Susbstitute a bound mesh with another?
 

Hi,

because of my topology my character isn't too suited to hidh res sculpting in zbrush. The displacement maps created aren't too good.

I like the mesh I get a low subdivision (1 or 2) levels in zbrush though. Rather than displace, can I bind and animate my base mesh, then substitute a higher res mesh, and have all the weights etc follow suit?

Thanks,

gubar

Damn... another question to add to this. If you export a mesh into zbrush and then import in back into maya, even if you've only adjusted it a little, the whole thing has changed... it looks as if the whole mesh has been relaxed a little. Anyone know if this can be avoided?

I dont think so, but it goes back to the reply in your previous thread, even if you adjust the mesh slightly in Z it will influence thebase mesh, Model, then rig dont rig and then go back.

The only thing that I could suggest is use the transif weights, Ive never used it but I say a demo by an autodesk guy, seemed to work ok, but you will still have to adjust the weights again.

Hi gster,

I haven't rigged him yet. I just took the base mesh into z, modified it a little, and took it back into maya. The whole mesh had changed, as if it had been smoothed (with the sculpt tool, not the smooth node... it had lost definition).

I've never noticed this before... maybe it's a quirk between maya 2008 and z 3.1.

Thanks for the heads up re transfering weights - I'll look into it.

cheers

gubar

Hi Gubar,

I think thats what Zbrush does to be honest, You need to add the definitions at each level as you move up. Ive not really had a problem, but I do just reimport the base mesh into maya if Ive done any sculpting

Hi gster,

that's what I'd done too - just re-imported the base mesh.

I *think* I've found what the problem was; I was exporting from maya with the default settings. This morning I tried to quickly export with normals and smoothing unchecked; then imported it back from z. Only had a quick look but it seemed to have retained it's shape.

Looks like maybe with normals or smoothing (not sure which one yet) checked on export will cause this issue.

cheers,

gubar