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Multi map exporter - displacement map problems

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey guys, I’m currently trying to figure out why the MME produces red/white values for the displacement map at UV shell borders. 5c29cf53-baad-4999-94e2-dff97e9e94cb
All I did to create this problem is create the shape, add support loops to it, send it to zbrush and subdivide it a bunch of times and then sculpt on it.
This obviously produces very weird results when rendering it in arnold. Note that only the MME has this problem. I’ve tried exporting a displacement map in mudbox, there it works flawlessly. So far I’ve tried every trick in the book to get it working. It definitely isn’t a mesh problem as I have tried it on different meshes, as well as different machines. The problem is only apparent with MME.
This is how it looks once it’s rendered. As if the bevels are inflated.
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What am I doing wrong/what am I overseeing?

I’ve followed the steps for exporting the correct displacement map.

#2

Hello @xesorath

Did you store a Morph Target as described in the MME Documentation, and then switch to it prior to generating any maps?

Subdividing a mesh alters it slightly at all levels of subdivision, to the extent the maps being generated will no longer exactly match the geometry of the original file, unless you switch back to the MT. This isnt an issue if you are exporting the base level geometry of the altered mesh to apply the maps to, but if you are just exporting the maps to apply to the original mesh in a third party application, this can cause issues at the UV borders.

#3

I find the MME documentation to be a bit confusing.

  1. I import a mesh from maya/blender/3dsmax/etc. with support edges in place
  2. I subdivide it until I have enough density to sculpt
  3. I sculpt detail
  4. I go back to the lowest subdivision level and store a MT
  5. I import my base mesh from step 1 again (do I select a new subtool, i.e. the star, so it doesn’t replace the one I sculpted on? Or is the aim of this to replace the mesh I sculpted on?)
  6. I set the plugin options, making sure switch MT is turned on
  7. I run MME

is this correct?

#4

Yes, import your original base mesh (the one you originally imported and sculpted on) over top of the active tool.

Remember, this is only necessary for a mesh that was not created in Zbrush, and needs to match an original file/ UV someplace else exactly. Otherwise, it’s a much simpler matter to simply export the base level geometry after sculpting directly from Zbrush and apply the maps to that.