Asking working flow from LOW to High in Zbrush

zuno · Jun 2014

Hi guys..

I found lot's tutorial about working flow from High rez model to Low, but can't find the flow from Low to high. can any one give some tips?

Here's the thing, I create a gun model in 3dsmax with low rez, I export it to ZB for more detail adding. But I found that it's difficult to keep the shape I want

, and a nice smooth model as well. I didn't use smt to divide. and it gave me hard edge which is hard to smooth it.

Any tip helps, thank you :poly121:

LMP · Jun 2014

It's hard for me to tell much without being able to see wireframes for what you are importing into Zbrush. But, generally for the best results in zbrush and the like you want the mesh you import to have a topology that is as even as possible.

zuno · Jun 2014

Thanks for the reply,

Here's my low polygon model with wire frames, Idea is, I don't need to re topo the mesh again so can use for game.
what's you guys workflow for this kind low poly weapon situation?

Ruz · Jun 2014

you need to add more support loops to keep the required shapes.

cryrid · Jun 2014

idea is, I don't need to re topo the mesh again so can use for game.

It would be pretty rare for an optimized lowpoly model to subdivide or sculpt well. You'll need control edges to hold the form (or at the very least some crease tags), and ideally evenly-spaced quads. At the moment your gun has quite a few triangles and ngons, and the quad polygons you do have are pretty long and rectangular shaped instead of being consistent squares.

If this is the model you want for the game, you should consider duplicating it and making the cloned mesh more subdivision/sculpt friendly. You'll have to bake the results between meshes, but you shouldn't have to retopologize the sculpt afterwards.

kanga · Jun 2014

It looks like he is planning to use the low poly as a finished mesh. As it is the low poly is not really optimized, it has loads of ngons and tverts,. I dont think the mesh will bake out well as you have it.

For a hard surface gun I don't even bother making a mesh in max as the hard surface tools in zbrush will give you a very high rez model in much less time to use as a template for your game mesh. Like others have said the mesh you have is not a good one for zbrush. A dirty workaround is to sub divide until level 4 with smt off then switch the smoothing on for the last 2 divides. If you want to make a mesh for zbrush in an outside app you need to space the quads evenly and insert edgeloops where you want hard edges. Be prepared for shrinkage.

zuno · Jun 2014

Thank you guys for the answer, some reasons for me to build from low to high is, 1. if I build from high to low, I need to re topo the high rez mesh to low and Un UV after, then back the normals. so I want to try this way see if it's faster(Guess this is not a good and fast way, won't do this next time :P). 2 . Can't really draw a good and clean bevel edge in Zbrush, and tips?

*also I found out after I import the object mesh to the scene, when I use dynamesh to the original tool, the number of the polygon became very few, I have unify the tool size still the same, I have to rise resolution to like 17XX or more to have enough poly to add details.:poly141:

Again Thank you guys for the reply and tips

zuno · Jun 2014

Hermit wrote: »

I don't know how familiar you are with Zbrush, but you might want to split your mesh into multiple sub-tools and then divide each sub-tool multiple times (millions of polygons) to have enough precision to add fine details. The Dynamesh is usually good to start modeling your basemesh directly in Zbrush.

If you want a new topology, you might want to use instead zRemesher depending of your needs. I use Dynamesh from time to time depending of the needs, but if you already have a base mesh, you might not need it.

I like to use dynamesh recently, cuz I found that it can maintain very good topology form and keep shape clean, also easy to add extra big change of shape.

I finish this model all using dynamesh, with lot's sub-tools. when I doing it, the resolution is pretty good, got what I need when I slide that to around 5XX.

cryrid · Jun 2014

when I use dynamesh to the original tool, the number of the polygon became very few

That's a scaling issue. You model is likely too small for dynamesh's usual scale. If you open the Tool: Preview subpallete, the tool should fit nice and snug within the preview window.

It's also wise to split the mesh up as Hermit suggested. This way you can locally subdivide and refine certain areas, making sure you get the geometry where you need it instead of exponentially adding it across the entire mesh. Splitting the mesh up also allows zbrush to work with more polygons

PyrZern · Jun 2014

The problem with LOW -> HIGH is that the lowpoly stuff isn't suited for sculpting on. Subdiv it and it is ruined. If it has enough supporting loops, then it's not optimized enough to reuse it again.
This is especially organic stuff. You might be able to do it with some hardsurface stuff though. You still gotta remove those extra support loops. Or you use Crease instead.

Asking working flow from LOW to High in Zbrush

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