ZBrushCentral

Creating Normal Maps

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I cant seem to figure out why my normal maps keep turning out like this when I want to export them. Inside zmapper they display perfectly as tangent normal maps, and they even render fine when I apply them to a mesh in max. I cant seem to figure out however why it creates such a blocky distorted normal map for me to export… Im still looking through the other posts but im pressed for time on this and would love some help :frowning:

here is the normal map as the texture

[Normal_Map.jpg

Im using zbrush 3.1, max design 2009, and windows xp 64 bit.

Thanks for the help! sorry for the bad links, they should be fine now!

Attachments

Torso_NormalMap.jpg

ZappLink.jpg

#2

My browser is giving me security warnings regarding jeffgoss.com. Could you upload the pics using ZBC’s upload feature? When composing a message, simply click the “Upload Image or File” button and then follow the instructions in the pop-up window.

#3

Thanks for the update, I can see the pics now!

#4

It’s simply the UV mapping. The current mapping method is AUVTiles. This is one of the most distortion-free mapping methods that there is.

As you said, the map renders just fine. AUVTiles doesn’t look like it makes any sense to the naked eye, but the computer has no trouble understanding that mapping.

AUVTiles and GUVTiles are great when you’re working with polypaint or creating difference maps based on sculpted detail. In both of those cases, you completely bypass having to paint on a flat map and try to manually compensate for seams or distortions. The computer does all of that for you, and the UV mapping takes a second or two to create. Of course, if you really want a traditional map, you can get it. To do that you have to lay your UV’s out in a different application and then import the new version of the model over top of your multi-resolution mesh’s level 1. This will update the UV’s. It’s very important not to change the point order of the model, though, or the mesh will explode when you return to higher levels.

#5

so using either GUV or AUV tiles would require that I paint the texture on as apposed to being able to paint on a flat image? Or do I create the normal map using GUV or AUV tiles and then use another configuration to create another map that I can paint the diffuse on? Im just trying to figure out what the most standard way of creating a normal map and diffuse map coming out of zbrush is.

THanks so much for the help!

#6

You can use the AUV or GUV maps from ZBrush in MAX. Just make sure you have that mesh in MAX with the same exact UV layout. Like Aurick said you can layout your UVS in MAX on the lowest level mesh from ZBrush and then reimport on the lowest level of that tool. What does the renders from MAX look like?

Paul

#7

the renders from max look identical to what it looks like in zmapper. I suppose my problem really isnt so much getting normals to work as much as it is that I cant get the normal map thats generated not to look like a bunch of squares like the above image.

I also exported, from zbrush, my lowest lvl mesh. Unwrapped it again using uvlayout, then reimported the mesh over my old one and it still comes out with the blocky normal map, even though it works in both zmapper and max. Is there another way to generate a traditional map for me to paint on?

I watching the gnomon zmapper tutorials and I cant seem to replicate his results. His normal maps are generating the traditional looking map even though he is using AUVtiles like I am. I just cant figure out how I am supposed to get a texture out of zbrush thats paintable in another program. :confused:

#8

Looking closely at your initial images, I’m noticing that the UV mapping seems different between the texture test and the normal map test. The normal map has much smaller texture squares than the color map does. If the UV mapping is changing, then there’s an unknown factor in what you’re doing that makes it impossible for us to help without more information.

Could you please provide a detailed description of the steps that you’re following from import to export?

#9

ok, hopefully explaining step by step doesnt prove to show ive been doing somthing stupid this whole time :smiley:

Ive taken the latest version of my model from zbrush, lowered it to the lowest subd lvl and exported it.

Then I unwrap the uv’s in UVlayout save the obj file with the new uv’s.

Then in zbrush again I start with the model I originaly exported, clone the tool, then import the newly uv’ed obj file (pretty sure thats the process to update the uv’s)

Then I go back into zmapper to process the normal map crossing my fingers to get a human readible map and… BAM still getting the auvtiles…

Thats the process from beginning to end that still yields the same result. Ofcourse I blame nothing on the program and more so on Im doing something horribly wrong over and over again :confused:

thanks for the help again!

#10

There is no need to clone the tool but that is a good practice. Did you drop the tool that had all the detail on it to the lowest level before importing? That is all you need to do. Here the steps:

ZBrush Tool- drop to lowest level and export that
Import ZBrush Tool into MAX and do your unwrap
Open ZBrush and select the detailed ZBrush Tool
Drop to the lowest level
Import new UV layout MAX obj into this level

That is it. That should work.

Paul