A little challenge...

[Jason Belec]

Seems to have enough geometry for detail, this is level 6. I'm not happy with the nose yet. The previous one for Nos was better I think, maybe a combination would be best. Waiting for some feedback then I'll dig up some more stuff.

[joe_seig]

That nose looks fine from here...do you mean the Nos-nose setup was better? Cool hat too btw.

Attached a PC version of the superBody_7b.zlt, just the head and thumb were recreated onto your mac version.
No sculpting was done to the file, let us know if you see any discrepencies on the head. Thanks for the reference shots with the xyz settings. They were a big help for duplicating your setup.




Think I'll play with this now a little, that head setup looks interesting.

[Jason Belec]

Looks ok! Looks horrible on my Mac though!!

I think a script can solve this back and forth Mac/PC issue, looking into it.

[Jason Belec]

Well I'm happier with this setup than I was. I think I forgot something that I noticed today, well a few minutes ago after I sat down with a pail of tea.

I think the lower jaw will have to have xyzscript modification to keep from breaking. I have been pouring through my notes and thousands of worked and failed experiments since Zbrush 1.5 came into being.

I'll see what others get working or not and we can add these few touches.

Here is what I worked up so far, modded the head all over again, then roughed in the rest. I did a lot of moving of the major limbs to shrink the default characters bones and I scaled the head and major muscle group zspheres up as I saw fit. Similar process that I used to get Frankie 'Big Hands' Jr., and Wolfie. I'll pose this character as is next, probably to figures in a mirror pose, just to see what happens.

[Bas Mazur]

Ieeeeek, something went wrong with your superbody, so I did hide that part.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/sho...752#post243752

[Jason Belec]

Well I noticed some issues as well. My bad. I have updated this one with the stuff I have been tweaking. It is lighter and bends much better! You have 2 rotation points at shoulders and kness, so 1 rotates max 90 degress and then the other does the same. This eliminates the pinching issue and gives far more control, it also gives the proper shape to kness and shoulders if you model your geometry in the correct place (test often, until you understand the realationship). The jaw, upper and lower has modded to better keep the structure and allow for teeth easily. I have also enhanced the nose with the new stuff I dug up in my notes to make it easier.

Someone on a Windows box will have to fix and repost it for the other half of the users. I'm still working on a script solution.

Almost to the point where you can just model away and have something poseable. The cool part will be morphing each of your characters through each other....

Edit: To move the lower jaw, use the move tool on the zsphere closest to the head - the roataion tools still causes weirdness here.

[Jason Belec]

I've been messing around a bit between things. Still waiting for my new video card, another dud arrived.

Still not completely happy with the lower jaw muscle control for everyday modeling, some characters seem to work better than others. However the control is improving greatly, perhaps someone else will contribute a few ideas.

[Abyssis]

Hi Jason-dude, I see on your last two renders: do you have the same strange vertical lines like me.... I sometimes have... and only in the bestmode and not by every materials.

Hmmmm...

[Jason Belec]

Abyssis, thanks, and of course we have now talked back and forth by email.

Now as for others, I've been playing with the means of the best zsphere armature setup for a head. Have a play with this. Yes, feedback is required, I know, I know, so drole!

[Jason Belec]

Well, here is another quick model using this new head, seems a lot faster and willing to allow geometry in the right place.

Still working throufh some tricks to control the jaw smoothness.

[SNARK]

Jason,

Thank you for the terrific thread and the attention you give to pushing limits. I have a question about the philosophy behind the placement of ZSpheres that are meant to be facial cavities (eyes, ears, mouth). Most times when I begin to build a head and place ZSpheres for sockets, the resulting sockets have knife edges. That is to say, some part of the boundaries of the holes curve inward sharply and close to the surface. Is there an approach to placement that eliminates that?

Also, is there a way to open your zgirl tool (earlier in this thread) in Windows XP without distortion? When I highlight the tool (and before actually selecting it) the thumbnail preview shows no distortion but when I draw the tool on the canvas it has upper body distortions as described in posts earlier in this thread. I like the ZSphere construction and would like to study this more closely.

Also, there is a ZBrush preview movie for Version 2.5 that shows a female ZSphere body being used to create a mesh. Who made that model and is it perchance available for download?

Thanks!

~S.~

[Jason Belec]

Thank you for the terrific thread and the attention you give to pushing limits. I have a question about the philosophy behind the placement of ZSpheres that are meant to be facial cavities (eyes, ears, mouth). Most times when I begin to build a head and place ZSpheres for sockets, the resulting sockets have knife edges. That is to say, some part of the boundaries of the holes curve inward sharply and close to the surface. Is there an approach to placement that eliminates that?


Sometimes, by pushing the zsphere used for each socket further into the head will make it better. If you grabbed my samples, you should be able to see any smooth settings, group settings, etc. In the Tool menu for how the adaptive meash is applied. Of course the various xyz settings also contribute to this information.

You must keep in mind that this is equivalent to copper wire and very quickly applied clay to elicit a basic shape.


Also, is there a way to open your zgirl tool (earlier in this thread) in Windows XP without distortion?


Sorry, no! Pixologic introduced an error/problem when creating the mac and windows versions. I am working on a script to solve it in spare time. I have been informed that the issue should be resolved in Zbrush 2.5, we will have to wait and see.


When I highlight the tool (and before actually selecting it) the thumbnail preview shows no distortion but when I draw the tool on the canvas it has upper body distortions as described in posts earlier in this thread. I like the ZSphere construction and would like to study this more closely.


Understood, frustrating for me as well when showing people stuff and useing the process in production on different systems I can assure you.

I'm going to try something new soon. Where I will build all from scratch and record the script to see if this will resolve things. This way each armature will be built on the indivduals system. Not the best approach, but we'll see if it works.


Also, there is a ZBrush preview movie for Version 2.5 that shows a female ZSphere body being used to create a mesh. Who made that model and is it perchance available for download?


Cool isn't it?! Got me, I don't work for them, nor do I have access to either Windows beta's used for development or Mac beta's that straggle along after. I'm just a simple user like you and everybody else.


Thanks!

~S.~

I wish I could be of more help. However, welcome to the thread and please post any questions and results, positive or negative that you encounter.

[SNARK]

Thanks, Jason!

~S.~

[Jason Belec]

I guess I have to post something new to keep this thread alive. I'll try to dig up something else. I really had hoped a few people would post some images and issues. Perhaps everything is working perfectly.

[Jason Belec]

OK, next level. A working mouth!!! Sometimes the simpler ones are the best. Went back and compared my notes on some successful characters and found that I had pretty much provided the right rig earlier with Nos and a few before him. So here is a head for those of you following along at home....