Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?

Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329534

By micheloupatrick - Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:28 am

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:28 am #329534

Does someone have the right settings combination for getting normal maps out of ZBrush 4 which work with Maxwell?
I just spent 2 hours trying various combinations, and all I got was a headache...

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329535

By rusteberg - Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:38 am

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:38 am #329535

did you try this?

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329558

By tom - Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:40 am

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:40 am #329558

Also, you may find this post useful

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... 57#p167857

Next Limit Team

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329559

By micheloupatrick - Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:50 am

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:50 am #329559

This is actually the first thing I tried, and it was working fine beside the fact that the resulting map was inverted (parts of the surface that should have been pulled out where pushed in).
But instead of simply using a negative bump value, I tried to fix it in ZBrush, trying every combination of flipR/G/B : this is where I got confused, getting all kind of problems at the seams...
After a good night of sleep, everything is back to normal and I'm back using a negative bump value!
Thanks to both of you for your help.

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329582

By rusteberg - Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:17 pm

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:17 pm #329582

that's strange, because it works as should here with no visible seam problems at render time...

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329588

By micheloupatrick - Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:13 pm

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:13 pm #329588

As I said in my post, no seam problem now that I've stopped playing around with the flip R/G/B option! Everything is fine (but you have to use a negative bump value).

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329591

By rusteberg - Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:41 pm

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 7:41 pm #329591

micheloupatrick wrote:As I said in my post, no seam problem now that I've stopped playing around with the flip R/G/B option! Everything is fine (but you have to use a negative bump value).

yes, i read your post.... that's why i thought it was strange you had to invert your normal map with a negative value given these settings above

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329597

By micheloupatrick - Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:55 pm

- Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:55 pm #329597

Do you mean you don't have to use a negative bump value when using a normal map coming from ZBrush?
Something must be wrong with my workflow.

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329611

By rusteberg - Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:19 am

- Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:19 am #329611

micheloupatrick wrote:Do you mean you don't have to use a negative bump value when using a normal map coming from ZBrush?
Something must be wrong with my workflow.

yes...

Last edited by rusteberg on Sat Aug 28, 2010 7:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Normal maps settings from ZBrush 4 to Maxwell?#329614

By micheloupatrick - Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:55 am

- Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:55 am #329614

I tried it in Studio (I normally use Maya), and everything works here as expected (no bump inversion).
So went back to Maya, made a few more tests, and here the final word : in Maya you have to check Flip X and Flip Y.