Before I forget, for the eleventeenth time – here is a link to the Material Baker script that I mention in several of my zBrush tutorial vids. Material Baker zBrush script version 1 by David Ikeda.
While I’m at it, here is a link to the working, but not really released version of 2k Suisei’s zSculpty plugin that allows you to export non-square sculpties. Works for me, YMMV. there’s a bit of info about it on this SL Forum thread.
i found a version 2 on the net while researching this topic. However V2 was mentioned in a thread that was written 2 years ago (2007). Still, this seems to be the most current one and compatible with zBrush 3.1 according to the thread.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=49966
I use V2 for my baking largely because it was able to out put a far more detailed map. But I just got my copy of zbrush 3.5R3 and I don’t know if any one else is having issues but I can’t get ether of the material bakers (V1 or V2) to work. Now I have to go and research but there may be a new way to bake texture maps in 3.5R3. I will see what I can dig up but if any one has some information on this new issue I would love the help in figuring it out ^__^
Kyoske Davi
I’ve downloaded and installed 3.5r3. there was a thread in zBrushcentral.com concerning painting with the new version. I’ve watched it and it does indeed look like creating texture maps has gotten a bit easier. I sure hope Zlad returns to this topic soon.
Baking MatCaps in ZBrush 3.5R3
None of this is my own discovery. I found bits and pieces from others and put them all together to find a way to bake materials and textures in ZBrush 3.5r3 well. This works very well, but be sure not to miss a step. Be sure to look at the videos and web pages I have referenced; they provide video and pictures to help you. I hope you all find this helpful.
1.Isolate your geometry using shift control click on SL avatar, or turning off other subtools in the subtool palette.
2. Set your geometry divisions down to 1.
3. In the Color drop down, fill the object with color if no polypainting exists. In the Texture Map box, choose “New from Polypaint.” This will create a texture. Click “Clone Texture” to get the texture over to the other side.
4. Turn off Zadd and turn on Mrgb.
5. Go to the Displacement Map tab and make sure the adaptive button is selected.
6. Hit the Create DispMap. This will take a bit of time and you will see a bar across the top of the screen showing progress.
7. Reset your subdivisions to the highest level.
8. You can adjust the intensity level on the Displacement Map tab to get the effect you want.
9. When it is done, the displacement map will show in the Displacement Map tab. Click “Clone Disp” to move a copy over to the alpha slot on the other side of the screen.
10. If you wanted, you could export the displacement map from the alpha tab and take it into photoshop to apply over a texture and manipulate it there.
11. Clone your texture to move it to the other side.
12. We want to create a document of the correct size. Click on the texture tab to the left size and hit the “Crop and Fill” Button. This will fill your document with the texture and you will need to adjust zoom so you can see the entire document on your screen.
13. Turn off edit mode and hit Control N to clear the document.
14. Set the background of the document to black. Hit SwitchColor to select the black colour. On the Document menu click on the “Back” button to set the document colour to black and set range to 0.
15. Set the material to flat colour and make sure you have your texture loaded to the left.
16. Go to the texture tab on the menu bar and hit the Image Plane button.
17. Hit the LoadImage button. This will load in the image plane tool.
18. It comes in with move controls. Hit the edit button.
19. Go to tools and hit the polymesh 3D button. It will come in white or the material colour. You need to load back in your texture and displacement maps on the left side, and then on the right side in the texture map and displacement map tabs.
20. On the left side, select your material.
21. on the displacement map menu to the left, adjust the intensity slider to get the desired effect of the displacement map. This causes to apply the effect to the plane. At this point you can also change materials if you wish and the displacement map will still be applied. You can also go to the material tab on the menu bar and click on modifiers, and adjust sliders there. You can also go to the alpha tab on the menu bar and adjust sliders there to make further adjustments to the displacement map.
22. Go to the Render tab on the menu bar and hit the “Best” button. It will take a moment to render at best quality.
23. You can now capture your document. Go to the texture tab on the menu bar and hit the GrabDoc button. It will store the document into a texture that you can explort to photoshop.
24. Make sure you set the Render back to Preview when you are done.
Rats, wrong one above. The above works somewhat, but not as well as another method I found. I will try to find those notes for you.
Ok, here is a link to a series of videos on how to use Zapplink with 3.5 to bake textures done by Cannedmushrooms. It is excellent and it works. One tip: It works best with mat cap materials, and be sure to turn all lights OFF.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIumosY98Vg&feature=related
You might also want to look at this webpage tutorial with pictures to show how to bake baked shadetexture maps to create skins using the SL avatar .obj model. Instead of using the material baker script, which does not work with 3.5, flip over and use the Zapplink method in the video above.
http://slhowto.com/slhowto_zbrush_bake_seamless_bump_sl_avatar.asp
I hope you find this helpful.
Hi Vivienne! must remind myself to seek you out when in-world so we can chat. I’m posting a link to a movie called Texture Process in Zbrush. the links are contained with a thread on Zbrush central. i think this movie will help a lot with the new version in particular.
shakes my head – here’s the link for real this time :)
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?t=78501