Maya for 3D Printing - Rapid Prototyping
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# 1 10-12-2008 , 09:18 AM
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Maya 2009 zbrush displacement maps

Hey guys,

I'm using Maya2009 and I can't seem to load displacement maps from zbrush. I chose the r16 displacement export, but it doesn't seem to work. Which one am I suppose to export?

# 2 10-12-2008 , 04:55 PM
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Anhslaught:

Well i dont use 2009 just yet but 16 bit dis map from zb should be as follows:

Code: de-hbek-eaeaea-r16
channels:1
bits:16 bits
vertical flip: yes
scale:AD factor
ch1 range: full range
ch2 range: full range
ch3 range: full range
ch1 res: full
ch2 res: full
ch3 res: full

lastly 'Export current' , should all work nice as i was doing dis maps last night and all was working fine in 2008.

cheers
jay

# 3 10-12-2008 , 05:00 PM
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also go to this thread, about 5 posts down there is a zip file for download

https://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/sho...onvertfile.bat
and download the convertfile.bat program

this converts your tif dis map to a .map file. Its easier for mental ray to use and will also stop it from crashing 99% of during rendering, simply drag and drop your tif over the converter and it will create a new file of your dismap in the same directory as the original tif

Jay

# 4 10-12-2008 , 10:04 PM
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Thanks Jay! You're a life saver. I was able to do everything fine in 7.0, but when I tried 2009 it crashed a lotttttt.

That .map plug in works though thanks. user added image


And is it me...or is it realllllllll hard to get displacement renders to look like your zbrush model?

# 5 10-12-2008 , 11:51 PM
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You have to tweak the approximation node settings in the Attribute editor, try parametric to start with at 3 or 4, and tick the little check box a bit lower to fine.

also try the setting at spatial, with min setting at 3 and max at 5 and the length setting to .001

should work better.

Jay

# 6 25-12-2008 , 09:05 AM
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Hey Jay,
I tried the imf_copy and imf_disp and convertile.bat and none of those would work for me in creating a .map file or....turning my .tiff into a .tif file.


imf_copy when I double click or try to open it, a command screen pops up real quick and disappears. It won't let me do anything. The problem occurs with convertfile.bat . It won't even let me drag and drop the file on there either.


As for imf_disp, I can open and convert to.map files or.tif files. But.........the problem with that is it compresses the file, shrinks it in half and I believe it changes the file into an 8 bit. When I render it in Maya, I get tiles/step caused by gradiations of gray.

Am I doing something wrong??? I'm getting really really really frustrated with Zbrush to Maya conversion. I've been tyring to figure this out for a month now. I've followed tutorials, I've read books upon books and none of them seem to be helping me.

My right eye is twitching and I'm going to be sent to a mental hospital soon.lol

# 7 25-12-2008 , 02:37 PM
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I dunno what you are doing either mate.

I just use tif files for the conversion.

Get the convertfile.bat and drop that into the same folder as your displacement map (tif) file.

then simply drag and drop the tif over the convertfile.bat, this will then run an automatic commmand prompt in dos and then a new version of the tif will appear but as a .map in the same directory

thats it there's nothing else to it

Jay

# 8 25-12-2008 , 11:04 PM
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Anhslaught,

if you're having issues where you get the command window popping up real quickly and vanishing then open the command prompt
that can be done through the start menu or go windows key + r and typing cmd
(i assume you're using windows)
then change the directory to the one where the file is (in your case the imf_copy?)
to do that type "cd" followed by the directory that the file is in. You can type it out manually or copy the adress from the adressbar of the folder, right click on the command window, and click paste.
then type the name of the file you want to open.

whatever showed up on the the command window that popped up before will now pop up here and you will have as much time as you want to read it




that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

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