zbrush=good for morph targets

Daz

tip for maya users lacking a decent non clunky soft select: The zbrush move tool works a treat (although strangely the edit tool changes vertex order). Cranking out these shapes in zbrush now is making my life much easier.

That is all.

oXYnary

Can you post your workflow?
Export to zbrush.
Change.
Export
Import to Maya and set as a morph target.

Next feature..
Repeat?

MoP

You just posted his workflow.

Daz: Yeah, I also find it really quick for tweaking proportions and stuff. Really all you need to do in max/maya is make a model with good mesh flow and quad consistency, then do everything else in Zbrush.

oXYnary

Its too bad on the vertex number though. Just think if you could use the "push"? I though move pulled out, so Im trying to figure out how you make say, so it pulls your corrugators up or down along the surface (slang for inner eyebrow muscle group).

Hmm.. could you use the morph target in zbrush for more control? Oh wait, thats in edit mode though right?

Daz

yeah Im trying to figure out a way around that.

Silva_Spoon

Edit mode doesnt change the vert order for 3dsmax. Since it does for maya couldnt you just:
- import a mesh into zbrush
- enter edit mode and export the unchanged mesh back to maya so you have one with the new vert order.
- alter the mesh (in edit mode) in zbrush till your satisfied
- export the blend shapes that have been created in edit mode back to maya
- use them with the 1st mesh you reimported to maya that was in edit mode in zbrush but unchanged.

Hope that made sence.

Daz

Yeah thanks Bryan. That's a good solution If working from scratch, but not If you already have a ton of shapes built with the 'original' vert order.

oXYnary

You know.. I wonder if its the export method. What about exporting as dxf versus obj?

Edit.. nm.. Didnt realize you can only import that.

Edit edit.. hmm what about importing it as a dxf though? Im just trying to figure out what differences between import and export that max is doing which might explain whats happening.

thomasp

for doing morphs, i usually set up a bunch of dummies/locators on the face and skin the geo to that. then it's animation time and i pick my morph-bases from there.

are you guys sculpting the whole morphs in zb or just wrinkle-layers?

Daz

I was talking about the whole mesh yeah. Game rez stuff. All I'm really suggesting is to use it as a soft select, since I hate Maya's.

Daz

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Edit edit.. hmm what about importing it as a dxf though?

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Well, the vert order appears to change the very moment you use the edit as opposed to move action. It's not really about the export procedure.

oXYnary

Im saying though maybe that order changes only for imported objs.

I think a good test of this would be a max user importing and exporting a obj versus importing a dxf and exporting a obj to see if its Maya or Zbrush that is the problem.

poopinmymouth

Anyone messed with the vert re ordering tool made by a user on the zbrush forum? I downloaded it but couldn't be bothered to mess with it much. You basically give it to identical meshes one you like everything but the vert numbers of, and one that you like the vert numbers of, and it matches the 1st ones vert order to the second and spits it out as a third. Problem in this case is that it wouldn't work on those new morphed ones since the verts wouldn't be in the same place anymore.

Silva_Spoon

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah thanks Bryan. That's a good solution If working from scratch, but not If you already have a ton of shapes built with the 'original' vert order.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bring those shapes you already completed from maya into zbrush and enter them into edit mode, dont change them and re-export them as well. That would solve your problem, no?

Zergxes

I heard a rumor that Autodesk has some wicked plans for Maya's sculpt poly tool, I think the rep said something along the lines of 'look out Zbrush'. Here's hoping that actually materializes.

Awesome workflow idea for the meantime!

Mongrelman

Along the same vein it looks like Silo may be good for this too as it will have similar tools and some good mirroring.

http://www.nevercenter.com/videos/silo_2_may_06.mov

Not trying derail the thread, just pointing out another possibility in the not too distant future (I hope).

I'm currently using zbrush for a face and planning on using it to make morph targets, has anyone had experience importing them into XSI?