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File size differences between ZBrush and Max/Maya

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi

Hope this is the right place for this. If not, apologises. I just have a quick question. Something that I find strange, but intriguing and would love for someone to shed some light on. :slight_smile: There’s obviously some technical wizardry going on…

I’ve noticed, that if I export a sculpt out of ZBrush as an FBX, and the file size is large, like 1-2GB, and then I import that mesh into 3ds Max or Maya and export it back out as an FBX, that file size is cut in half! So a sculpt I originally exported was 1.8GB, and once I exported it out of Max, it’s been reduced to 400MB! No changes were applied. It hasn’t been decimated beforehand or triangulated - it was just a simple import/export. Why is this? Thanks.

#2

Hello @DustyShinigami

Exporting the dog file out of ZB 2022 as FBX and then back out of Maya 2022 as FBX at the default settings does not produce any significant difference in file size for me.

The FBX format is capable of storing a lot of different information. If you look in your export and import preferences in Maya for the FBX format you’ll find an entire list of optional attributes. The most straightforward reason for a file size difference would be that one program is exporting information that the other isn’t. The greater the file size, the greater the likely polycount involved which will multiply the effect of minor differences. The presence or absence of UVs can also make for a drastic difference in file size depending on the situation.

If you encounter a situation you feel isn’t explained by the above, please contact ZBrush Support and we’ll have a look.

Thank you!

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#3

Hi @DustyShinigami

Make sure you are saving the FBX file as binary format. If you are saving an ASCII file in ZBrush and binary in Maya that would explain the difference in file size.

Marcus

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#4

Aha. That could be why. What’s the difference between the two?

#5

ASCII is basically a text file that you could open in a text editor (I wouldn’t recommend trying with a large file!). Binary is the raw data. There’s no difference in what data is included in the file.

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