should I be worried about these at this stage? This is dynamesh at 1000

Kanni3d

You need much more resolution - look at what your total points (vertices) are after you dynamesh. It's better to dynamesh piece by piece, rather than the entire thing. This would give, say, 2million points on a piece of the gun, which gives you much more dense geo all around, rather than spreading out those same 2million points across your whole mesh. Splitting will especially avoid having unintended things getting merged together, like what you circled.

In other words, just dynamesh until you have atleast 1-3million points on each of the split up subtools.

MancD said:

I guess the question is, will I be using the zbrush stuff for height maps or normal maps? Normal maps this wouldn't matter i suppose? 

Depends what the end goal is, sounds like you're offline rendering in vray, but I still would suggest just to use normal maps for a couple of reasons:

• the damage/wear and tear is so minor in height, that a displacement wouldn't be much different than a normal map. Besides, it's much easier to bake out a normal map and apply it, rather than the setup/management that displacement requires.

• to avoid what you just mentioned about uneven topology. Displacements require tessellation, and quite even topology

MancD

MancD said:

here are my results after dynamesh. I've highlighted some issues. Should I be worried about these at this stage? This is dynamesh at 1000

Kanni3d said:

You need much more resolution - look at what your total points (vertices) are after you dynamesh. It's better to dynamesh piece by piece, rather than the entire thing. This would give, say, 2million points on a piece of the gun, which gives you much more dense geo all around, rather than spreading out those same 2million points across your whole mesh. Splitting will especially avoid having unintended things getting merged together, like what you circled.

In other words, just dynamesh until you have atleast 1-3million points on each of the split up subtools.

MancD said:

I guess the question is, will I be using the zbrush stuff for height maps or normal maps? Normal maps this wouldn't matter i suppose? 

Depends what the end goal is, sounds like you're offline rendering in vray, but I still would suggest just to use normal maps for a couple of reasons:

• the damage/wear and tear is so minor in height, that a displacement wouldn't be much different than a normal map. Besides, it's much easier to bake out a normal map and apply it, rather than the setup/management that displacement requires.

• to avoid what you just mentioned about uneven topology. Displacements require tessellation, and quite even topology

Thanks for the great tips!

MancD

MancD said:

wirrexx said:

MancD said:

Hey everyone.
 
Above is a bolter, made in max with support loops and open subdiv 

My aim is to take this model into zbrush and apply some dents, scratches surface noise etc, take exported height maps into substance painter then finally export  all maps back into max/vray. 

I'm stuck at getting this into zbrush currently. As you can see, the topology above is uneven so I get inconsistent sculpting results. 

What is best practice here? I just need to crack this and I'm on my way! 

Thanks 

Turbosmooth it 4-5 times(without isoline display) add an edit poly modifier on top and export. In Zbrush, you separate all the pieces into different playgroups. Use Dynamesh at a higher count (700-1000) and you have even topology. You can create your highpoly there, to bake down on a low poly mesh later on.

Hey. I did wonder if this would be the best course of action. 

My worry is, if I then take the height maps into vray, the displacement will still displace on the geo as it stands now in max. Right? The uneven geo I mean. So whilst dynmaesh will give me freedom in zbrush, if I then apply the maps onto the low poly i am unlikely to get nice results?

I guess the question is, will I be using the zbrush stuff for height maps or normal maps? Normal maps this wouldn't matter i suppose? 

I guess its obvious I'm little confused with things here.

@wirrex

Just out of curiosity. How would you split a model like this up? I know how to split it up, but in terms of optimal polygroup setup? Also, based on this presumed polygroup set up how have you come to the 700-1000 dynamesh count per piece/group? I assume this is from experience?

Sorry guys, I work I work in arch viz and the differences between it and this wokflow are like night and day.