Well, again we learned something in Zbrush that is invaluable! The ability to create and import a displacement map from Zbrush into Maya is an extremely powerful component to working with models. Using the method below you’ll be able to take a simple model exported from Maya (obj file), import it into Zbrush to create features and extra detail that would take forever to model in Maya then use the displacement map to have Maya read and render them onto the simple model. For this example, you’ll need to have the Multi Displacement 2 (MD2) Plugin properly installed in Zbrush.
Import your model into Zbrush (ensure that the model is unwrapped and there is NO OVERLAPING UV’s)
add your detail as needed (take your time, make it look good!)
-reduce to Subdivision level 1
-open multidisplacement2 from plugins
-UDim=0, InitialFile…=1001, MaxMapSize=4096, MapSizeAdjust=0, Border=8
-Click Export Options Button -click on QuckCode area and make the quick code=DE-LBEK-EAEAEA-R32
-Close
-Click create All button (make sure your at the lowest Sdiv level (1))
-give it a name and location (check the root if it doesn’t save to the location you gave it it’ll be a tiff file that’s about 196MB in size)
in cmd dir (access the command line and ensure you’re in the same directory as your .tif file
imf_copy -p <filename>.tif <filename>.map
in Maya
-select model
-ctrl+A for attributes
-under displacement map -uncheck feature displacement
-open hypershade -create new lambert -create a displacement node (under displacement)
-middle click on displacement node drag to the new lambert connecting it to displacement map. (nothing will show atm)
-apply the lambert to the model
-erase the hypershade window (eraser button at the top)
-select the model and click the graph materials on selected object button
-double click on the displacement shader node and click the connection button on the right under Displacement Attributes.
-File -select your .map file (it’ll take a bit to load)
-double click on the file node attached to the disp.shader node go to colour balance -Alpha gain=2.2, -alpha offset=-1.1 and check the alpha is luminance on
-window -rendering editor -mental ray -approximation editor
-make sure your object is selected
-click the create button under the Subdivisions section
-then click edit
-Approx Method=Spatial, MinSubdiv=3, MaxSubdiv=5, Length=0.1
-RENDER! (with mentalray)
