Problem with projecting UVs

Daf57 · January 23, 2016, 02:20:25 PM

Hi,

Modeled and UVed in Zbrush. Textured in Substance Painter. Rendering in KeyShot - when I appy the maps generated in SP I only get a matte gray texture when using UV Projection. The other mapping options show some variation of the map - just gray with UVs. The model has UVs - see attached images below. I can apply the texture maps to the model in ZBrush and it works fine, same in Max (see images below) but nothing in KeyShot. What am I doing wrong, please? So far this has happened with every project I try to render with KS. This is getting very frustrating.

Thank you!

Keyshot

TpwUK · January 23, 2016, 02:59:24 PM

Have you set the texture in KS to be UV Mapped ?

Martin

Daf57 · January 23, 2016, 06:11:40 PM

Hi, thanks for the reply. Yes, like I mentioned all the other mapping option like Box, Planar, Normal, etc... will show some hint of the the color or features. But in UV projection mode, for the texture map, all I get is a solid color - gray or white. I have tried smaller and larger scale settings, manual positioning, etc... but I never see the texture map.

Thanks again
Daf

TpwUK · January 23, 2016, 06:57:09 PM

Looking from the screenshots you posted the texture in KS looks upside down. Be careful when exporting your geometry/maps from other apps that Y and Z don't get crossed over and make sure you have told KS which axis is up. Other than that I can't think what could be goofing up. Does painter import ZB files directly via GoZ or do you need to export as OBJ first ?

So many variables :/

Martin

Daf57 · January 23, 2016, 07:58:27 PM

Must have been something with the base material I was using. I re-imported through the bridge and modified the matcap material that came over from Zbrush. Then applied the maps and they worked. Very confusing but seems to be okay now. Just need to remember to not add a material from the library as a starting point for new material.

Thanks!

Daf57 · February 05, 2016, 09:05:54 PM

Hello, sorry to bother but I'm seriously about to give up on Keyshot. I continue to have problems with applying UV maps to objects from Zbrush to Keyshot through the bridge. Every single object I try to UV map gives me fits about it. All the other mapping options show the maps on the object - when I choose UV map it just turn the color of the material. Sometimes when it FINALLY does apply the map correctly (I don't know what I did to get that to happen) I save the material to the library - but when I reapply the map is gone again. It's like the UVs are being dropped by Keyshot. Is there a way to view the UVs within Keyshot?

If I use GoZ and send to MAX - then apply the maps they work perfectly. I truly do not understand what is going on with the materials in KeyShot.

Could someone outline the process with UVs - step by step or if I were to upload the project - Zbrush file, maps, - would someone be so kind as to give a try and maybe we can see what I'm doing wrong?

Note that this is the Zbrush version of KS Pro.

Thank you
Daf

TpwUK · February 06, 2016, 04:36:49 AM

These might sound like stupid questions but i am trying to cover all bases here ...

Are you using UV Master utility in ZB or the UV Mapping tool that shows in the menu list on the right ?
Have you tried any of the ZB tutorials on YT?
When you UV un-wrapped a model you should see something like the image below, that you can paint directly onto with other apps like PS. Do you see anything like the image ?

http://goanna.cs.rmit.edu.au/~gl/teaching/Interactive3D/2012/images/uv-unwrap.jpg

Martin

Daf57 · February 06, 2016, 06:51:01 AM

Hi Martin,

Thank you for the help.

I am no stranger to UVs and how they work. I use them all the time in other applications. That is why I am so frustrated that they are not working correctly in KS.

To answer your questions.

For some objects created in Zbrush I use UVMaster, for others I use UVLayout (Headus) - in this particular project I am having trouble with both. It does not seem specific to any one method.

Yes - I did most of the YT tuts for both Zbrush and Keyshot some time back. A couple of the recent tuts for Keyshot 6 were very helpful - the advanced materials video has helped me to create some really nice materials/textures from within Keyshot. However every now and then I need maps that require UVs.

Yes - as I mentioned - I know what UVs look like. See the previous posts and you will see that the objects giving me fits in Keyshot definitely have valid UVs. This is why I'm wondering if Keyshot to Zbrush bridge might be stripping the UVs on the way over.

Thank you - I hope we can sort this out as I really like KeyShot!

Daf

TpwUK · February 06, 2016, 07:36:12 AM

The only one model i had problems with UV mapping was an eye ball i created in MoI3d, then to ZB in order to rough it up and to then export as OBJ. I didn't have and still don't have the bridge. That's when i found out that the UV mapper in ZB (not UV Master) was in 4R6 confused and that you have to rotate the output by 90 degrees otherwise you end up having a real hard time in KS even if you use the mapping tool.

The reason I gave the sample uv map image was because with KS6 i can no longer just tell Blender or whatever to unwrap the UV's, I now have to produce proper UV separated islands otherwise the UV mapping option in KS simply refuses to accept the texture being applied.

Martin

Daf57 · February 06, 2016, 08:13:10 AM

Hi,

Even with UVMaster you have to rotate the UVs vertically. That's a quirk with Zbrush. But even so, the maps would only be upside down in Keyshot, they would still show - in my case the maps are just not showing at all in UV map mode. They show up in the other mapping modes. Very odd.

When I send the scene to KeyShot - selecting external renderer and using shift + R - the materials that Zbrush assign come over with their own mapping "MatCap*Tex" - I have been selecting the material (in KeyShot) and then Material Graph. From there I double click the texture map and change the image to the correct map (generated in Substance Painter) - when in the MatCap*Tex mapping mode the map is visible - incorrectly mapped but visible. I then change to UV projection for the texture map and the maps disappear completely. I've tried using the positioning tools and sliders - it's just not there. All that is there is the default color of the material. If I chose any other mapping mode the maps are visible but, of course, incorrectly mapped.

I have gone through the same process with 3d Max and Blender - using GoZ or straight import - and the maps work perfectly in UV mode.

I don't know if this is a quirk in KeyShot or just the bridge. It's very frustrating to say the least.

And to make it even more confusing ... sometimes after fiddling with it for a time the UV mode will work! Just "bam!" there it is pretty as you please! I have no idea what I did to make it work - I certainly didn't alter the workflow significantly.

Any ideas?

Thank you!
Daf

TpwUK · February 06, 2016, 09:01:51 AM

I can only offer a potential work around until you can get some proper support and that is to export you model as OBJ and to export any texture maps from ZB. That should get you into KS for final renders but is obviously useless for any kind of live linking you might be doing. Contact support@luxion.com but i feel pretty sure they will redirect you to Pixologic as they don't support the bridge because it's now only available from them and not Luxion.

You can also try sending me the ZPR and any other maps you have and i can try it here ... If it's a big file use something like wetransfer.com and send it to me here tpwuk at hotmail dot co dot uk and i can test it for you with 6.1.65

Martin

Daf57 · February 06, 2016, 11:11:21 AM

Thanks, Martin.

With the Zbrush/KeyShot version you can ONLY render from the bridge. Exporting as an .obj would not help unless I had the stand alone KS version.

Thanks!
Daf

TpwUK · February 06, 2016, 11:29:10 AM

Well the offer is still open to you, 6.1 can open ZPR files which in theory should be the same data that you are sending over the bridge. I understand if you can't send the file.

Martin

Daf57 · February 06, 2016, 06:11:30 PM

Thank you so much, Martin!

Vladimir Venkov · March 03, 2016, 01:12:01 PM

I have the same problem when I send a scene from Zbrush. The meshes have uvs on them. When I apply a new material and then load the texture that I have already painted for these meshes they don't show up when I choose "uv coordinated" . The textures work only when I use the matcap material that's been sent with the mesh from Zbrush. Only the I have additional Mapping type called MatCap * Tex. I have tried everything and nothing work. I think this is bug inside Kesyhot.