ZBrush4 goodness! [Archive] - NewTek Discussions

jin choung

06-10-2009, 03:13 AM

i think some of you may be missing the point... it's not just the fact that you can use an image...

every app has that....

if it was just that, this would be a pitiful video indeed.

but the immediate availability of every image on world wide web without having to explicitly SAVE and then load.... this is about SPEED and man, even though that footage was sped up, it seems like a revolutionarily fast workflow and a texturers' dream come true.

and the ability to morph alter the images as well as key away bg in the same app that you are sculpting and painting....

i haven't seen a workflow quite like this. and it looks awesome.

jin

jin choung

06-10-2009, 03:14 AM

Another program that assumes all users will have internet access.

well, if they don't have web access, they didn't see that video. and they won't be able to upgrade. heck, for that matter, they won't know about the upgrade.

jin

Cohen

06-10-2009, 03:16 AM

I disagree entirely. This is going to be uber useful. I have a huge library of textures, brushes, and references, and I rarely use them. Why? I think its because Its a pain in the butt to go scrolling through windows to find 'x', and then import it in to the app. I don't know if that "routine" is what prevents me from using the stuff, but the fact that what they presented takes little resources to load, browse, puts all those resourcse at my finger tips. I think if I can just stream those resources from the web, I'd crank out 2x more stuff from zbrush when im in it, hands down.

//Edit
I agree with you jin. you post too fast. =)-

jin choung

06-10-2009, 03:17 AM

3dc had this since ver 2.

zb has the ability to paint with a image NOW. that's not really the point though. that's not the amazing thing.

the point is about the speed and accessibility of image library available on the web. available for you to work with IMMEDIATELY. without saving or loading or any of that.....

it can be considered a small feature but imo, i think it's revolutionary and will revolutionize how other graphics apps think about the web as a resource.

jin

jin choung

06-10-2009, 03:22 AM

//Edit
I agree with you jin. you post too fast. =)-

haha....

yeah, i think on the face of it, the significance of the workflow will be missed by many. i've seen posts on the pix thread that miss the point too....

totally agree with you about the thing about brushes and stuff like that... if it's not easy to access, it might as well not exist most of the time... out of sight out of mind...

but now, nothing will be out of sight....

jin

IMI

06-10-2009, 03:30 AM

Oh goodie, yet another Flash video made with no way to adjust the volume, only to mute it entirely. Whoever thought that was a good idea must have had really sorry little speakers and a pitiful sound card. God how I hate having to adjust my whole system volume because some web wanker was too lazy to add a volume slider.

Aside from that, how tremendously cool! I'm excited about ZB4 now, can't wait to get my Wacom on it.
Almost makes up for the volume thing. Almost. ;)

jin choung

06-10-2009, 03:34 AM

Oh goodie, yet another Flash video made with no way to adjust the volume, only to mute it entirely. Whoever thought that was a good idea must have had really sorry little speakers and a pitiful sound card. God how I hate having to adjust my whole system volume because some web wanker was too lazy to add a volume slider.

TOTALLY!!! wtf is up with that?! people who don't add a volume slider should be fing shot!

same thing with the mofos who make the commercial volume 10x louder than the fing program!

fing shot.

in the face.

jin

geo_n

06-10-2009, 03:36 AM

zb has the ability to paint with a image NOW. that's not really the point though. that's not the amazing thing.

the point is about the speed and accessibility of image library available on the web. available for you to work with IMMEDIATELY. without saving or loading or any of that.....

it can be considered a small feature but imo, i think it's revolutionary and will revolutionize how other graphics apps think about the web as a resource.

jin

I see. That's cool. Maybe something 3dc should implement. It doesn't show in the video though so most will probably miss that point.
Zbrush is still tops in this area maybe next time I'll give it another go. There's just too many zbrushers in the world to specialize in that area.

IMI

06-10-2009, 03:47 AM

TOTALLY!!! wtf is up with that?! people who don't add a volume slider should be fing shot!

same thing with the mofos who make the commercial volume 10x louder than the fing program!

fing shot.

in the face.

jin

Thank you!
I'm glad I'm not the only one out here. Little pisses me off more than clicking a link and having my head about blown off with bass when I'm not expecting it. Especially at 4:30 in the morning. ;)

akademus

06-10-2009, 03:57 AM

Cool.

This one blew my mind however.

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=071414

Brilliant idea of overriding need for modeling tools leaving people use their own favorite modeling apps.

This will be a great summer!

pming

06-10-2009, 04:04 AM

Hiya.

I was going to post earlier...but had to run off to work. Now I'm at work, so I can post. :)

Jin and others have stated what I was going to say: the cool thing is immediate access to the entire frickin' web as your "reference and texture asset folder" (c'mon, we all have one...or you should!). Not only that, but IIRC (no video here at work) I remember seeing one brief second where the user was browsing for textures and the search word or whatever simply said "green". If it has anything to do with the 'tags' that photoshop and other graphics programs can 'imbed' into a picture for searching...could be very useful, and potentially very imberassing...I can see some underhanded pr0n kings putting tags like 'car, fabric, house, transportation, metal' in their "candy photos"...popping up one of those in a 3d studio environment could be...interesting.

At any rate, the other thing it shows me is that Pixologic is still innovating and not just trying to immitate the rest of the industry (re: Bodypaint, 3DCoat, etc.). Taking good ideas is great, but comming up with new stuff...VERY cool. Can't wait to see what other cool stuff they cook up! :D

^_^

Paul L. Ming

cresshead

06-10-2009, 04:29 AM

oooh...that woke me up!

sorta like having google and photoshop inside zbrush as a 'tool'

this release so far looks all about improved workflows...reducing time down to a minimum and getting the most done per hour with the least hassle on time consuming 'jobs' like searching and using textures, getting your sculpts into your host program etc

amazing stuff

bring it on! :thumbsup:

got my speakers cranked up on the music track too...bopping along! [dolby home theatre on my acer laptop..]

...off to watch it again!

gordonrobb

06-10-2009, 04:34 AM

I am loving it. What's more, with this, and GoZ, they must be close to having worknig versions of ZB4 which bodes well for it being released when they said it would.

probiner

06-10-2009, 04:40 AM

3dc had this since ver 2. Putting images on the viewport and painting geometry with it. Good its in zbrush as well as decimate which is similar to quadrangulation in 3dc. Makes everything standard for these appz.
The lightroom integration is new though.

yeah when i saw this i tought the same... "Hey 3D coat has this"

But its like Jin said: the speed is something... And the fact you can liquify the image before applying it and do the masks on the application is neat too :)
But lets not forget Zbrush is a 2D application :D

Still, it could be more for a new release no?

cresshead

06-10-2009, 06:01 AM

But lets not forget Zbrush is a 2D application :D

2.5D actually :D

Matt

06-10-2009, 06:22 AM

Wow, funky... wish I had the talent to justify buying ZB...

You and me both James! I feel like I'm missing out on all this sculpting lark!

On the plus side, I dig the tune they used! :D

Oliver

06-10-2009, 06:47 AM

Which is "Love Island" by Fatboy Slim... in case anyone want's to bop with us. :D

cresshead

06-10-2009, 06:56 AM

Wow, funky... wish I had the talent to justify buying ZB...

you maybe surprised just how good you become if you did add zbrush..i've def improved in my 3d skills with adding zbrush for characters when i added zbrush compared to just a poly pushing app like lightwave /max etc..

NOT having to think about the techy aspect of poly modeling when using zbrush really free's up yourself to 'create' much more than you may be able to without it.

UnCommonGrafx

06-10-2009, 07:01 AM

Bopping. Thanks.

And since I have time...

Cressheads right: you would more than likely find that it adds to the skill set.

It's a sculpting app, as advertised, but it REALLY is a LOT MORE than just that. Both you (James) and Matt, have what ZBrush is in need of: patience and attention to detail.

I have it and 3dc. ZB is Boss for a reason; all others are trying to be. A great focus of programming.

pumeco

06-10-2009, 09:39 AM

Pixologic *never* fails to amaze me with their innovation...I can only imagine what texturing and uv'ing goodness they will have for ZB4 after watching this prelim...
I can only hope they've added some UV goodness :D
They just have to support multiple maps and painting of transparency, etc, this time!

Well, that's what I'm hoping, anyway. The online resource thing, cool as it is, just doesn't bother me as I doubt I'd start a project without first having gathered the necessary textures. Gotta love Pixologic though, very innovative - and that lightbox tool looks very handy for recreating specific looks from a photo as reference.

Hell, I can't wait until we can paint accross seams, that'll put a spanner in the works for BodyPaint!

ZBrush was damn good money well spent!

AbnRanger

06-10-2009, 10:17 AM

...could be very useful, and potentially very imberassing...I can see some underhanded pr0n kings putting tags like 'car, fabric, house, transportation, metal' in their "candy photos"Well, that would be a bonus for Jin, if they did :D

AbnRanger

06-10-2009, 10:19 AM

Which is "Love Island" by Fatboy Slim... in case anyone want's to bop with us. :DThanks...I love his song "Right Here, Right Now"

Dexter2999

06-10-2009, 11:29 AM

well, if they don't have web access, they didn't see that video. and they won't be able to upgrade. heck, for that matter, they won't know about the upgrade.

jin
Well, I watched the video because I'm at home.
When I go to work. I have limited access and IT has a strict "no streaming" policy. They also have a running list of sites we aren't allowed to visit.
Then I go to my graphics and editing stations which aren't allowed on the LAN at all because IT insists on being the Admin on all LAN computers.

So this "super cool" feature holds no allure to me at all because even if I persuaded my supervisor to buy it, that functionality...isn't functional and won't be.

Ah, the joys of working for a multi billion dollar corporate goliath.

lwaddict

06-10-2009, 11:49 AM

Really? No web access?

I'd talk to the boss...
this is going to be constrictive as time goes by, if not already.

Although this tool probably allows you to scour your own libraries,
it'd be rockin' to go through Google Images when needed to get what you want, when you want it.

And updates...
etc.

lwaddict

06-10-2009, 11:50 AM

"Ah, the joys of working for a multi billion dollar corporate goliath."

And yes, I used to work for just such a company...
with similiar restrictions...
funny how it was a major computer corp and they didn't fully understand the ramifications of their own rules sometimes.

jin choung

06-10-2009, 05:24 PM

well, you can show the it department all the advantages by showing them this video... then, maybe they can partition out a less restrictive zone for artists computers....

jin

UnCommonGrafx

06-10-2009, 06:20 PM

Dang...
That was inspiring. Can't wait for that update.

borkus

06-10-2009, 09:20 PM

When did pixologic buy the rights of Stargate?......

Silkrooster

06-10-2009, 11:54 PM

well, if they don't have web access, they didn't see that video. and they won't be able to upgrade. heck, for that matter, they won't know about the upgrade.

jin
I was thinking the same thing.
[rant]
Oh goodie, yet another Flash video made with no way to adjust the volume, only to mute it entirely.

Thats a bit petty isn't it? I have yet found a need to use the volume control on any app or plugin. The one provided by windows works just fine.

beverins

06-11-2009, 02:34 PM

You know.. looking at the idea of the GoZ application.... Seems like it might even be useful as a go-between if it truly preserves surface information. Basically, the whole point of the GoZ demo there was how it can seamlessly send models and maps back and forth... but what they didn't show was if you could send the same model to multiple apps.

i.e. - Start your model in Modo, GoZ to Zbrush and do what you need to do, then GoZ to Maya with everything intact... then for the hell of it, GoZ back to Modo with everything intact. Then you MDD your animation data from Maya to Modo. Or whatever. I guess we'll see when its released.

lwaddict

06-12-2009, 10:44 AM

I want some of whatever beverins' on.

You should send the Z-Z's this idea so they can make sure to test it.
It's a lucid look forward...sometimes the engineers can get stuck looking at what's in front of them, they might have missed this.

beverins

06-12-2009, 11:30 AM

I find I can use Vue Xstream in a similar way, actually. Kludgey? absolutely.

lwaddict

06-13-2009, 09:27 AM

Well, Vue was a promise of glory on high since version 5...

it's just barely starting to work with Lightwave, or any 3d app, as promised (well, a little bit more than ever before).

ZBrush...I've yet to have any issue with other than the workflow. But that crazy app works.

IMI

06-13-2009, 01:06 PM

I was thinking the same thing.

Thats a bit petty isn't it? I have yet found a need to use the volume control on any app or plugin. The one provided by windows works just fine.

I don't think it's petty. As I said, I don't *like* to have to adjust my entire system volume, which is what using the Windows slider does. I use my EQ controls for music and games and the WMP/QT/VLC controls for videos.
I like to have my overall system volume stay at one setting and not have to touch it.
Even though my keyboard has a volume control on it too, which acts directly on the Windows slider.
So maybe I am petty. Lazy, too. :D

cresshead

06-13-2009, 09:13 PM

i simply cannot imagine what will be in zbrush 4.0...but i will say i believe it will move sculpting apps back into focus at siggy 2009 and remember this is another free update...which in the ecconomic climate is simply fantastic to see happen.

with spotlight, lightbox, decimation master, goZ,3d print exporter and the extra goodies the mac version already has [persp grid for example] we have a small hint at what ZB4.0 will roll out..i'm guessing those shown so far are not the major things arriving in 4.0!

IMI

06-14-2009, 04:22 AM

What you mention is great of course, but I'm really only hoping for two things. Two things only, and as far as I'm concerned, I don't care if it has nothing else besides these:

*Ability to paint across multiple materials using multiple texture maps with (or without) overlapping or multiple UVs in the same model, ala Deep Paint 3D.
EDIT-(And to subsequently be able to create normal and displacement maps for these same models)
I might add that DeepPaint 3D was able to paint on a model with multple maps/UVs nearly ten years ago, so it's not like it's some exotic new technology. ;)
* Hold down a button on my Wacom pen while dragging to zoom in on the model. Dolly, not document zoom.

The idea of alt+drag+release+drag for dollying has got to be the single most idiotic event in 3D model/scene/document navigation history. It would make for a great joke if it were not true. And then to make matters worse, it was decided there would be no way to change the way to dolly, no way to assign other methods or hotkeys.

IMO though the above are pretty huge things, at least for me they are. I'd love to be able to say I've gotten use to ZBrush's bizarre navigation, and I have to a certain extent, but no, not entirely, not ever.

EDIT-
3d Connexion support would be great too.

Red_Oddity

06-14-2009, 04:49 AM

I don't think it's petty. As I said, I don't *like* to have to adjust my entire system volume, which is what using the Windows slider does. I use my EQ controls for music and games and the WMP/QT/VLC controls for videos.
I like to have my overall system volume stay at one setting and not have to touch it.
Even though my keyboard has a volume control on it too, which acts directly on the Windows slider.
So maybe I am petty. Lazy, too. :D

Try Flashmute : http://www.indev.no/?p=projects
It also allows you to tweak the overal flash audio level (i often find Flash video tends to have the volume and levels comrpessed the hell out of and thus sound twice as loud as anything else on my system)

IMI

06-14-2009, 05:02 AM

Ahh, thanks Red Oddity, I'll have to check that out. :)

cresshead

06-14-2009, 07:54 AM

jasonwestmas

06-14-2009, 08:56 AM

IMI

06-14-2009, 02:26 PM

i don't have an issue with the +alt key nav of zbrush...also you can hold down spacebar and then use the popup h.u.d. to zoom/rotate select a brush also..

i would like to see space navigator support though!

Well I kinda do have an issue with it.
For example, if you are zoomed way in on a model to the point where you have no open space around it, the only way then to zoom back out (or rotate around) is to press F to re-frame it. But that re-centers the whole thing, when maybe I just wanted to back out a little bit, or rotate slightly. And then I have to zoom back in to get back where I wanted to be.
Because if you use your pen or mouse on anything but empty screen space, you end up painting or sculpting, when all you want to do is rotate or zoom slightly. That irritates the hell out of me, but not just in that case. I just can't get entirely used to the idea of having to:
1 Hold down the alt key
2 Drag slightly
3 Release the alt key while still pressed down on the tablet
4 Drag to be able to zoom

That's just stupid. Fine, maybe it works for some people, but IMHO what makes it even worse is that they locked the user out of being able to change that by disallowing any custom methods to be assigned by the user. Why can't I simply hold down the Z key (or any other of my choosing), for example, to zoom?
IMO, if you're going to create some bizarro, totally non "industry-standard" method for something, you should at least allow for the user to change it if he wants to.
I've been dealing with it for a good while now, but it still irks the hell outta me. It's just not a natural series of motions, it feels all wrong to me. I should be concentrating on working on my project, not fighting the navigation tools.

BTW, note that in this case I'm using the word "zoom" to mean camera dolly, and not document zoom, which is a different thing entirely.

EDIT-
The popup h.u.d doesn't have zoom in it, not in my version at least and not in your screen capture either. And if it did, it would probably be document zoom, not camera dolly. ;)

cresshead

06-14-2009, 02:59 PM

Well I kinda do have an issue with it.
For example, if you are zoomed way in on a model to the point where you have no open space around it, the only way then to zoom back out (or rotate around) is to press F to re-frame it. But that re-centers the whole thing, when maybe I just wanted to back out a little bit, or rotate slightly. And then I have to zoom back in to get back where I wanted to be.
Because if you use your pen or mouse on anything but empty screen space, you end up painting or sculpting, when all you want to do is rotate or zoom slightly. That irritates the hell out of me, but not just in that case. I just can't get entirely used to the idea of having to:
1 Hold down the alt key
2 Drag slightly
3 Release the alt key while still pressed down on the tablet
4 Drag to be able to zoom

That's just stupid. Fine, maybe it works for some people, but IMHO what makes it even worse is that they locked the user out of being able to change that by disallowing any custom methods to be assigned by the user. Why can't I simply hold down the Z key (or any other of my choosing), for example, to zoom?
IMO, if you're going to create some bizarro, totally non "industry-standard" method for something, you should at least allow for the user to change it if he wants to.
I've been dealing with it for a good while now, but it still irks the hell outta me. It's just not a natural series of motions, it feels all wrong to me. I should be concentrating on working on my project, not fighting the navigation tools.

BTW, note that in this case I'm using the word "zoom" to mean camera dolly, and not document zoom, which is a different thing entirely.

EDIT-
The popup h.u.d doesn't have zoom in it, not in my version at least and not in your screen capture either. And if it did, it would probably be document zoom, not camera dolly. ;)

let me explain...:hey:

camera, zoom,rotate and scale

camera in zbrush> there isn't one.

zoom in zbrush refers to zooming in/out of the canvas/document not the tool so that if you zoom in it will eventially see the pixels of the document...i hardly EVER use zoom at all.

view scale...re sizes the tool and subtools all together at once uniformally and there's 3 ways to scale>

1.the dedicated button on the right,
2.using the hot key alt in the viewport but not over the model
3.the spacebar hot key that throws up the h.u.d

if your tight in on your model so that the whole view is of the model with no 'space' around it to use the hot key combo of alt to scale in out or rotate then use the scale button on the right or if you want to not have to move your pen all the way over then use the spacebar to throw up the hud and rotate/scale right under where your pen is...

zbrush is different...:D
it's not a 3d app, it's a 2.5d app

jasonwestmas

06-14-2009, 03:17 PM

IMI

06-14-2009, 03:19 PM

OK thanks, so it's actually scale, not zoom or dolly.
Yes, I know ZB has no camera in a traditional sense, but I had to call it *something* and wanted to differentiate from document zoom, which I don't use either.
I guess we could argue about that, but I don't wanna - it's like the whole 2.5D vs. 3D thing and "are they polygons or not?" Not worth an argument over technicalities. ;)

Still though, anything would be better than the above for zooming/scaling/dollying/whatever.
Give me a choice, dammit! Ctrl+Alt+Shift+drag, for example, or anything, ANYTHING but alt-drag-release-drag...

IMI

06-14-2009, 03:21 PM

You can still pan and zoom on the grey area outside of the viewport using the same method even if the model fills the whole viewport. It's a new feature.

Hmm.. I never noticed that. Probably because I never have any gray area, since I always resize my document way on up to fill all that space.
But you're right, so thanks. :)

cresshead

06-14-2009, 03:29 PM

IMI

06-14-2009, 03:45 PM

try the spacebar hud or the dedicated button in the u.i. i don't use the alt letgo way hardly ever as it's 'twitchy' i want a controlled way to scale in/out like what the hud and dedicated buttons give you already..

I'll give that a try during my next ZB session. I've been working in ZB for the last few hours all through all this b1tching - which is why I've been b1tching. ;)
I'm kind of over it by this point, but I'll give your method a try, so, thanks again. :)

jasonwestmas

06-14-2009, 03:49 PM

I'll give that a try during my next ZB session. I've been working in ZB for the last few hours all through all this b1tching - which is why I've been b1tching. ;)
I'm kind of over it by this point, but I'll give your method a try, so, thanks again. :)

Sometimes it just takes some time to get into that "Groooove". Yeah!

IMI

06-14-2009, 11:14 PM

Silkrooster

06-14-2009, 11:23 PM

I have heard some tutorials pronounce the Z as zed. I just assumed it was a European thing. :D

cresshead

06-14-2009, 11:26 PM

i call it ZEE brush..

IMI

06-14-2009, 11:27 PM

Right..
It's funny because just a few minutes after asking that I saw your new Blender video and got my question answered. ;)

jasonwestmas

06-15-2009, 07:49 AM

i call it ZEE brush..

you liar. . .lol ;) you only do that for us north americans.

cresshead

06-15-2009, 12:31 PM

THE thing i'm looking forward to most with ZB4.0 is the new licencing system...i've had a **** of a weekend with both installs of zbrush going what's it's up....
my workstaion's install is still not working properly..currently on 7 day trial...yeah right!...dumbo softlock...was due to a restore point...all my other software locked software is robust enough not to fall over...not zbrush...bang gone!

also my tablet laptop's install fell over too which meant NO zbrush all weekend...i just sussed out THAT was due to automatic update on windows turning BACK ON u.a.c which then will not allow zbrush o work...turned that off again...so zbrush now working on the tablet pc...

just need my workstation's zbrush back fully....

i hear that pixologic are moving back to their own softlock system raher than the 3rd party one they use for zbrush 3.0

zbrush 2.0 has NEVER fallen over so i hope it works like that!

with all the downtime on zbrush over the weekend i DID fianlly have a look at Blender and how to use that for sculpting now the weekend's c.g. was not a total wipeout!
blender vid>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8QZmw_Da7s

dballesg

06-15-2009, 01:17 PM

THE thing i'm looking forward to most with ZB4.0 is the new licencing system...i've had a **** of a weekend with both installs of zbrush going what's it's up....
my workstaion's install is still not working properly..currently on 7 day trial...yeah right!...dumbo softlock...was due to a restore point...all my other software locked software is robust enough not to fall over...not zbrush...bang gone!

Tell me that! :) I have a RAID installed and that make the new system fail 50% of the times you run ZBrush.

Suddenly a new windows installation and a new code provided for them made the trick and now is working. So fingers crossed.

also my tablet laptop's install fell over too which meant NO zbrush all weekend...i just sussed out THAT was due to automatic update on windows turning BACK ON u.a.c which then will not allow zbrush o work...turned that off again...so zbrush now working on the tablet pc...

just need my workstation's zbrush back fully....

That is weird, I have the UAC active on my machine and ZBrush runs fine with it on. Remember always to Run As Administrator the FIRST time you install it.

i hear that pixologic are moving back to their own softlock system raher than the 3rd party one they use for zbrush 3.0

It was time they decided to dump that system.

akademus

06-15-2009, 02:37 PM

Hey Cress,
When you say the name of ZBrush out loud do you say "Zee Brush" or "Zed Brush"?
Just curious. ;)
I think Zed is Australian English for the letter Z, but I'm not sure if it's also British English, or if I have that backwards.

I call it both ways. Sometimes Zed, sometimes zee, depends on occasion. When I want to sound serious I say Zed, but when I want to sound cool I say zeeein' is believein' bro!

IMI

06-18-2009, 11:19 PM

"Zed" sounds more serious? I'll have to remember that. I wouldn't want to appear too unprofessional if I ever talk to people about Zbrush in Australia. ;)

***************

Anyhow, since I'm..errmm... ZedBrushing right now I though of a few other things:

For one, I don't like the opening screen. Pick one of the "ZTool" models shown, start a new document or hit Esc for "other". Why should I have to do that? Why can't it just open and *then* I decide what to do?
And as for the initial selection of ZTools, it seems they have to be in the main ZTools directory. No sub-directories allowed. And you only get so many, before the more recent replace previous ones.
For that matter, if ZB HAS to ask me what to do on startup, it should present me with a list of recent files. That would be useful. What they have, is not useful. I want to work on my own stuff, not DemoSoldier or SuperAverageMan.
But if I want to do that, they have to be in that main ZTools directory, which goes against every fiber of my organizational instincts; I want my stuff in neatly arranged folders of my own making, and named accordingly, exempli gratia, "ZTools\MyCrap\Critters\RoadkillKitty\Rk_Kitty_v01. ztl, RkKitty_v02.ztl...."

And then there's the whole idea of calling the models "tools". I can understand it's related to lathe work or something like that, and that's fine, but this isn't lathing and not real world. They're models. 3D models, or 2.5D if you will. The brush is the tool, the thing that acts upon the model. I don't mow my mower with my lawn, or brush my toothbrush with my teeth, either. ;)
And if the model is the tool, then what is the brush?

Oh and when I tell it to go color->texture I want it to politely ask me what size I would like that texture to be and then build it. Not some convoluted method which results in fourteen 1024x1024 image maps before I remember all 83 steps you have to go through in exact order to get a 2K map.

The default document is too small. In any event I should be able to say THIS is the size I want my default document to be, so please remember it and trouble me no more.
And the fact that your maps are flipped on V by default is just ludicrous. Who thought that one up, and does he still do alot of acid?

That is all... for now. ;)

cresshead

06-19-2009, 12:05 AM

let's see what zbrush 4 brings!...

hopefully a user defined canvas size, user content dir setup, i really don't mind calling the objects 'tools' or sub tools for that matter...re texture size...yeah that's annoying and twitchy...

august is not far away!

IMI

06-19-2009, 06:42 AM

Yeah, I know...we'll wait and see what ZB 4 brings. Hopefully these things have been pointed out by others.
I don't really care what they call the models. It's just that at first "tools" kinda threw me. It's just one of those WTF things. It's not gonna ruin my day if they keep calling them tools though. ;)

I thought of another one - you can do a smoothing operation with any brush at any time by holding down the shift key. But it won't smooth at the rate of the setting of the brush you're using, but at the sensitivity of the actual smooth brush, which by default is at 100%.
So if you want light smoothing for all brushes you use, you have to first make sure the actual Smooth Brush is set low, like maybe 10-25%.
100%, IMO is way too high for a default setting.
That is, unless there is a way to set defaults somewhere else that apply to all brushes. I haven't really figured out the brush options palette yet. The recent Intro to ZB 3 training by Ryan Kingslien has a chapter on the brush palette, but I don't remember it saying anything about being able to globally set defaults.

jin choung

06-25-2009, 02:17 AM

think there will be goZ for lw?

unless they make it truly open enough so that anyone can get the sdk and some enterprising waver makes one -

no.

jin

IMI

06-25-2009, 06:16 AM

unless they make it truly open enough so that anyone can get the sdk and some enterprising waver makes one -

no.

jin

Please 'splain. Who do you mean by "they"? Newtek? I would figure it would be up to Pixologic to develop the plugin?

I read on the GoZ page that other applications were soon to come, soon to be supported, something like that, and was encouraged, thinking maybe....just maybe for once, LW isn't being left out in the cold...

I think it listed Maya and Max and C4D and maybe Softimage. Can't remember. But the funny thing is, LW is actually more friendly to ZB normal and displacement maps than maya, at least. I have a few videos, from Gnomon and From Digital Tutors showing the integration twixt ZB and Maya, and there are quite a few hurdles, quite a few obstacles and steps to take to get around the problems. And it's still not perfect. Don't know about max. It seems pretty straightforward and simple in Softimage.

But in spite of the fact that LW natively seeks to thwart every effort at utilizing anything from ZB, once you learn a few tricks and standards, it's quite easy and far less problematic than, say Maya.

So if nobody makes a GoZ for LW, but there's one in place for Maya, it's something of an irony, IMO. I imagine that the GoZ plugin for Maya will be automatically optimized for Maya.. but then again, in Ryan Kingslien's recent ZB videos, he flat out says that the best you can do with ZB stuff in Maya is "close enough", because of certain quirks, bugs, or otherwise restrictions Maya or Mental Ray has.

Just this one thing, just this one time. I think the Universe owes us one, just one. LW gets ignored entirely by everybody, so I think it's about time. We *deserve* GoZ for LW. ;)

cresshead

06-25-2009, 08:13 AM

goZ for core.

Philbert

06-25-2009, 12:07 PM

Funny thing I noticed about that ZEE / ZED thing. If you know the series, Stargate Atlantis (http://www.hulu.com/stargate-atlantis) each of the characters wears an arm band with the flag from the country they come from. Rodney for example, has a Canadian flag. They have a device in this show called a ZPM (Zero Point Module) which gets talked about very frequently. So you can watch which characters from which countries say Zee or Zed.

Anyway back on topic. Has anyone questioned the legality of ZB including a web image search inside their program? I mean sure, pretty much everyone does it, but this is a company not only allowing, but encouraging it.

jin choung

06-25-2009, 02:41 PM

goZ for core.

imi,

this is why i doubt there will be a goz for core unless newtek or a lw user has access to the goz sdk and does it himself.

why support 9.6? when it is an end of line product?

and they CAN'T support core because the goz sdk will be more finished than the core sdk (or core itself!) is!

i don't KNOW... but i doubt it.

jin

jin choung

06-25-2009, 11:28 PM

oops, that last post doesn't make sense...

first part should read:

"this is why i doubt there will be a goz for LW 9.6"

jin

IMI

06-26-2009, 03:11 AM

Oh I see what you mean now, Jin. I should have noticed that the first time. You didn't say it wrong, I just read it wrong. Yeah, I guess access to the ZB SDK would be a must.

But by the way they said support for more apps coming soon, I took that to mean that they (meaning Pixologic) were working on it. If so, I would hope they wouldn't ignore LW, and realize that there are an awful lot of 'wavers using LW 9.x with Zbrush, who won't be going CORE any time soon.
Current LW may be an almost dead product, but CORE isn't going to replace it any time soon.

hrgiger

06-26-2009, 01:06 PM

The SDK for CORE will be available soon (take that term soon loosely-no specific date we're looking at but it will be long before the first version of CORE is released) so it's possible that Pixologic may add CORE as another program that GoZ works with.
I can't see why support for 9.6 would happen. 9.6 doesn't exactly cut through millions of displaced polygons like a hot knife through butter and I don't see that limitation going away ever. And as Imi pointed out, 9.6's lifetime is limited.

TeZzy

06-26-2009, 02:19 PM

Anyway back on topic. Has anyone questioned the legality of ZB including a web image search inside their program? I mean sure, pretty much everyone does it, but this is a company not only allowing, but encouraging it.

doesn't core have a function like this?...not specifically image search but web browsing......

hrgiger

06-26-2009, 03:26 PM

doesn't core have a function like this?...not specifically image search but web browsing......

Yes.

gordonrobb

06-27-2009, 05:03 AM

I can't see why support for 9.6 would happen. 9.6 doesn't exactly cut through millions of displaced polygons like a hot knife through butter and I don't see that limitation going away ever. And as Imi pointed out, 9.6's lifetime is limited.

Well since ZB4 is supposed to be released in August, and Core Q4 (could be December) there will be a 4-5 month gap when people could easily decide to go for Modo for this functionality. Plus, I am sure that 9.6 will remain peoples LW of choice for some time. I would be dissapointed if no one in LW is looking at GoZ for 9.6 to be honest.

jin choung

06-27-2009, 05:10 AM

doesn't core have a function like this?...not specifically image search but web browsing......

in terms of web browsing, so does maya. nobody uses it. at least not for web browsing... there's other functionality for using the browser windows as feedbacks for controller picker and stuff but nobody uses a maya window to browse the web... why would you for cryin' out loud.

but that's why the implementation in zb - specifically to turn the web into an image library is such a revelation.

anyway, the only way goz is gonna get lw support (for either 9.6 or core) is by direct elbow grease from lw folk. cuz for various reasons, neither 9.6 OR core are appealing targets for third party apps now.

jin

IMI

06-27-2009, 06:16 AM

Well since ZB4 is supposed to be released in August, and Core Q4 (could be December) there will be a 4-5 month gap when people could easily decide to go for Modo for this functionality. Plus, I am sure that 9.6 will remain peoples LW of choice for some time. I would be dissapointed if no one in LW is looking at GoZ for 9.6 to be honest.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was saying (aside from the Modo part).

I do though agree with those who say there will probably not be a GoZ for 9.6, but not for the same reasons. My reasons are because nobody cares about LW users, and the Universe has it in for us. ;-)

But I don't think the fact that 9.6 is the end of the road for LW as we know it will be the main reason. If Pixologic doesn't give us a GoZ for LW 9.6 and says it's because they're waiting for CORE, they're lying. It's because they can't help it - the inner voices tell them not to, Autodesk and Luxology have paid them not to... Or their memories of LW's existence have been wiped clean by the same mysterious forces which seek to oppress 'wavers the world over, and therefore they're not even aware they're leaving something out...

OTOH, the sick and twisted side of me thinks it would be absolutely hilarious to see GoZ released for every app BUT LW, including Poser, Anim8or and NotePad. ;)

But the real reason we won't have GoZ is certainly not due to a lack of interest or lack of need for it.

cresshead

06-28-2009, 07:34 AM

i think GoZ will appear for LightwaveHC but not for lightwave 9.6
that will add a little more leaverage to people thinking about adding a hard core account

gordonrobb

06-28-2009, 07:56 AM

But I thought it was up to Newtek to get GoZ working, not pixologic?

IMI

06-28-2009, 08:20 AM

But I thought it was up to Newtek to get GoZ working, not pixologic?

I'm not sure what's up with it.
From the Zbrush Central GoZ Page (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=071414):

With a single click of a button, GoZ lets you quickly transfer your geometry back and forth between ZBrush and other 3D application like Maya, Cinema 4D, and Modo, with many other applications soon to come.

It's that "with many other applications soon to come" part that makes it sound to me like Pixologic is doing it.
If LW 9.6 isn't included in that list of "many other applications", then what is? They already mentioned Maya, Modo and C4D, so that leaves Max, Softimage, Blender, LW.... and whatever else is out there.
So if only the four others I mentioned here get GoZ, I would hardly classify that as "many other applications". I'd call that "a few more applications".
So if there truly are "many other applications soon to come", I would think LW 9.6 would have to be in that list, unless "many" means "just a few" in Zbrushese. Wouldn't surprise me though, considering how weird everything else about ZB is. ;)

And if they're referring to CORE, I'd hardly call that "soon to come". We don't even know if CORE 1.0 will be able to render on its own. I'm ASSuming the rendering will be done with this mysterious form of "LightWave 3D" that Chuck mentioned, which I would think won't be so far removed from LW 9.6 to disallow GoZ functionality for regular 9.6.

Of course, this is all speculation...

gordonrobb

06-28-2009, 10:02 AM

Hey, I'm right with you. I want it to be coming SOON with 9.6. I had just got the view from this site that it was down to each application's manufacturer to sort out the plug in functionality. I hope not, cause then we might get it.

IMI

06-28-2009, 01:40 PM

Well I guess we'll have to wait and see.
I could spend all day rationalizing and speculating why LW 9.6 should get GoZ, why spontaneous generation might be correct, or why I should be rich by now. ;)

cresshead

06-29-2009, 10:31 AM

whoooooosh!

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=072510

yeah baby!

IMI

06-29-2009, 12:13 PM

Cool video, but it got cut off before they got to the LightWave part. ;)

cresshead

06-29-2009, 12:51 PM

Cool video, but it got cut off before they got to the LightWave part. ;)

sorry your reply got cut off before you managed to type LightwaveHC:devil:

:D

IMI

06-29-2009, 12:54 PM

Why would I type LightwaveHC when it's going to be called CORE or LightWave CORE? :D

cresshead

06-29-2009, 01:13 PM

Why would I type LightwaveHC when it's going to be called CORE or LightWave CORE? :D

your missing part of the plot arn't you!:)

IMI

06-29-2009, 01:29 PM

your missing part of the plot arn't you!:)

No, I didn't miss the point, I got it.

And I should have complimented you earlier on a truly excellent comeback, too. :bowdown:

IMI

06-29-2009, 01:31 PM

But back to the topic, that looks awesome, the way it's working with Maya in that video.
It's also probably going to have the unintended side effect of forcing AutoCra... errm, Autodesk to make Mudbox better.

cresshead

06-29-2009, 02:20 PM

IMI

06-29-2009, 09:27 PM

I figured you'd enjoy that. :D

Alright, I'm now officially tired of waiting for ZB 4 and I demand its immediate release.

jin choung

06-29-2009, 09:35 PM

frankly i'm surprised they went with modo.

especially since modo was trying so hard to supplant zb with its own sculpting workflow....

alas, that leaves softimage and max and perhaps blender before it makes enough sense (business and common) to tackle lw (either the "has been" or "will be" versions... : | )

jin

IMI

06-29-2009, 09:41 PM

frankly i'm surprised they went with modo.

Yeah I missed the modo part first time, but you're right.
All just part of screwing with LW'ers, I think. ;)

Hey did anyone else notice that this time they put a volume slider on the video? I wonder if maybe I wasn't the only one to complain? ;)

cresshead

07-04-2009, 11:51 AM

some instructional vids out now for goz and maya, modo and cinema now it's released.

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=581773#post581773

IMI

07-04-2009, 02:12 PM

some instructional vids out now for goz and maya, modo and cinema now it's released.

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=581773#post581773

Nice!
But...."released"? I'd hardly call it released. Sure, for Mac it's released...
Oh well, I guess now I know how the Mac people feel most of the time. ;)

cresshead

07-31-2009, 09:16 AM

zbrush 3.5 is next to arrive in august/september THEN zbrush 4.0 in Q4
looks like pixologic are extending the GoZ aspect and maybe also fixing some issues that came up for the mac users in regards goz as well as the new tools in 3.5

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=073517

IMI

08-01-2009, 06:02 PM

Bummer... I guess.
Of course it's a good thing that they want it to be right, and right from the beginning, but I was really looking forward to it.
I also was hoping for an early August release, but it won't be until the end of August now, and for only ZB 3.5.
Oh well.

IMI

08-02-2009, 03:26 PM

Hey Steve, do you know if ZB 3.5/4.0 will use all available CPU cores for calculating normal and displacement maps?
Unless I have it set up wrong, ZB 3.1 seems to be using only one core for the creation of those types of maps.

cresshead

08-04-2009, 11:08 AM

PaintStop came out yeasterday for zbrush...go get it!

IMI

08-04-2009, 11:29 AM

Ooh, that looks neat!
Thanks for the heads up. :thumbsup:

Downloading now...
You tried it yet?

jasonwestmas

08-04-2009, 11:46 AM

Paintstop? Yaaaay! Gonna plaaaayyy!

cresshead

08-04-2009, 12:52 PM

Ooh, that looks neat!
Thanks for the heads up. :thumbsup:

Downloading now...
You tried it yet?

just a quick play
double post..oops!

cresshead

08-04-2009, 12:53 PM

Ooh, that looks neat!
Thanks for the heads up. :thumbsup:

Downloading now...
You tried it yet?

just a quick play so far.

jasonwestmas

08-04-2009, 01:43 PM

It's super straight forward. Kinda wish there was more control over the brushes but it will work for most things since there are so many brushes. Paint Stop is very very neat and practical. I wish is was integrated better with projection painting on models but it will still work ok.

lwaddict

08-04-2009, 03:03 PM

Works well with a pen tablet.

And it was free so "yeah baby" :thumbsup:

IMI

08-04-2009, 07:30 PM

I only had about 10 minutes time to play with it, but I can't wait to get back to it. Seems very cool, and you certainly can't beat Free. :thumbsup:

It seems you can only use it in 2D on a canvas though. I was hoping there was a way to use it on a model in 3D.

jasonwestmas

08-04-2009, 07:59 PM

I was hoping there was a way to use it on a model in 3D.

Well you can but you'll have to create your painted image and then use it with the Zproject tool or the stencil paint stuff in 3DC or Mbox. :D

IMI

08-13-2009, 01:25 PM

Zspheres 2 coming with ZBrush 3.5 apparently. That was a surprise, and something I definitely didn't see coming. I *love* zsphere modeling - there's really nothing else like it. It was the most confusing thing I ever came across at first, but that cleared up real quick. :thumbsup:

We'll still be waiting until Q4 for GoZ though, but I wonder what else they're holding out on us? ;)

Anyone know if GoZ will work with Modo 302? I'm not interested in upgrading to Modo 401... but I might have to if that's what it takes to be able to use GoZ.

IMI

08-19-2009, 11:16 AM

Well 3.5 still isn't there for download yet.
I thought they said the end of August?
I always pay my car insurance at the end of the month, and I just did that, so it must be the end of the month. If I can be on schedule, Pixologic sure can too.
It's very irritating when people are late on a promise. ;)

gordonrobb

08-19-2009, 11:28 AM

Am I missing something? It's not the end of August yet. I make it another 12 days.

IMI

08-19-2009, 11:29 AM

Am I missing something? It's not the end of August yet. I make it another 12 days.

Technicalities. It's close enough as far as I'm concerned. :D

kfinla

08-19-2009, 01:53 PM

Expect it midnight August 31st and not a minute sooner.

IMI

08-19-2009, 09:41 PM

Expect it midnight August 31st and not a minute sooner.

You can bet I'll be there, hitting the refresh button until it breaks. ;)

cresshead

08-24-2009, 12:14 AM

not long to wait now...just a few days

gordonrobb

08-24-2009, 03:07 AM

We hope! I can't wait to try out ZSpheres 2. Unfortunately will not be able to try GoZ :(

cresshead

08-24-2009, 04:26 AM

We hope! I can't wait to try out ZSpheres 2. Unfortunately will not be able to try GoZ :(

why can't you use Goz?

3..5 might work with lightwave...who knows...:)

IMI

08-24-2009, 05:14 AM

why can't you use Goz?

3..5 might work with lightwave...who knows...:)

I'm hoping it at least works with modo 302. I don't know if it was designed for Modo 302 or 401, and I don't have any urge to upgrade to 401. I don't think GoZ would change my mind about that either.

Of course it would be totally excellent if it somehow, magically worked with LW. :)

But... 3.5 isn't going to have GoZ at all, just some fixes (I assume) and the ZSpheres 2 thingy.

gordonrobb

08-24-2009, 07:37 AM

why can't you use Goz?

3..5 might work with lightwave...who knows...:)

I hope that smiley means you were joking, rather than you actually think that this might be the case. Do you? Do you think it might? Pleeeaaase let it. Sigh!

artstorm

08-24-2009, 07:39 AM

But... 3.5 isn't going to have GoZ at all, just some fixes (I assume) and the ZSpheres 2 thingy.

oh, but 3.5 will have GoZ, from http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=73517 :
"Version 3.5 will have all the features of ZBrush 3.2 -- including GoZ -- as well as additional refinements. "

gordonrobb

08-24-2009, 07:44 AM

My understanding was that the feature it wouldn't have is Lightbox.

cresshead

08-24-2009, 08:38 AM

and some as yet unheard of features too.....

i read somewhere the modo302 has goz btw.

IMI

08-24-2009, 08:43 AM

Interesting. I could have sworn I read Goz was put on hold til ZB 4.
Well, that's great news that it will be in ZB 3.5!

IMI

08-24-2009, 08:46 AM

i read somewhere the modo302 has goz btw.

Thank you, very good.
I wonder if the model saved out from modo 302 as .lwo would translate the normal and displacement maps correctly. Probably not, what do you think?

EDIT-
Nah, it couldn't since the normal map would have to be in a LW node, which modo can't do. Maybe the displacement though, since LW doesn't technically need a node for that?

meatycheesyboy

08-24-2009, 11:52 AM

and some as yet unheard of features too.....

i read somewhere the modo302 has goz btw.

and here is where you probably read it:

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=581783&highlight=goz+modo+302#post581783

"Q: I can send my work from my application to ZBrush, but when I go to send it back from ZBrush to the other application nothing happens.

A: If ZBrush can not find your GoZ-enabled application or if you have multiple versions of a GoZ-enabled application, (such as Modo 302 and Modo 401, or Maya 2008 and Maya 2009), you may need to specify your preferred target applications. To do so... download the appropriate zip file (attached at the bottom of this post), unzip it and run the included application. This will allow you to select the target application.
Currently the supported versions are: Modo 302,Modo 401, Maya 2008, Maya 2009, Cinema 4D 10, Cinema 4D 10.5, Cinema 4D 11.
Note: Other versions of these applications may work correctly but have not been tested for GoZ compatibility. "

pumeco

08-24-2009, 03:13 PM

ZBrush seriously never ceases to amaze me, and I love those new ZSpheres!

IMI

08-24-2009, 04:25 PM

and here is where you probably read it:

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=581783&highlight=goz+modo+302#post581783

"Q: I can send my work from my application to ZBrush, but when I go to send it back from ZBrush to the other application nothing happens.

A: If ZBrush can not find your GoZ-enabled application or if you have multiple versions of a GoZ-enabled application, (such as Modo 302 and Modo 401, or Maya 2008 and Maya 2009), you may need to specify your preferred target applications. To do so... download the appropriate zip file (attached at the bottom of this post), unzip it and run the included application. This will allow you to select the target application.
Currently the supported versions are: Modo 302,Modo 401, Maya 2008, Maya 2009, Cinema 4D 10, Cinema 4D 10.5, Cinema 4D 11.
Note: Other versions of these applications may work correctly but have not been tested for GoZ compatibility. "

Thanks much for the info.

I'm still a little surprised why it's only Modo, Maya, and Cinema. I can see why there's no Lightwave - because we're not cool enough for GoZ. ;)
But I'm surprised Max and Softimage aren't on that list, what with them being Autodesk products like Maya is. Max not being there especially surprises me, considering how many game studios use it.

artstorm

08-24-2009, 05:32 PM

But I'm surprised Max and Softimage aren't on that list, what with them being Autodesk products like Maya is. Max not being there especially surprises me, considering how many game studios use it.

That's probably because GoZ currently is only available for ZBrush on MacOS, and the apps currently supported is 3D apps with a Mac version. I bet at least Max will be added to that list when ZB3.5 is released and with that we get GoZ on Windows as well.

IMI

08-25-2009, 04:21 AM

That's probably because GoZ currently is only available for ZBrush on MacOS, and the apps currently supported is 3D apps with a Mac version. I bet at least Max will be added to that list when ZB3.5 is released and with that we get GoZ on Windows as well.

I really hope you're right about that, although there are many who insist that it makes no sense for anyone to get GoZ into LightWave, what with CORE around the corner in... 2, 3, 4 years... It's a very wide corner. ;)
I'm not one of them. I think it makes sense for them to have it now, and even if it doesn't make sense from a business standpoint (which I think it does, though), it makes sense just to make us ZB users happy.

The fact that Newtek has said nothing - zip, zilch, nada - about GoZ isn't a particularly good sign, though. I'm actually surprised about that. I would think we sort of deserve a statement to the effect of whether they're going to be working on it or not.

EDIT:
PS, can anyone here tell me how to change my document window background color in ZBrush 3.1? I did it once accidentally, but can't figure it out now.
I'm hoping ZBrush 4 makes some options like that a little simpler and has options for things like setting a default document size. Actually I'd like to also be able to save a whole "scene" out, and be able to combine the current UI setting along with the document and the ztool all in one "save as" command.
Would also be nice if OBJ import weren't such an ordeal, requiring all kinds of bizarro steps just to get an object in along with another object, in the same relative size and location as it is in a model in LW or any other 3D app. Having to draw it out in the document after loading it is getting kinda old.

And here's to hoping ZB 4 is fully multithreaded (and hyperthreaded), including being able to use up to at least 4 cores of a CPU for making normal, cavity, and displacement maps. :beerchug:

I'm not asking for much, just for ZB to be a little more normal. ;)

cresshead

08-25-2009, 04:54 AM

look thru this free training pack it will show you the in's and out of zbrush

http://www.3dartspace.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=5&id=106&Itemid=89

IMI

08-25-2009, 05:17 AM

kfinla

08-25-2009, 09:18 AM

I think you'll see GoZ for Core in 6-8 months. Once 1.0 and the SDK are out. With what we know as Lightwave all but at the end of its development when 9.6.1 comes out I think it made little sense for the small Newtek development team to make a GoZ version and then have to support it on several SKU's. The stuff that it does make sense to hook it up too is still all in beta and alpha. I think they just don't have the resources with all the development going on to potentially have to devote someone to maintaining GoZ compatibility with everything coming down the pipe. I think it will happen, its just not the right time yet.

Plus, i'm sure Core will want GoZ to be a "modifier" in the modeling stack (3ds Max GoZ isn't out yet) .. thats not as trivial as Modo's implementation where everything is cooked off.

gordonrobb

08-25-2009, 09:22 AM

Who cares when Core will get it. Many people will be using 9.6 for some time. No doubt even those with core for a while. What I want to know, from someone at Newtek or Pixologic, is who is responsible for what. I have posted questionis on both sites, and had many answerf form probably very knowledgeable people, but never from Newtek or Pixologic.

IMI

08-25-2009, 09:50 AM

Although kfinla makes some undeniably correct (and unfortunate) points, I tend to agree with gordonrobb: I want it for LW 9.6, because I'm not getting CORE until it's a complete app that can replace LightWave as we now know it.

And yes, there will be a lot of people waiting too. But equally, CORE is going to need good old regular LW to go along with it until CORE is ready to replace it. That's a known fact, stated numerously by Chuck and Jay. That alone is a good reason for someone to make the effort now.

Of course, there IS the possibility they intend on holding out, or only making it for the CORE version of LW... (9.7?), so more people buy it. I don't want to consider that a possibility though, as I'm hoping they wouldn't do us like that. ;)

It should also be noted that Luxology isn't a huge conglomerate corporation either, yet they found the time to work with Pixologic on GoZ for Modo, while developing 401. Priorities, I guess...

gordonrobb

08-25-2009, 09:56 AM

I am actually a Hardcore member, but I expect that it will be tail end of Q4 before we get Core 1.0. I don't want to have to wait that long. And that's assuming that come Q4, core is better to modell with.

IMI

08-25-2009, 10:10 AM

Well have you asked them about GoZ?
Are they even aware of GoZ, or has CORE development blinded them to the going's on in the outside world? ;)

Still waiting for that 9.6.1 update too, that was supposed to be "soon", like 4 months ago. ;)

cresshead

08-25-2009, 10:19 AM

Oh man, I've got everything by Digital Tutors already, plus Ryan Kingslien's ZBrush intro video and all the Z Classroom stuff.
Does that have anything in it those don't?
All I want to know is how to change the document background. If you know how, I'd appreciate it. ;)

PS, I do know how to import OBJ files, I just don't like the method. I would prefer to simply press an import button and *poof* there's my OBJ file all snug and cozy in my document.

open zbrush...
select a color
then go document>back and this sets the background color

note: do this before you drag out any tool onto the canvas

i'd say def give the meats vids alook..they're free so will only cost you a couple of coffees!

http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=76541&d=1251214756

IMI

08-25-2009, 10:40 AM

Oh, cool, Steve, thank you much! :)

I didn't check them before. But if they're Meats Meyers, yeah I'll definitely have a look. 'precciate it.

cresshead

08-25-2009, 10:57 AM

cool, i've edited the above reply as it's just simpler to pick a color and click drag it to edit it than go off n script up a start up u.i.

IMI

08-25-2009, 11:05 AM

Thanks again, man, works like a charm!
That default black is so black, it just gets on my nerves sometimes while working on a model. I've even gotten headaches from the contrast, I think, when working in ZB for too long. Never happens to me in LW. I think a nice dark gray is easier on the eyes.

meatycheesyboy

08-29-2009, 02:35 AM

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

New video about Zbrush 3.5 features.

cresshead

08-29-2009, 03:23 AM

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=74539&page=1&pp=15

a delay..as to be expected from pixologic but MAN!...look at the new tools!

IMI

08-29-2009, 03:24 AM

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

New video about Zbrush 3.5 features.

That's not ZBrush 3.5.
That's some Super ZBrush from the future.
Nice try though, you had me going for a minute there. :D

IMI

08-29-2009, 03:27 AM

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=74539&page=1&pp=15

a delay..as to be expected from pixologic but MAN!...look at the new tools!

"This coming week."
Probably means next weekend.
And no GoZ until the end of September now. :cry:

No doubt it's been delayed so they can work on the GoZ plugin for LW 9.6. :D

cresshead

08-29-2009, 03:43 AM

"This coming week."
Probably means next weekend.
And no GoZ until the end of September now. :cry:

No doubt it's been delayed so they can work on the GoZ plugin for LW 9.6. :D

yeah would be a great POSITIVE move to see goZ in lightwave 9.6..even if say the viewport normal mapping doesn't work...just a quick way to go back n forth with zbrush and modeler/layout

IMI

08-29-2009, 04:00 AM

yeah would be a great POSITIVE move to see goZ in lightwave 9.6..even if say the viewport normal mapping doesn't work...just a quick way to go back n forth with zbrush and modeler/layout

:agree:

You know, speaking of which I've often wondered how Layout can have such great real time viewport displacement mapping, but no normal map real time display at all.
The good thing is, I've found that my normal maps tend to look exactly as I'd expect them to look once rendered, now that I have it figured out. So it's not a big deal. Just seems like a major omission. You'd think as they were designing the normal map node someone would have said, "hmm, seems like there's something missing..."

I'm sure Core will, but... you know. ;)

dballesg

08-29-2009, 04:31 AM

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=74539&page=1&pp=15

a delay..as to be expected from pixologic but MAN!...look at the new tools!

How this guys survive giving away so many incredible free updates?

I am starting to suspect it is alien technology and they are responsible for cattle abductions!!! :devil:

David

cresshead

08-30-2009, 12:56 PM

so...1 day to go?.....
me want new zsphere's!!!!

IMI

08-30-2009, 01:09 PM

so...1 day to go?.....
me want new zsphere's!!!!

Me too...
But that link a few posts up says some time this upcoming week. I doubt that means tomorrow. ;)

cresshead

08-30-2009, 01:31 PM

well the 'week' starts on monday!

akademus

08-30-2009, 01:56 PM

so...1 day to go?.....
me want new zsphere's!!!!

Me need goZ this very moment!

Philbert

08-30-2009, 02:23 PM

It's really that exciting?

IMI

08-30-2009, 06:17 PM

It's really that exciting?

Well no, not to you 3DCoat guys.
Us looking forward to ZB 3.5 is like you guys looking forward to 3DC reverting to alpha version .075b.
That's how much more powerful 3DCoat is than ZBrush.

But we ZBrushers are a more simple lot, less demanding in the performance and quality of our apps, far less sophisticated, and much more likely to eat dirt and call it filet mignon.

So from our perspective, it is in fact very exciting.

And the closer we get to the end of September, the more excited you'll see us get, what with GoZ and all.
Again, however, while the 3DC equivalent of ZBrush's GoZ is no doubt far better in not only Maya and Modo, but LightWave as well, the simplicity in our outlook and our low expectations allows... nay... *commands* us to get excited.

And you'll see it again come Q4 with the nearing of ZBrush 4...
While you 3DC guys are no doubt testing some faster than real-time 5-D megamojovoxels with Andrew's own custom version of CUDA 7.5 (which Nvidia will eventually buy from him and he will win a Nobel Prize for), and getting 798 FPS working on a 453 million polygon model, yes, we will be anxiously anticipating our humble and primitive GoZ, no matter how comparatively weak and obsolete it is.

But we may in fact grow up and join you guys eventually. Considering none of us has had to pay for a ZBrush update in the past 18 years, we've been saving our money for something else.

Philbert

08-30-2009, 06:20 PM

IMI

08-30-2009, 06:30 PM

Sorry this has nothing to do with 3DC, don't know why you're bringing that up. I just don't think this change seems that huge. Now if it were getting a new UI then I'd be excited. Nop reason to attempt to insult people.

Au contraire, I believe it was you who attempted to insult people. I just followed it through to its natural conclusion. :D

From a forum thread standpoint, there was no reason for your "is it that exciting?" comment, and seemed rather intentionally condescending.

Philbert

08-30-2009, 06:49 PM

Well I'm sorry if it sounded that way to you, I just didn't get the excitement.

IMI

08-30-2009, 07:25 PM

Well I'm sorry if it sounded that way to you, I just didn't get the excitement.

That would surprise me if you didn't "get" the excitement, as you seem to have quite a few 3DC excitement moments and seem to discuss it with a good deal of passion.
So by not "getting" the excitement and by stating as much, you're essentially saying it's not worth getting excited over. Coming into our little ZBrush fanboy thread and making your thoughts on that known for no apparent reason. There was no way anyone who thought about it would NOT see that as condescending or provocative.
I guess we deserve it though, considering how many 3DC threads have been turned into Zfests by us unruly and impetuous Zfans. ;)

But I'm just gonna drop it here. It's up to you entirely if you want to have the last word on the matter.

As for the ZB UI, I think we've all kind of gotten used to it by this point. There are a lot of things I would have liked to have seen starting out different and developing from there, but once one is accustomed to it, it's no big deal. I would however, like to see them gradually move in a more traditional direction with the UI, but I wouldn't really consider a new UI something to look forward to or get excited about.
The new ZSpheres *are* something to look forward to, as well as all the other stuff they previewed the other day for 3.5. And GoZ is *very much* something to look forward to and get excited about.

And with all this cool stuff they've shown us that will be in 3.5 "this upcoming week" and GoZ "by the end of September", it really makes me wonder just what ZB 4 will have in it.
I'm betting it's going to be mind-blowing. ZSpheres 2 and GoZ are just the warm-up acts, but the main show is probably going to leave us all speechless. :D

Philbert

08-30-2009, 07:45 PM

ZB does have a nice mask feature, that's one thing I like about it. People are going on about the new features shown in the videos, which seem interesting. I just hope they have been working on improving the current features as well.

cresshead

08-31-2009, 02:34 PM

UPDATE 8/31:

The release MAY be delayed by as much as a few days. We will update this announcement the moment that the release has happend and upgrade links have started going out. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to bring you the best version 3.5 possible. While waiting, please check out the newest preview video: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

jasonwestmas

08-31-2009, 02:47 PM

I know what sculpting tools I'll be using!

akademus

08-31-2009, 02:59 PM

I know what sculpting tools I'll be using!

You just don't know when :D

IMI

08-31-2009, 04:38 PM

While waiting, please check out the newest preview video: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

OK, I watched the video. Twice.
Now where's my 3.5? ;)

jin choung

09-01-2009, 01:39 PM

whoa.... http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539 ... when they're showing off the hard surface brushes, look at how the mesh is derived - it looks EXACTLY like the zsphere structure!

awesome!

if that's the "worst" possible mesh that could be derived from the new zspheres, we're in very good shape.

jin

meatycheesyboy

09-01-2009, 01:58 PM

Do people have their ignore lists filled up or something? :)

A link to the same thread on ZBC has been posted 3 times in the last 22 posts... I keep seeing the links thinking they've posted a new video only to find I'm looking back at the same video I saw days ago. It reminds me of the Core reveal on much smaller scale, people need to keep up. ;) j/k of course

gordonrobb

09-01-2009, 02:13 PM

What there's a new versin of Zb coming?

;)

Kiddin'

cresshead

09-01-2009, 03:30 PM

meatycheesyboy

09-01-2009, 04:03 PM

nevermind that..look at this!
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

:lol:

That's nothing, look at what I just found!

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=074539

;)

IMI

09-01-2009, 05:19 PM

It looks more amazing each time I watch it.
So that's once for each time it's been posted.
They say to watch it while waiting for ZB 3.5, but it's not working.
How many times do I have to watch it before the link shows up?
;)

cresshead

09-02-2009, 12:17 PM

whilst your waiting....

http://web.archive.org/web/20060615005800/www.pixologic.com/zbrush/home/home.html

IMI

09-02-2009, 01:46 PM

whilst your waiting....

http://web.archive.org/web/20060615005800/www.pixologic.com/zbrush/home/home.html

Yeah, thanks.
Maybe I should take up Tea Time while I'm at it.
One lump or two? Honey or lemon or milk?
Does that help you any?
;)

cresshead

09-02-2009, 06:27 PM

one level spoon of sugar and skimmed milk..but honestly,...don't even boil the water if you don't have some biccies to go with that cuppa!:)

...now where did i put that link to download the zbrush update...HMM...was here a min ago...?

cresshead

09-04-2009, 02:03 PM

11 hours to go!

IMI

09-04-2009, 02:10 PM

11 hours to go!

Why do you say that? Did they announce an official time or something?

IMI

09-04-2009, 02:39 PM

I do hope the 3.5 upgrade for Windows includes the standard Windows Explorer in it.
I mean, where you can have your side panels and all opened.
Currently, ZB just opens the last folder you visited, which can be a real pain when you have your models in one location, your ZTools somewhere else, your textures and alphas somewhere else... and everything else you might want to load and save out all scattered all over the place.

Windows 7 allows you to "dock" libraries of favorite folders on the side, so all those important locations can be reached with one click, rather than browsing through everything. Very, very cool. Kinda like Adobe Bridge.
But you can't get at it in ZBrush 3.1, since it uses the older Explorer style.

cresshead

09-04-2009, 03:26 PM

Why do you say that? Did they announce an official time or something?

'end of the week'

sorry if i got your hopes up!

i'm just really hopefu that the end of the week= z sphere II ya know!:)

( ^ _ ^)

IMI

09-04-2009, 03:48 PM

Oh, OK.
You scared me for a minute there - I thought maybe the emails were going out and mine got lost somewhere. ;)
BTW, they say if you don't receive your email by the 9th, something has gone wrong and you need to contact support.

IMI

09-04-2009, 04:53 PM

It would also be nice if ZB 3.5 saves the currently used material on your Ztool, rather than applying that stupid red wax to everything. I really do hate that material. And all the basic mats I use are mats I've made myself, so I have to browse the folders to get at them rather than simply load them through the mat library. Annoying.
Hopefully at least by ZB 4.

cresshead

09-05-2009, 02:18 AM

save your mats in the lib...

(=^･ｪ･^=)

IMI

09-05-2009, 07:24 AM

save your mats in the lib...

(=^･ｪ･^=)

Yeah I see that now... \ZBrush3\ZData\Materials\MyAssenineMaterial_028.ZM T

(BTW, there isn't really a space between the M and the T in .ZMT above. That's a forum software bug I've seen here before and I have no idea what causes it)

You know, there are at least 3 folders in ZB named "materials".

See, this is what I was talking about earlier. Like, in LW, if you want to save your scene file, it's going to open your scenes folder, which is logical, and is as it should be.
In ZB, you never know what folder it's going to open. You may end up saving your materials or "tools" in your latest cat picture folder in Documents and Settings if you're not paying attention. ;)

cresshead

09-07-2009, 09:06 PM

new vids!...no REALLY there are...look on z sphere II

http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/homeroom/

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/attachment.php?attachmentid=156971

jin choung

09-08-2009, 12:29 AM

holy crap.

awesome. and it meshes as closely to the zsphere armature as you want!

no more topology restrictions and you can freeform create to your heart's content in zspheres and then convert that to polys to continue sculpting at any time.

tremendous.

jin

geo_n

09-08-2009, 05:32 AM

That is just amazing! I see a new way of building a character from the ground up with zbrush. I feel sorry for mudbox users now especially with autodesk owning it. :D
is it possible to go back down to zspheres again after going poly?

hrgiger

09-08-2009, 05:48 AM

Nice to see someone else smacking AD in the face.

I can't see that it would be possible to go back to zspheres after turning into a polymesh. It dosn't work that way now and haven't seen anything to indicate otherwise.

gordonrobb

09-08-2009, 08:04 AM

Fan-flippin-tastic.

UnCommonGrafx

09-08-2009, 08:25 AM

No. But a quick undo and a save of the zspheres is the next best thing! Then, remesh as you please. Or, mesh it, make an alternate, start again with the originally saved one. Lots of opps.
That is just amazing! I see a new way of building a character from the ground up with zbrush. I feel sorry for mudbox users now especially with autodesk owning it. :D
is it possible to go back down to zspheres again after going poly?

Philbert

09-08-2009, 08:45 AM

I'd be curious if they ever come up with a way to make zspheres take on the shape of things like chains or barbed wire or springs.

jaf

09-08-2009, 10:13 AM

Phil -- there's a 3D Coat thread. There doesn't have to be a Zbrush/3D Coat war. :devil:

artstorm

09-08-2009, 10:58 AM

The armature brush looks totally brilliant. No doubt this will be an awesome release. :)

Philbert

09-08-2009, 11:13 AM

Phil -- there's a 3D Coat thread. There doesn't have to be a Zbrush/3D Coat war. :devil:

Should I go post about zbrush in there? That's a feature I think a lot of zb users would like to see.

jin choung

09-08-2009, 12:36 PM

Should I go post about zbrush in there? That's a feature I think a lot of zb users would like to see.

not in particular.

especially with goz, it's a simple matter of using maya or another compatible app to do rudimentary shapes.

and chains and barbed wire and springs have been done in zb for a very long time now and very successfully....

so yeah... no need or desire to see zspheres (of all things) do that. and inasmuch as you're injecting springs, chains and barbed wire into a convo about zspheres... yeah, your agenda seems pretty clear.

jin

IMI

09-08-2009, 09:59 PM

Whoah....
Wow.
I didn't notice this thread earlier today. Jeebuz, that's slick.

Looks like 3.5 got pushed back again.
I'm beginning to think the videos *are* ZB 3.5. No new free upgrade, but you get to watch the beta guys play with it. :D

I bet soon they'll just announce that there will be no 3.5 and it will just be ZB 4.0 in Q4.

cresshead

09-09-2009, 09:24 AM

more vids!

these are on surface noise!

http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/homeroom/

http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77022&d=1252506267

cresshead

09-09-2009, 06:38 PM

ANOTHER new set of videos..covering hard surface sculpting!

http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77042&d=1252539470

some really cool tools in there...can see people protoyping/roughing/sketching designs for all sorts of products
including cars, kettles, cases and such

jin choung

09-10-2009, 01:06 AM

Alright, this is just making me angry and horny.

I mean ...

More angry and horny.

Jin

jameswillmott

09-10-2009, 01:24 AM

OMG... ZBrush has killed poly modeling hasn't it?

dballesg

09-10-2009, 01:54 AM

OMG... ZBrush has killed poly modeling hasn't it?

Not really, because you will need to retopologize those models to have something more manageable.

What makes me suspect that they will have prepared something new for retopology tools, maybe?

David

jasonwestmas

09-10-2009, 08:44 AM

OMG... ZBrush has killed poly modeling hasn't it?

I see Zspheres as "poly-sketching".
I would have to give this new zsphere stuff another go but I doubt it can replace the accuracy of "Piece by Piece" modeling. As said before, there is a lack of accuracy in using Zspheres for correct edge-loop deformation or matching an orthographic drawing precisely. Real accuracy has to be done using a Piece by a Piece/welding method if the objective is to match a concept exactly or blue print. Go-Z might remedy some of these inaccuracies and loss of control by using Zbrush with another modeler.

GregMalick

09-10-2009, 10:15 AM

My Pixilogic email just came in...

Download 3.5 now.

Wish I didn't have to work today.
Feeling ... ill...

cough cough

gordonrobb

09-10-2009, 10:17 AM

I am now feeling more impatient that I was before it was released. Can't wait.

Let us know how it looks .

cresshead

09-10-2009, 10:33 AM

looks like the server for the support site has fell over..too much demand!

jasonwestmas

09-10-2009, 11:12 AM

Man, that backtrack and snap to track feature in the video is killer!

IMI

09-10-2009, 11:20 AM

Still nothing here.
I can't even connect to Pixo either. Just keeps timing out.
And I have to take off for the rest of the day soon, so won't be able to check until tonight. :cursin:

cresshead

09-10-2009, 11:31 AM

re the support server from
AURICK >>

Not down. Just very, very busy.

Something that will help everyone is to not submit any "where's my upgrade email?" tickets for the first couple of days. Until Cleverbridge has finished sending them all out we cannot assist with such tickets anyway. So submitting them only bogs down the system and delays us being being able to help everyone.

We will get everyone upgraded! There's just a lot of demand and only so much server capacity.

GregMalick

09-10-2009, 12:00 PM

yeah, download was fast.
I just can't get the product authorized.
Obviously the server is overwhelmed.
Hopefully, when I get home tonight it will be better.

IMI

09-10-2009, 06:34 PM

Still nothing....

I'm going to do like cresshead suggests and send them an email every ten seconds. ;)

cresshead

09-10-2009, 06:39 PM

Still nothing....

I'm going to do like cresshead suggests and send them an email every ten seconds. ;)

no no no!...naughty!:D
i'll be busy with a new cat and setting up the moonbase scene this weekend in lightsnack so zb3.5 can appear next week..no rush:)

jin choung

09-10-2009, 06:40 PM

so angry and horny....

jin

hrgiger

09-10-2009, 07:01 PM

Got mine up and running on my computer. Playing with zspheres II. Good stuff.

Silkrooster

09-10-2009, 08:48 PM

Are you guys leaving 3.1 on your system? I probably will for a bit to see if any bugs are there first.

jasonwestmas

09-10-2009, 08:49 PM

Are you guys leaving 3.1 on your system? I probably will for a bit to see if any bugs are there first.

Definitely a good idea.

hrgiger

09-10-2009, 11:32 PM

About 5 minutes of doodling with the new zspheres. FUN.

cresshead

09-11-2009, 12:34 AM

no email as yet...tick tock!

jin choung

09-11-2009, 12:47 AM

me neither.

jin

IMI

09-11-2009, 01:32 AM

nada

cresshead

09-11-2009, 02:22 AM

email!....downloaded...will install later...got a new cat to bring home first!

IMI

09-11-2009, 04:08 AM

Woo-frickin'-hoooo - the email gods have smiled down upon me at last! :thumbsup:

Let's see...

Plenty of :caffeine:? *check
Microwave junk food? *check
Latest Wacom drivers? *check
Plenty of free hard disk space for all my new ZCrap? *check
Comfy cushion for comp desk chair? *check
Monitors all wiped clean? *check
Phone turned off? *check
Do Not Disturb sign for comp room door? *check

I'll see you guys in about a week. :D

gordonrobb

09-11-2009, 07:48 AM

I would leave 3.1 there for a while. Zapplink for example doesn't work with 3.5 yet

bazsa73

09-11-2009, 03:19 PM

I cancel all my weekend programs.

Philbert

09-11-2009, 07:36 PM

email!....downloaded...will install later...got a new cat to bring home first!

Good luck with kitteh! I've got 4 here!

cresshead

09-12-2009, 04:00 PM

Congrats! Got one sooner than you throught you would!

thanks..she arrived yesterday...got her a new name also!
....
>>

"poly" yeah..i know 3d geek!:D

IMI

09-14-2009, 03:00 AM

Alright, I'm over it... bring on ZB 4! :D

Congrats on the new kitty, cress. :)

gordonrobb

09-14-2009, 03:48 AM

thanks..she arrived yesterday...got her a new name also!
....
>>

"poly" yeah..i know 3d geek!:D

That is bizarre, you have just remembered that I had a cat called Poly long before I was into 3D. Mine was so named as she used to like lying on my shoulder when I was on the sofa.

cresshead

09-14-2009, 06:24 PM

3.5 r2 just released...additions and bug fixes

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=075220

cresshead

09-15-2009, 12:19 AM

Silkrooster

09-15-2009, 01:07 AM

okay finally got some time off for good behavior from my cat "poly"
installed zbrish 3.5r2

first model with zsphere 2...nothing special!
just a monster mess of zsphere ballls!

also note that zbrush minimises well now...you actually get a smaller version so you can screen grab
and paste into pshop better.

http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77258&d=1252991950

Kind of look a bit like the one I started but mine wasn't as good and therefore not saved. :D

I am thinking it may be best to use less zsheres and expand their thickness rather than painting in a whole mess of them. My concern was getting it to be somewhat smooth for the skin layer. But more experimenting is in order for me...

cresshead

09-15-2009, 05:21 AM

sorta getting used to zsphere 2 abit now.

http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77272&d=1253010300http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77274&d=1253010679

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs275.snc1/10233_136642597870_553887870_2493787_567611_n.jpg

Silkrooster

09-15-2009, 10:45 PM

Kind of cool.

cresshead

09-16-2009, 06:38 PM

Kind of cool.

well...kinda...:D
sorta based n the baby in 'V'...if your old enough to remember it!
just a mess around nothing worth keeping
will do a proper sculpt tomorrow evening in 3.5r2:thumbsup:

lwaddict

09-16-2009, 09:33 PM

It's not right I tell ya...
I think I dated that girl once.

Ok...twice.

Philbert

09-16-2009, 09:57 PM

Anyone heard any word on a demo version?

lwaddict

09-16-2009, 10:02 PM

Probably won't until the next round comes out with Go-Z and all that extra goodness...

But, for the record...
unlike a lot of other programs,
you don't hear too many haters for Pixologic.

Safe to say that you should just buy it. :D

Philbert

09-16-2009, 10:06 PM

I have no reason to buy it, I just was just curious about the new version.

lwaddict

09-16-2009, 10:46 PM

For what it's worth...
no huge difference yet except that it works better and exports pretty well.

Once it's all completed though...
well...
yeah, I'd be screaming for a demo too if I didn't already have it.
Great stuff.

Philbert

09-16-2009, 11:15 PM

Well I wouldn't say I'm screaming for a demo, I'm just curious. You say there's no huge difference yet, but I see people playing with the new zspheres. That's the only thing I'm really at all curious about.

cresshead

09-17-2009, 06:23 AM

the new zsphere's look pretty amazing..i've only had maybe 2 hours total on it...more this evening mind you!

the meshing is really nice and reminds me of metareyes for 3dsmax back in max2.5 and 3.1 days...it's sorta doing a metaball meshing over the zsphere's you create with a dial-able resolution.

if you have any questions i'll try n help you

Philbert

09-17-2009, 07:16 AM

It just looks weird, like sculpting with a pile of sausages (or Angelina Jolie's lips), so I was curious if it actually feels like that.

lwaddict

09-17-2009, 08:07 AM

If you've ever sculpted with real clay, it feels more like that...
but I'm just scratching the surface and have yet to get a good low res mesh from a nice muscular structure that can be...

exported, brought into Lightwave, displaced with a higher res, and then animated effectively.

But that's just me.

For static pieces it rocks though and I'm sure I'm just not digging deep enough yet.

cresshead

09-17-2009, 08:08 AM

i like the approach they have taken with it esp for characters as you can quickly creeate correct muscle layouts and then it will 'skin' over the top..that's where they got the idea from metareyes back in 1999 and revamped it 10 years later!

i've only really had one issue so far and that was laying down muscles acorss symetry boarder seemed to make a crease on the mirror line...but i think that's 'just me' being dumb and just diving in not knowing what i'm actually doing!

i' hope to actually make somethin usefull later today.

with zsphere2 you basically making out the volume that a skin will be created from...it's quite similar to the idea of voxels in that regard when you look at 3dcoat to compare..
quite different in practice but there are some similarities in general overview..in that you don't 'use' the voxel or zsphere's in the final but they create a base mesh for you to sculpt on.

zsphere 2 adds in the option to pose with a traditional zsphere rig that's been binded to it.

as you can see metareyes looks similar..but in metareyes the different colored meta muscles were for different strengths in 'meshing' for the skin

http://zona1.iespana.es/images/metareye.jpg

http://www.reyes-infografica.com/gallery/imagen/dagang/dagang2.jpg

http://www.reyes-infografica.com/imagen/meta/images/dino_1a.jpg

ALSO not to forget the brushes have had a major update too...some amzing features in there i've yet to try out..but the demo vids looked very neat.

jasonwestmas

09-17-2009, 08:43 AM

It just looks weird, like sculpting with a pile of sausages (or Angelina Jolie's lips), so I was curious if it actually feels like that.

The sausages are just volumetric place holders for the actual geometry to wrap around. (ZB applies the geometry "skin" to the Z-Sphere's automatically). So the Z-spheres are really just an entirely different model that doesn't have any polygons in it, this includes the rubbery tubes attached to the armature.

BlueApple

09-17-2009, 10:37 AM

Any info on getting the armature and overlying geometry made in ZBrush to export as a bone setup with weighted mesh? Nobody has claimed that ZBrush does this natively, but it seems like a logical step and was hoping some ambitious coders were working on it.

Philbert

09-17-2009, 11:38 AM

Alright. I guess I'll just see when they eventually release a demo.

jasonwestmas

09-17-2009, 12:36 PM

cresshead

09-17-2009, 07:38 PM

...not in 3.5r2
4.0?

lwaddict

09-17-2009, 08:26 PM

It won't matter unless they can get a very low res version of the skinning to output for your intial import into Lightwave...

otherwise, ouch, major pinching.

Still seems best to create a very light version of your model in Lightwave then go to Zbrush and back again...that way you can animate the heck out of it.

IMI

09-18-2009, 06:00 PM

After a week...

"meh"

That's about all I care to say about it...

geo_n

09-18-2009, 11:15 PM

After a week...

"meh"

That's about all I care to say about it...

what do you mean?

IMI

09-19-2009, 12:35 AM

what do you mean?

I don't know, it just doesn't "feel" finished to me, and I don't understand why they released this when they were already planning ZBrush 4.0 in just a few months.
It could be that because they had to push back the ZB 4 date they felt the need to toss *something* out there on time, but like I said it just doesn't feel finished.
And I can't believe they would even think about putting out a version with no ZMapper. That was my absolute most favorite feature, and I spent a long time learning it. Now instead of improving upon it, they've decided it's obsolete? :(

cresshead

09-19-2009, 04:49 PM

for me the lack of decimation master and some zplugins are not great but i can move the mesh back to 3.1 to decimate it...

i'm having a decent session with zsphere's tomorrow and specifically the new z sphere 2 capability as well a setting up a rig to pose it.

so far i'm really digging it [r2]..the floor grid is nice to finally have too!

http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77493&d=1253397484

you can dial up n down the resulting resolution of the mesh that z sphere 2 creates for you...
http://www.newtek.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77494&d=1253397720

jasonwestmas

09-19-2009, 06:40 PM

I don't know, it just doesn't "feel" finished to me, and I don't understand why they released this when they were already planning ZBrush 4.0 in just a few months.
It could be that because they had to push back the ZB 4 date they felt the need to toss *something* out there on time, but like I said it just doesn't feel finished.
And I can't believe they would even think about putting out a version with no ZMapper. That was my absolute most favorite feature, and I spent a long time learning it. Now instead of improving upon it, they've decided it's obsolete? :(

Did you try the latest Native Normal mapping generator? It's supposed to be improved.

IMI

09-19-2009, 08:31 PM

Did you try the latest Native Normal mapping generator? It's supposed to be improved.

I read about it, but I haven't had time to try it out yet aside from a quickie test. I miss the options and the control of ZMapper.
But I'll see if I can make some time for it this weekend and will gladly comment favorably on it, if it deserves it after testing it out in a few different apps. ;)
******************************

Looks good, cress!
Seems to me though it was made more for those who use only ZB, where everything looks fine.
But my OBJ exports of ZSphere 2 objects have come out really messy.
I'm sure though that ZB 4 will have restored a lot. I have faith they're not just abandoning those of us who use it mostly for texturing in its various forms - textures, normals, cavity, displacement....
Well, we already know that GoZ will be bad@ss. ;)