Scultping Tools?

[El Burritoh]

I know this gets asked a lot, but it's usually on bigger forums with hundreds or thousands of opinions. Since this is a smaller forum I want to ask it here:


"Zbrush or Mudbox?"


They leapfrog over each other in terms of performance and features, and they both have prons and cons unique to them. Now I'm a Zbrush user, myself, but I keep hearing of people jumping over to Mudbox. Is this because of the connection with Autodesk? Does Mudbox play better with Maya as a result? Is it simply because of the streamlined interface Mudbox offers? Is it performance-related?

For what reasons did you pick the sculpting tool you use now?

[oglu]

most of us are using both... so try both and deside yourself...

[El Burritoh]

most of us are using both... so try both and deside yourself...

Yes, but are you using both because you want to, or because you have to?

[oglu]

i would like to do all in mudbox but sometimes there is need for zbrush...
if you have to do some hardsurface stuff or the clients pipeline is on z...
i really like the texturing features in mud and the perspective view...

[cj3d]

I agree. I think Mudbox is king with texturing, but I think Photoshop might be hot on it's heels with the new features in CS4 :D. I personally like the sculpting workflow in Zbrush better though. I'm not a pro but that's just my opinion :p

CJ

[El Burritoh]

I just saw the comment about Photoshop CS4's painting features...

It's got the power, but not the fluidity. When basic SRT controls are locked down as tools that you select like any other in PS, it slows the process down a bit. However, you get to use PS directly on your model as you would expect, and even on a "UV view" of it if you prefer. If Adobe keeps CS5 from being a morbidly obese cow (the CS4 line in general was feeling bloated), maybe we'll see some streamlined interaction with 3D models.

[El Burritoh]

Pixologic releases UV Master for Zbrush.

[ZippZopp]

for me, mudbox wins hands down in just about every aspect. the brushes for me feel way way better in Mudbox, plus the sculpt layers with masking work far better than the layer system in Zbrush. You could argue that Zbrush has more brushes, but for me, most of them are fairly hard to control and work in only the most optimal of conditions. On top of that, the real perspective camera and real time lighting in mudbox make it much easier to assess the surface. Many times using zbrush I've found it hard to really tell what my surface is actually doing.

texturing in mudbox is far better as well with real support for layers.

I do use both packages though because they both do have their strengths. I do like the fact that you can change your topology in Zbrush and you can retain your sculpt.

[Tomaya]

I'm more mudbox , why ? i like to feel comfortable with an interface , mudbox is a maya like , simple and fluid... ...but as a sculptor ( i mean wood and stone ) i love 3dcoat , no surface deformation , real 3d modeling , amazing !

[Manuel Poehlau]

I think zbrush vs mudbox is a neverending story. I prefer zbrush. For me, the brushes feel way way better than in mudbox. So I have to disagree what ZippZopp said. You have a lot of functions for setting up a brush,in zbrush, which might be a little bit confusing at a first glance. But in the end you have a lot more control over, what your brush is doing.

But I agree that the layer system with masking and the texturing is better than in zbrush.
What I really miss in mudbox is a transpose like tool.. Reconstruct subdivision levels, reproject, all the masking tools, just to name a few.

It´s like, which wine is better, red or white wine. It´s a matter of taste.
Both get the job done.

edit: and yeah, try 3dcoat, it´s awsome too :)

[tonytrout]

An endless argument really and I should know better than to post. :sw:

I bought zbrush before mudbox was out, but i never really clicked with it interface wise. When mudbox came out it just made everything easier it just seemed straightforward and sensible. Obj, levels and brushes. Now with the painting its just joyous but I would have to say zbrush has better sculpting brushes. I get a little frustrated with mudbox and the seemingly slow development at times, it could certainly do with painting and projection in the UV window without bridging to PS all the time, the 'part of a pipeline' strategy isnt all its cracked up to be. I still use zbrush for some of its features like transpose, and you have to admire the work that some artists wring out of it, but since I dont have to use one or the other I use the one that I find easiest. simple thing for a simple mind :) Heck I even use hexagon for most of my modelling and it works for me. I expect I will keep on upgrading both though, I have been meaning to do a zbrush month just so i dont forget its idiosyncryses :banghead:

PS I think this is more a CG blah blah thread than a technical question....