Landscapes with plants (instances) with ZBrush and Octane

[atnreg]

Hi!

I know this is related to some other threads here but as this needs combination of many tricks/methods, I thought it is better to start a new thread
Also I know that this is partially ZBrush-related but as the main goal is LW+Octane, I think this is the best place to ask this anyway

First, I want to point out that I am quite new with ZBrush so if you give any ZBrush tricks, please make them very clear, don't just say 'use that and that' ZBrush is incredible tool but SOOOO different from LW that it will take time to get used to it...

I am looking for best or 'correct' way to do following:
-landscape modeled in ZBrush
-plants as instances
-render in LW/Octane
So quite similar idea to Octane instance demo but with detailed landscape.

It is possible and very effective to make landscape in ZBrush and make that Alpha via GrabDoc and then use that as displacement in Octane, the resolution of the landscape is very good.
BUT if I want to add plants in that kind of landscape, it cannot be done as LW instances follow the surface of the object, not displacement that is done in Octane, right?

Of course I can make the landscape in ZBrush and export it as mesh but it creates huge object (with detailed landscape) and so it is very slow to use in LW. Same problem occurs if I use the Alpha map to displace LW object.
Also the landscape contains some overlapping or at least very steep heights like river bench i.e. where only height map is not enough so I think normal maps could be way to do those. ZBrush can create normal maps but how can I use them to displace (or whatever) the LW object in addition or instead of displacement maps? And can I create normal maps from flat plane to landscape in ZBrush? So far I have not found way to do that.

It may be that I am on the totally wrong tracks with this but if anyone can lead me to at least closer to right tracks, I would be very happy

Thank you very much for any ideas and suggestions!

Antti

[3dreamstudios]

Not sure if this will help but I will share our workflow with ArchViz landscape type images.

We use Lightwave as our modeler. You can do some push and pull of geometry but I've found for most of the stuff we do (not organic in nature) that a siteplan for a building is fairly rigid in form except for areas of transition etc... So I slice in all of the geometry that makes the outlines of the curbs etc.... I then use the SHRINKWRAP tool in LW 11.6 to conform that geometry onto a background layer that is a rough shape of the terrain. Then I extrude the shapes that make up the curb/grass areas. Then I use a custom profile I created with LWCAD engraver tool to bevel out the curb profile giving it a curve.

For the instances I mainly use points to place the instances.....think of it like your planting individual plants just like the installers will. You can use SPRAY POINTS to get a bunch laid out quickly. If they need to follow the terrain you can again use the SHRINK WRAP tool in LW to drag those down to the background site.

Once you have your instancing setup in Layout with all the different plants etc...there isn't much to do in Octane but sit back and watch it rip through all that you've created.

Hope that points out a few things that might help. Sorry don't know ZBrush much...possibly a nice way to do some scuplting etc....for intracate detailed organic siteplan. But you might could use some of the same processes.

One thought on that note as I'm writting this....you might could scuplt in ZB. Export as height map. Pull into Layout and displace. Then export that as geometry that you can use with above work flow. Then once the instances are created...go back and use Octane displacement at render time if you can get it to match LW's exported geometry which you will not be using at this point... Hope you followed that....

Good luck!

[atnreg]

3dreamstudios, thank you very much, great ideas and tips!
I will try those with some modifications to fit my workflow and ZBrush/LW co-operation

[FrankPooleFloating]

http://hurleyworks.com/

You might want to check this out too. Hurley just released Advanced Placement for LW. Looks nice. I plan to grab the demo and play with it when I get a free hour or two...

[3dreamstudios]

http://hurleyworks.com/

You might want to check this out too. Hurley just released Advanced Placement for LW. Looks nice. I plan to grab the demo and play with it when I get a free hour or two...

Oh wow, hadn't seen this. Looks very interesting. We use a lot of instancing with landscapes and plants etc... Going to check the demo out for sure, thanks!

[atnreg]

http://hurleyworks.com/

You might want to check this out too. Hurley just released Advanced Placement for LW. Looks nice. I plan to grab the demo and play with it when I get a free hour or two...

Oh wow, hadn't seen this. Looks very interesting. We use a lot of instancing with landscapes and plants etc... Going to check the demo out for sure, thanks!

Same here but I cannot download the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages, the download never starts
Why they can't just make a simple LINK to that file, why it must be some 'automated' crap?

Edit: solved, that crappy download only works with IE

Antti

[atnreg]

There is no manual for the demo but it is pretty simple to use:
You need to add to plugin to LW (says 9 plugins), then in menu add the Advanced Placement under Plug-ins. Then add the license code on About tab to unlock features.
Then it works similar to bullet except that there are many cool tools

There is youtube channel (found it from About tab of the master UI)
https://www.youtube.com/user/HurleyworksInc/feed

Wow those vids show that this is very interesting

This is way beyond Vue ecosystem paint on steroids and unlike Vue, this works and with instances so no 'out of memory' problems I gave up with Vue some time ago but this is how it should have worked

Seems that this must be purchased very soon

[atnreg]

I bought Advanced Placement couple of days ago and I can really say it is amazing!
It's still on sale (exp. May 15), I recommend check the demo

As everything is instances, you can use huge amount of placed objects and it even supports lights unlike LW's own instances.
So with Octane it is easy to make say 1000 lights nicely positioning on some terrain surface and render in 10 secs

Of course I am still learning but it is even more than I hoped for and seems quite stable even for 1.0.0.

[ristoraven]

I recommend Advanced Placement also. Money WELL spent. Incredible tool.

[adkkda]

Hey guys

I'm one of the folks that's been giving Steve a hand road testing Advanced Placement and the guy responsible, along with Steve, for the Hurleyworks website and the Advanced Placement workflow video, which was all done in LW and Octane many moons ago , so this is probably a good thread to jump into.

A lot has changed with AP and Octane since. I would have loved to have used octane displacement in that scene but alas all I had at that stage were normal maps. Plus Steve has added many handy tools and features since then that would have made that scene even more fun. For example , ability to freeze instances from further simulation is an awesome addition that would have been very handy in that scene.

It is a wonderfully creative, versatile, and powerful tool that I've been lucky enough to use and bash around for a while now so feel free to ask any questions you have.
I'm by no means the authority on AP , Steve is your man there, but I will try to answer anything as best as I can. Cheers.

Alan K.