ZBrush 4r6

Just up, ZBrush 4r6.

ZRemesher! Haven't used it yet but I'm gonna try it out tonight.

Some of the stuff is a pretty big deal for a minor release. Trims instead of clipping is bound to be the single most welcome for hard surface they could have done.
If it'll be crappy weather this weekend I know what I'll be doing.

So I just tried ZRemeshing my current 9M poly character without tweaking anything, just clicking the button. Really good result and it dropped the poly count to 6M. It actually fixed some busted topology I had unwittingly created. I'm gonna like this tool very very much.

I don't think Pixologic really understands the concept of a minor release.

They always package a lot of stuff in.
I think it's good that they stuck to minor for this, I think everybody is pretty damn primed for 64bit support for 5, that's one they'll really have to deliver on, even if it's the only feature in it

Nonetheless, yeah, they have feature-heavy and long cycles for majors, and that's always welcome given the free upgrades within each major cycle.

Can you imagine the poly count that could be achieved? I always prefer sculpting bump maps instead of painting them. Its just way more intuitive. I also wouldnt mind if polypaint was the only means of texturing as there will always be more openGL based painters outthere more specified for that task and with being able to achieve such high polycounts it isnt so much of a problem. But since Zbrush like to pride themselves on no UV solutions it boggles the mind Ptex support isnt in native in Zb, here's hoping for v5.

Even if so (which I really doubt) I wouldn't be even slightly pissed to be honest. Their track record regarding updating/adding features is now legendary... can you imagine if they where owned by AD... we would be in ZBrush 13 by now.

Darn it, I have to go to work now in my part-tme job. Will have to wait until tonight to download and play with 4r6.

Zremesher - just with default settings - is witchcraft... Actual witchcraft.

I can, I have mudbox, which I used to prefer, as a constant reminder of the consequences of AD fagocitating a sculpting application

The most important feature is that they've finally fixed the UV smoothing issues.

Can't wait till tonight then. Wanna play with some of that stuff.

It is pretty amazing. I've been testing it on various environment sculpts, and it seems like ninety percent of the time it gives something ready to be handed down the pipeline.

video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...d&v=CVoFi2mnyhA

Another amazing update. Whatever it is they put in their morning coffee at Pixologic they should really be fair and share some with the other developers out there. I can't think of any other company who consitently innovate like this.

Cheers,
Brian