Quick ZBrush to 3DS Max Normal/Displacement Tutorial

[ahmed200705]

when we put it in 3ds max can we animate it? cause that is what i am looking for

[tsunami30003000]

Why are your UV's all fucked up? When you import it into paint.. It's all pixelated... O.o

[ttttkk2]

zbrush version 3.5 or 4 won't come with zmapper, they said it is useless for them. 

[sabz2011]

why do i see lines vertex when i import my model to zbrush ?

[richardzero62]

exelente men gracias esto es mucho mejor que generar el normal map por el plugin de nvidia (y)

[figaro99999]

pls help... i cant get the DX display standard material check box to show up on the DirectX manager tab.. :-(

[Khyrid]

Version numbers are useful. I'm using Zbrush 4.0 and max 2012, so this doesn't help me.

[vrcraft]

u can do that straight into 3dsmax, with displacement maps. no need for all this mambo jambo zbrush in out imports crap.

[feenux09]

@vrcraft you can do many other things on zbrush. This is helpful, just a "Zbrush to 3ds max" tutorial. Thanks to the uploader

[vrcraft]

@feenux09

Yes, you can but I think Zbrush is just for presentations, you can't really work that character further and make it move, after all that topology is created. Is all high poly, good for showing, nothing more. Or am I wrong ?

[yesu3atlas]

i dont have zmapper, using a mac, how can i do this?

[nekrodesigner]

i make all these steps like you. BUT, in 3dsmax, when i appliyng the normal map to the object, it looks dark, why?

I mean, i see the normal map on the model, but its dark.

[Joshb81959]

ugh. I keep watching videos.. and they all tell me to go to the textures menu in the tools. Its not there. Is it not in Zbrush 4?

:( I hope I get an answer within 6 months. lol

[r4jk3]

is it possibe to export and poly paint like that ? i mean like uv texture map? can you make a tutorial for that as well please!

[eleszar1]

i thought the video says from zbrusgh to 3dmax not from 3dmax to zbrush Xd, so anyway how i can use ztl files/OBJ to 3dmax?

[piroclaster]

what format i have to choose for export the mesh to zbrush?

[BrainBlowers]

Thank god for GoZ

[shinjide213]

Kurv Studios are very untrustworthy. My sister purchased sometihng off from them and it never arrived and worse they would not even reply to the mulitple calls and email messages.

[dovlex]

when im trying to export norm map i need 3096x3096 res but zbrush give me only 1024x1024 where is option to choose what res i want?

[Tadm0d]

@dovlex click and hold on the number (the pixel scale) then drag in the direction you like. It should now scale the number below it. The max. resolution is 8000x8000.

Hope that helps :D

[dovlex]

@Tadm0d thx man yes you help.

Ok i was import building in zbrush to model some crack in walls and after exporting normal map in 3dmax to se render image ...the thing is crack was looking wierd not like holes (total mess) my wall in building have like 5 polys is that a problem ?

[meflyhigh]

I will let you have my babies if you send me a link to GoMax...and do a tutorial on it =|. This is great though, it's what I needed. THank you!!!

[880728leonjf]

this tutorial explain exactly what normals bump map is, in a fast time, thanks for this tutotial salu2x

[chris3d165]

I KEEP getting an error when opening the file and then zbrush crashes

[nekrodesigner]

could i use the trick with the normal map, to body parts too? And is it good?

[PAVMusicProduction]

dude ... ur awesome.. i was looking for this 1for some timeee... i folowed first time and BANG!!!! now how i can donate??? lolz

[ljzCHEMICAL117]

BEAST tut man!

[wowman142]

Help Please... I cant find Zmapper... its not at my Left Corner :S

[onix3d]

great!  thanks!

[Tadm0d]

@onix3d

You're welcome :D

[stanleesworld]

what version of z-brush did you use for this exercise? will it work with 3.5?

[Tadm0d]

@stanleesworld

It should, but I'm still on 3.1, never bothered upgrading, so only you can really answer that question :D

[bustermk2]

@Tadm0d

No it won't ... zmapper isn't included in 3.5.

[devilsonlychild]

Cool. just what i've been lookin for... Thanks buddy.

[Tadm0d]

@devilsonlychild

I'm glad you liked it :D

[imonars]

i just bought them both//

[Rafzorz1]

praise you, this shit is awesome

[wcthrill]

When I have both the Draw and Edit tool highlighted I cant get the Stroke icon is greyed out. If I try to use the Stroke tool when the Head tool is available I can only add more head objects If I switch to the paint brush tool then the 'Edit' icon vanishes and I cant rotate the head.

[MrJohnpaul08]

hi. . .

i have question if i have to make a model in zbrush can i import it in 3ds max. . . .

thanks . .

[MONEYVAL9]

WAT VERSION OF ZBRUSH IS THIS.

i have 3.5 and i wanna do some bump maping

[al28283]

Hey, thanks for this. Do I have to unwrap Uv's in max first?

[xmrwaffles2]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

[Tadm0d]

Glad you liked it ;)

[Godisen007]

so how do I "export it as an object file"?

[Tadm0d]

File>Export>.obj

hope that works for you! ;)

[Godisen007]

@Tadm0d

it wasn't that simple for me o.O but i got it eventually, great tutorial thanks :D

[Tadm0d]

anytime :D

[wind27382]

how exactly did you do it been sturgling for a while

[Godisen007]

@wind27382

What version of 3DS Max do you have?

[wind27382]

@Godisen007 2009 I HAVE Z BRUSH 3.1 AND MAX 2009. I'M BEGGING TO THINK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. i have followed through almost 10 tutorials an non of them worked. i think it's because i used hd geometry fo fine details. for now on i will unwrap before taking it into z brush

[CollapseDev]

Wow - Looks Like Even pros can learn something new LOL - Thanks!

[Tadm0d]

Like they say, you learn something new everyday!

[usmanater]

Life saving tutorial dude, thanks

[Tadm0d]

welcome, and thanks for watching!

[jorel658]

so you save it as OBJ ok got it

[Tadm0d]

thankyou for watching. and you are welcome.

[technodj13]

can u tell me what is the point of making models?

[Tadm0d]

to create something artistic, or to make something which could not exist in the real world, such as in movies.

[technodj13]

i heard that you can make a video game with the models is that true?

[fallenvash]

*facepalm* No, video games use paper and pencil or photographs to work

Of course you can! How else would you make video game models if you don't use three dimensional modeling software?

[nessark111]

how do i decrease the number of polygons in 3ds max? i imported a model from zbrush and it has a huge amount of polys, sooo many lines, how do i decrease the amount of lines (decreasing graphic detail) so that it is more simple to edit in 3ds max.

[Tadm0d]

You can buy an external plugin like polygon cruncher. Or export from Zbrush with the lowest subdivision level.

[CrASYmUZIk]

how the hell do i apply the normal map?

[Tadm0d]

in 3ds max?

[CrASYmUZIk]

my zbrush crashes when i press zmapping or something

[Tadm0d]

hmmm, I don't know... Call up Pixologic to see if they have a solution...

[jefy234]

even after i click on the uv tiles stuff zmapper pops up with a menu describing what to do before i can zmap, with pictures of some alien thing, and its retarded, i meet all expectations that i know of, but still, and even that ii was using a pre uv mapped model, with exported coordinates and all, but when i applied the map to my model it flipped around and didnt position correctly, retarded. can you help?

[Tadm0d]

yeah, you have to flip the image up, I think I did it in the video... not sure though. It's made like that for some reason that completely elludes me. so yeah, just flip it upside down.

[Nutriman]

ey i have a question, when i click to zmapper, it apeears the model but in blue, then... the menu you have below the model, it doesnt appear in mine.. where can i configure to have such menu? if could help me i would appreciate that, great tutorial by the way

[Tadm0d]

I honestly don't know, I've never encountered that. Try asking on the Zbrush forums, I'm sure they could help more than I have XD

sorry for not being able to help!

[Jagunno]

Hi Tadm0d, I was wondering if you could help me figure out a problem with UVs from Max to Zbrush. Once Zmapper comes across UV edges that are really close together like a chamfered edge, it distorts what would otherwise be a clean normal map. Any suggestions?

[Tadm0d]

I have no idea how to fix that, try ensuring that the edges are the right way round on the UVW map, maybe that's the issue...

[Benvox2]

Great tutorial! but I dont understand how normal mapping and the diffuse texture would fall together? Like how will your diffuse texture from your UV unwrap match up with the fine "fake" details of a normal map??

[Tadm0d]

You export them as different maps, one as a diffuse and one as a normal ;P

hope I've helped!

[kevinpaulharper]

How do I export the normal map with the UVW map I have created in max? so my normal map is not this wired looking picture

[Tadm0d]

You just UVW unwrap in max, convert to poly, then export as OBJ, your UVW map will be retained.

[kevinpaulharper]

Yes, but then It dosnt allow me to go to Zmapper. Unless I click on the AUVtiles which scrambles my UVW map, I get a popup if I click on Zmapper, It says Multiple (#2) UV _Regions Detected. I tried to follow the directions given on that screen but do not have the option to. they say click on Frame, under UV Groups, but when I click on UV groups under Polygroup submenues, there is no Frame button. What does this popup mean?

[Tadm0d]

hmmm... I honestly don't know... all I can say Is try making sure your UVW map is WELL within the obunds of the centre square in the UVW map panel, otherwise it covers multiple map channels which Zbrush will immediately recognise as an error.

[davchandler]

ugh i want ZBrush to 3ds max not 3ds max to zbrush SHIT!

[Tadm0d]

Before you comment on a video, watch it in its entirety... maybe it'll contain the answers to your question.

[davchandler]

my bad most of the ones i saw were jus 3DS Max to ZBrush thnx though

[mendezfilms]

dude you can invert inside Zbrush and export it

[Tadm0d]

Yeah, but I didn't know that at the time of the video's creation

[liquidbear]

i love this tutorial :)

[Tadm0d]

haha, thanks, if you ever need anything specific, don't hesitate to ask me, I'll be glad to help out if I can

[KiNG5333]

4get it I figured it out, but im made a sword and the handle on it iz red and white but when I map it, it comes out a different color. It came out like a light blue color. How do I make it keep its original color

[joealtair3000]

how do you make your models smooth i never knew how to do that

[u3190]

go to modifiers, and select smooth. Then select any number from the list. The higher the number the more smoothing itll be. YOu can also select "turbo smooth" modifier if you want it really smoothed out.

[music2012]

turbo smooth

[KiNG5333]

I need help, Im trying to open up one of my characters in 3ds max but everytime I open it up its always like one part of the whole model,

Like its always his vest and thats it or its just the body without his clothes or its just the pants

[Tadm0d]

Lightwave is a very powerful package, it's just that I myself havn't been granted access to a copy, I'd like to try it out someday though. Also, it is one of the industry standards, many 3d artists use it, look around and you'll see.

[Raakuna]

Did you uv map the model before exporting? I used your method and and my final normal & texture in 3d max looks like a messy chessboard. Great tut, learned a alot. :)

[Tadm0d]

Not in this case, but I would suggest that you do if you wish for good clean textures that are editable in phtoshop/GIMP/paint/whatever..­. If you have that probem, turn the blurring down to a minimum (preferably about 0.01) in the texture channel, it removes that error.

[u3190]

You didnt select "Local XYZ" like he did in the tutorial. In maps, click "Bump" and under "Method" select "Local XYZ". If that doesnt work, you didnt export the obj from zbrush after you did the detailing.

[Richwood666]

Hey Tad, its been a while, I think I deleted you from my msn contacts list by accident when cleansing.. I hope you can get in touch with me again, i'll send you a message in youtube.

[jagitude]

hey dude.. i use an old system which does not support "zmapper" or more precise "open GL" so what m i asking is .. can i do the same thing "normal maps" in that multi displacement plugin..?? if yes.. what will be the options to export my normal map.? do let me know please.

[Tadm0d]

Sorry, I honestly don't know...

[jefy234]

oh my flippin god, you just made my weekend, ive been looking for some zbrush tuts, and u just entirely covered every question ive had in the first 2 minutes, thanks much bro. keep it up.

[Tadm0d]

haha, thanks XD!

[3dartistdesigner]

this is a great video! Keep up the good work!

[Tadm0d]

Thanks!

[zokamaru]

I appreciate your effort but I can't hear a goddamn thing mate

[Tadm0d]

Yeah, I realised that... I wish I could change it, but for the time being, you'll just have to crank up the speakers

[Rappa171]

thank you very much, I was searching for this.

[Tadm0d]

glad to have helped!

[edithegodfather]

it could go a bit louder, nice video though :D

[Tadm0d]

yeah, I'll turn the mic sensitivity up for the next one

[marillatrompe]

focus

[Tadm0d]

ummm, what?

[drwilkening]

Thanks for the tutorial!!! I've been using Max for a while now and just started in Zbrush. Your tutorial really helped me understand the process a lot easier. Thanks again!

[Tadm0d]

any time! :D

[Dementedrox]

Could i use zbrush to create a general 3d texture aswell ? for example i want to create a tile with extruded squares within (each extruded square uneven and not all flat) and then use it on any surface?

[Tadm0d]

Yes you can, and the Zbrush wiki page (I believe) has a tutorial on how to do this, If not, I'm sure you'll be able to find a tutorial on youtube or google.

Hope I've helped!

[Karza00]

thanks for putting this up.

I followed you step by step to the end, but at the part where you change the tangents of the bump mine didn't work in any change

[Tadm0d]

hmmm, I'm not sure about that, try updating your 3ds max, maybe then...

[Secconcept]

i know I'm going to sound like an idiot but my zmaper control panel never shows up hotkeys work but i relay need it zbruh forum didn't help can you?

[Tadm0d]

hmmm, have you updated to the newest version... if so, check the manual for any help on hidden toolbars.

[Secconcept]

thanks it was a hidden menu issue but i found the problem...btw mice work

[Tadm0d]

kk, cool, thanks!

[prowokator]

Good tutorial. Using only top notch programs like 3dsmax, zbrush and.... paint! :D But seriously, as have been stated before, good thing you did this as there seems to be need for one.

[Tadm0d]

hey, hey, paint is a very advanced program, people pay through the nose for a one year licence :P

thanks, glad to have helped

[Newbeing]

This is a great tutorial. I've searched high and low on the net for a simple 3Ds Max to Zbrush and back tutorial and I finally found a great one. Thanks very much.

[Tadm0d]

you're welcome :D

[grayfox189]

Hey can you help me out? I've been having this problem with zbrush whenever I try to look for the option on zbrush to export it never shows up I can't find it I can't even go onto edit mode do you know how to fix this? Thanks.

[Tadm0d]

have you selected the mesh, the gone to the top right corner of the panel? otherwise I honestly have no clue

[grayfox189]

I am going to post up a video unless.... I think you might know it how do you select it? Or which cone do you mean?

[Tadm0d]

I think you should add a video and then link me to it, I don't quite understand what you mean

[hightvids]

so I need a z brush program right?

[Tadm0d]

yupp

[Hsk8er]

you know z add, the button you pressed to make the normal map, does vesion 3.0 of zbrush have it? because i cant find the z add button.

[Tadm0d]

Zadd doesn't make the normal map, it only sets whether the tool is in "add" or "subtract" mode. Go into the Normal map generator and look at the bottom of the screen at the horizontal toolbar, there should be a button entitled "Make Normal Map".

Hope I've helped!

[robsas85]

great tutorial mate

[Tadm0d]

Thanks!

[justonelife1]

do all those 3d progrms slow ur computer down any

[Tadm0d]

only if you have unnecessarily high polygon counts. :P

[justonelife1]

which is better maya or 3ds max

[Tadm0d]

3ds max is better for games, maya is better for movies.

[Blahhhhhhhhh]

Hi I've been trying to learn zmapper in zbrush as I've previously been making my normal maps in max but the the long import time of obj plus my computer can't handle the really high res models. Anyway I'm got a character I already made a while back that I made normals for in max works fine. But I've been trying to make the normals in (obviously seeing as I already did the UV's I missed your mapping bit out)

[Blahhhhhhhhh]

in ZB and the normals look great but I've found that when I export the map and bring it in to max the renders show certain parts of the model inversed say hands look darker than the rest of the arm. when I make normals in max the normals have an extra alpha in them but these do not. Got any ideas? It would be a great help.

[Tadm0d]

Yeah, I agree, there are some issues with the Normal map renders in 3ds max (as in the normals aren't replaced by the map, rather just... overlayed). If you wish to use true detail in 3ds max, I find that displacement and bump-maps are decent.

Sorry I couldn't help...

[Blahhhhhhhhh]

thanks anyway I've since found a easy method of making high res normal maps in Maya. The only point of doing it in Maya is it imports the high res zbrush models in about 5min so there's no problem! I'll have to learn more maya at some point seems really cool.

[c00ler69]

Hi,

Very good tut but I think create uv's in max will give a better idea of shape when exporting the maps from zbrush, and you can flip your texture directly from zbrush (texture menu-> flip V button) to avoid doin' it in paint.

Thanks a lot and waiting for more tuts

Cheers

[Tadm0d]

yeah, I know. I was just demonstrating one method of getting Normals in and out of Zbrush. I agree too, an unwrap would have been a better option... but I'm lazy :D

I didn't know the flip texture feature, thanks for telling me!

If you want one, you should suggest one :D

[Merc399]

hey, every time iexport from zbrush after inporting an obj file, it saves it as a zbr file or something along those lines, how do i save it as an obj file?

[yocyberness]

are you doing save or export?

[Merc399]

yeah, i was saving, lol it was right in front of my face

[Tadm0d]

lol, sorry I didn't comment quickly enough, I've been REALLY busy lately, glad you got help though!

[Merc399]

thanks

[Seano71]

export instead of save as

[FrixFrixX]

thank you!

[Tadm0d]

welcome

[tyrone70]

seriously awesome video, but i'm getting some gaps on my model. i know how to fix it in 3ds max, but how would i do it in zbrush. ps, extreme zbrush noobie.

[Tadm0d]

I don't think you can in Zbrush... mainly due to the fact that it is a sculpting program, not a 3d modeling program. If you work in 3ds max, select all vertices, click on weld and then fix your settings... turbosmooth to check if there are still any gaps.

Sorry if I didn't help much.

[tyrone70]

oh, it's cool. i'm just happy you tried to help me. actually, what i did was store the original state of the mesh in the morph target. when it came time to make a normal map, i went to the lowest level and switched back the morph target. now i just have to figure out how to not mess up the uvs i made in max.

[Seano71]

I saw a tutorial on this, you have to make a clone and retopologize it. Its complex and tricky, google a guy called Jason Welsh. He has a video tutorial on this and loads more about zbrush. Highly recommended

[tris3d]

Great tutorial! Thanks for that. I noticed someone mentioned about colour texturing. I was curious to know, if i started my model from scratch in zbrush using zspheres then painted it, could i use the same method of exporting to 3ds max? How would you go about applying the painted texture after importing to 3ds max? Many thanks in advance.

[Tadm0d]

thank mate!

yes, yes, and yes. You could, the only problem would be UV unwrapping... namely, you wouldn't have any. exporting to 3ds max, unwrapping, then importing in Zbrush and texturing would work best.

I hope I've helped.

[Seano71]

When uv unwrapping, use a method called pelt mapping and it'll save you loads of time. There is a tutorial on pelt mapping on youtube which I highly recommend checking out

[Cybermonkeyy]

Hey looking good, why do people prefer to export normal maps other than Displacement maps. According to the experience I have, displacement mapping gives more detail to the low poly model than the normal maps itself...

[Tadm0d]

I agree. Displacement maps are more useful and more detailed, though, for this tutorial, I use normal maps.

There are 2 reasons... 1... there is a displacement map tab at the bottom of Zbrush, just click "create displacement map", and you're done

2... displacement maps cannot be used in games, the technology hasn't reached that level yet. In these circumstances, it is better to use a normal map which gives decent quality, than a bump map with much less quality.

[Cybermonkeyy]

Oh, I didn't know that Displacements could not be used in games.

Thanks for the answer.

[Tadm0d]

They can, it's just that they are too hard-ware intensive, and would cause massive lag in-game.

welcome

[zbrg1]

Thanks a lot for this video. This realy helped me

[Tadm0d]

you're welcome. I'm glad it helped!

[Tadm0d]

OK, I deleted your other posts because they weren't helping the comment's list. I'm glad you found it :)

[spider853]

thanks ). You could leave the last coment with solution.. i think there will be more people who will get stucked at that point.

[Tadm0d]

Yeah, I accidentally deleted it... and now I can't get it back :(

[spider853]

Ok, if somebody will have that problem (can't see the zMapper panel) tell him to hide all other panels ;)

[bboy11998877]

if i wanted to colour/texture the model after doing what you've shown and i wanted to do the texturing in photoshop, could i do it, im not really sure what to do, thanks in advance :)

[Tadm0d]

The method I use in this tutorial will not allow painting in Photoshop, though painting in Zbrush or BodyPaint 3d is perfectly fine and works brilliantly. If you lay out your UV's in 3ds max first, then you can paint textures in Zbrush.

[bboy11998877]

figured it out so i can texture normal maps in photoshop, this tutorial helped anyways :D

[Tadm0d]

call me a freak for saying so... but I like texturing in Zbrush. :D

and you're welcome. ;)