How to import retopologized model?

[Stinkfist]

The standard answer is that you open your ZTL with the highpoly character, then go down to the lowest subdiv level and choose "import" and select the *.OBJ you fixed in MAX. That should* make Zbrush replace your lowest level subdiv with your OBJ mesh. Then you can just export normal maps using Zmapper that comes with the 3.1 update



*What it most often does is crash Zbrush

[SilverSpy]

oo I guess this method is not that dependable, my mesh just exploded... any other options to try that might produce better results?

[DoctorMonkeyFist]

You can only import a model into the lowest subdivision level if it has the same topology and vertex order. You'd be better off redoing the topology with the tools in zbrush, then exporting that into max to unwrap and then importing the unwrapped model to the lowest level. Or you could aways try the projection brush. You'll be able to get all your high res stuff on the new mesh.

[(3C)machine]

yeah, get Mudbox

[SilverSpy]

Wouldn't redoing the topology using zbrush tool still mess up the vertex order, because you're starting from scratch?

Regarding the mudbox answer, can mudbox do this with relative ease? rebuilding a topology in another program such as max and then reimporting it back to mudbox after uvw to capture the normal map?

Thanks in advance.

[_vine_]

If you remade the topology in Max then without a doubt you have changed your vertex numbers/order. You now know, exploding vertices is a prime example of bad vertex ordering in imported models. As others have mentioned you have two choices - retopologize with Zbrush 3, or create your normal maps in Max. Personally, I think Zmapper creates horrible quality normal maps.

If you choose to retopologize in Zbrush 3 then I suggest reading the Topology & Flow Lab (http://www.zbrush.info/docs/index.php/Topology_and_Reflow_Lab) area of the Zbrush.info site.

[Rock_Lee]

Silver Spy...To make things super simple I'll give you the jist of it. You will have 2 tools...your old mesh and new mesh. The old mesh you retolopogized in MAX and now you will have to "shrink wrap" level 1 and level 5 of the new mesh onto the old mesh. I don't know exactly what shrink wrap tools Max has, but I use Maya's transfer point attributes tool to do this. I use to use XY shrink wrap or Fit morph to do this job, but transfer point attributes just rocks. When you shrink wrap each level, you will have to re-import the OBJ back into your new z tool to display the changes (make sure not to change the point count or the tool will blow up in Z Brush). So level 5 "new mesh" will have to be shrink wrapped onto level 5 "old mesh" in MAX and re-imported back into "new retopologized" z tool to display its new shape. I hope that helped. If you want an indepth explanation, I suggest picking up Zack Petroc's Gnomon DVD called Digital Sculpting: Human Anatomy. There are other ways to re-topologize right in Z3...I just haven't really played with them yet. This to me is the most straight forward method. Oh yeah, and one last piece of advice...if you haven't sculpted any fine details...you don't need to shrink wrap your highest level...Maya usually croaks when u import nething close to a million polys...I usually run with level 4.

Good Luck.

[MetalcoreMailman]

One quick side note, I think I understand what you were trying to do, and in essence it could have worked, if you hand just rearranged the mesh and kept the same vertex count, that might have worked, at least for normal map creation, Im not so sure about going back in later to the high poly version and editing it at all, because I think that would completely mess it up, but if you just simply rearranged the vertecies, then that MIGHT work, It just really all depends on how extreme it is. Ive gotten it to work before, but the changes I made really werent all that extreme, mostly really subtle stuff.

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