Still exploring ways to map 3D stuff... Mudbox
RAMWolff
Posts: 10,343
So now I'm subscribed to Mudbox monthly @ $10.00... not horrible, it's what I pay for Photoshop but I'm not having much joy in getting Genesis 8 Male out. I did find some info via Google that helped me somewhat:
In DAZ Studio, set up your character with your maps (in my case my Gino maps)
Export via FBX
Open up the FBX in Ultimate Unwrap 3D and reassign the groups to something much simpler like ears, face, eyesocket and ears to "Head" group and so forth and so on and then match those to the Surfaces
Export that as FBX making sure the maps box is ticked to ON to have those import into Mudbox
Invoke Mudbox and open up the FBX model and then I get confused.
Folks like Snow Sultan wasn't having a very good time from the older threads I found and I can sort of see why. It's not as intuitive as others say it is. Don't get me wrong... good tool sets and what not but when I got the figure in there the UV's seemed messed up, like the toenails were off so the maps were off too.... Don't know if that's MY fault or a bug in FBX so existed out of Mudbox without saving.
Don't see much on their own forums for helping with DAZ Studio or Poser users so not sure if this is the right software for me.
Looking over the seam map fixed I made in ZBrush and I've heard this before from other artists, is the maps were not a crisp as I'd like and I had the figure set up to level 6 and with my current rig that's about as high as I can go without causing a crash or making ZBrush go really slow so looking around and around and around for other solutions....
If there are some avid Mudbox users out there please chime in with tutorial links and any advice. If not I'll keep looking around!
Thanks so much
Richard ...
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Comments
Ram, can I ask why exactly you are trying to uv map G8 male? Mudbox reads/ uses the maps just fine as they are . Are you just trying to fix seams or texture or sculpt?
Well I got my Gino maps fixed to my liking but yea for future use Mudbox seems interesting to me. I didn't know they supported UDIM UV's so that's good.
What I really need from the program from the start is a way to generate (I guess bake is the word) so I can get generated Bump, Normal, Glossy and the like "internal" skin maps so. I know this can be done in ZBrush but to achieve a high quality map the figure needs to be Sub'd up to about level 7. My current rig really struggles with that.. perhaps my new rig, waiting for me to set up now that's it's back from being fixed, will handle that better but the other issue I had was using ZBrushes Multi Map Exporter. I tried using it yesterday and kept crashing ZBrush so it's not working FOR ME!
So as much as I LOVE ZBrush I think it's time to find a more dedicated mapping program like Mudbox which is within my budget. I mean $10.00 a month is totally doable.
I just don't find allot of info out there for tutorials between Mudbox and DAZ Studio so I was feeling like there wasn't any help out there and as someone that's a visual learner finding a YouTube or Vimeo vid to give me instructions just seems not there.
So yea, any help in knowing the ins and outs of working with this program, esp tailored to those of us that use DAZ Studio would be very very helpful!
Thanks so much
Richard
I love Zbrush too but I am not personally overly fond of making skin texture maps in it. I do like to use Zbrush for painting down base colors and skin mottling and then using that as a base.
Since I enjoy tinkering with skin I own a lot of software for making maps :) Mari3d which also happens to be free for noncommercial use is my new love. You should check it out if you have not sealed the deal with mudbox.
To get G8 in Mudbox - just export him from studio as an obj. make sure to shut off the eyelashes and other unessentials.
I also tend to bring the base figures into Zbrush and remove unwanted geometry completely from the mesh for things like the mouth, the eyes etc. It's a little weird to look it at but it saves memory. Just in case you do not know how to do that: Just bring in the figure. Click on polygroups: Auto groups with Uv: Merge Similar groups. Then ctrl|shift and click the face, ears, and torso so that you just see the eyeballs and mouth. Ctrl and drag to draw a mask over that area. Then ctrl | shift | Click outside the area. Click on masking: inverse. Click on visibilty: HidePt. Click on geometry:modify topology: del hidden. Then export this object out as something specific for doing textures within mudbox. You won't be able to use this with morphs at all .
For g8 in mudbox: File: Import. If you get errors about the mesh just tell mudbox to ignore them ( keep this mesh). I only seem to get those errors when I import the figure as a whole. Im guessing because of the normal mapping.
Then click on mesh: add subdivision level. I can get this as high as 6 on my machine but it is crazy slow and I have a fairly decent computer. So I wouldn't overly worry too much about getting it above 5.
Mudbox has a funny way of naming maps : If you want to import maps, you will have to name them properly. My advice for this is: create a new paint layer. With a basic brush just paint the entire figure. Then right click the layer and export them out. You can make copies of the maps you have been working on and rename them to whatever mudbox saved them out as. U1_V1 etc etc. Once you have done that just create a new layer, right click on the layer in the tab and import.
The trick with mudbox to getting a higher res texture ( someone please correct me if I am wrong) but you really need to work up close as it has something to do with how it processes photos, similar to Mari3d
There are a ton of videos for Mudbox that explain things way better than I can. James Taylor makes some fantastic Youtube videos to get you up and running fairly quick.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG-PGhwzTOjekSGfImeBSdA
Thanks so much.
Checked out Mari3D.. yikes. The monthly sub is about $60.00... 5X's more than I'd pay for MudBox. I think I need to learn how to use MudBox! LOL
I checked out Jame's YouTube channel but not overly so. At first I got confused as I'm used to James Taylor the recording artist! LOL
You are so very welcome :) Yeah it is expensive for commercial use but its a great free way to test the waters
Your right there. I really should at least download the trial and give a whirl. I was thinking about that pricing for a month to month and if I do like it I'll have to throw it in the "utilities" category to even get my head around paying that much for something like that every month! LOL
Well I'm TRYING to get the Non Commercial version of Mari but on the page that you select the country you live in it's non functioning. Their web site is a bit odd in how behaves so not totally surprising. I created a ticket with Foundry so hopefully they don't take a coons age to get back to me. I was hoping to get it tonight and give it a play and see what's what. Guess not! LOL
Well, since your 'sploring...,
https://www.rizom-lab.com/rizomuv_rs/
I was introduced to this by Oliver Hotz who's been developing several of the Bridges for it. Take a peek at the tutorials & be prepared for some jaw droppage. This tool makes UV'ing quite easy & somewhat fun in fact but more importantly, fast and so, so, controlable. The devolpers have a very active Discord channel as well.
Yea, I had a license for it but I let it expire because I sort of gave up on clothing for the time being. Ther are some really great tools in the Rizom UV editor!
I have a question... I’m always wondering about this because I feel like I’m missing something... I see Rizom has several licensing types: Student (proof of student status), Indy (can be used commercially up to $100,000 income) and Pro (full commercial)... those are each broken down into- Rent to own (becomes a perpetual license after 12 months), Perpetual (license expires after a year, but that’s only for upgrades and support, the software remains usable) and License Extension (which buys you another year of support and upgrades)...
I’ve seen this type of license model before, and both here and other 3D forums, I’ve seen people say something similar to what RAMWolff mentioned above... that the license expired... but based on the wording there’s an implication that the software is no longer usable... but, when I look at the license model, it seems only upgrades and support expires... but it should remain functional (it will literally say that).
I know that this is a very generalized question, since I’m talking about different software, but I’m pretty sure in each case the software still works and I’m pretty sure the license restrictions don’t change... but people mention the software as though it doesn’t work...
Am I missing something, is support and upgrades really that important? I have loads of software that lost support and upgrades years ago, but is still functional... or is there something I’m missing, like maybe they are in Europe or somewhere and the restrictions are different (which seems unlikely, but possible)... and I’m pretty sure none of these people are making more than $100k income...
Just wondering...
That's only for continuing updates. The software continues to work for versions prior to that expire date. As it should be.
I just tried to invoke Rizom and up pops my license notice instead of the program. Like I mentioned above, I'm not into modeling so much right now so that hefty renewal will have to wait until I figure out my way around either Mudbox or Mari....
Not to be nosy, but was that a perpetual license? The software (Indy Perpetual) seems interesting, but if it becomes a hassle when the initial license expires, that’s a dealbreaker...
According to the website... “You can use the application after your support expires, or you can extend your license for another year of updates and support.”... So maybe something went awry?
Perhaps you purchased it before this license model was available?... I wonder because (for example) I’ve seen people mention this sort of thing happening with Filter Forge (even before subscription was available) and in all the years I’ve had it, it’s never happened to me...
Maybe it has to do with changing computers too...?
I dunno... I hate having to hassle over stuff that should work... I miss the the old days where you just bought the damn thing, popped in the CD, entered the included password and stuff worked (well more or less).
Edited to add... I snickered over “Invoke”... sometimes I feel like one needs incantations and summoning circles to get 3D stuff working properly... maybe you need to sacrifice a goat... or at least bring home some goat curry...?
Who knows...
To each thier own. I still find doing my UVs inside Silo, where I build my models, very easy. I tried Rizom and found it too confusing. Maybe cause I am too used to the simplicity of the Silo UI.