7: Start Max up. If your are using Max 6 and below install the “Habware” OBJ to Max import plugin to your 3dsmax Plugins Folder (Max 7 has this as a standard export option).

a: Import the OBJ file from where ever you saved it. File> Import etc.

b: You will be promted with this dialog (See pic below):

Use these settings above.

c: After you’ve imported the mesh. Rotate your model 180% on the X axis & position how you like it in Max.

d: Convert the mesh to an Editable poly (if your using Max 7 you can stick an Edit poly in the stack, but for me this just creates an extra memory issue for no need.

e: Place a Mesh smooth or Turbosmooth (Max 7 again) with as many iterations as your computer setup can handle (don’t forget that you are using a modified mesh, exported from ZBrush. This mesh, most likely has many more subdivisions than when you first exported it from Max to ZBrush, thus much more detail).

f: Place a Displace modifier on your mesh above the Mesh/Turbosmooth Modifier in the stack. Check these boxes:

f1: Luminance Center (controls bloating) & Use Existing Mapping (your UV map).

g: Open up your Material Editor and select an empty Material Slot. Click on the “Get Material Button” (Not the Diffuse, Bump or Displacement Map buttons/slots), the blue sphere icon with the arrow on the left of the Mat Ed. Here you choose the Displacement map you modified in PS (it is loaded in the MAT Ed as a flat map).

h: Next you instance copy this to the map slot of the Displace Modifier in the stack (the one below the bitmap slot that says map).

i: Last you adjust the Displace Modifier Strength and decay to suit. I have found setting the Decay amout to 1/10th the Strength works well. You Can render off test renders and compare them in PS by combining both the images on seperate layer’s and dropping and increasing the top layer’s opacity (you do this to check for bloating & adjust the lumine.

Well that’s it, what a mouthfull !!

If you haven’t fallen asleep buy now you deserve a medal, me, I’ve downed quite a few ale’s doing this in between things:p !

I find this a great way to use displacement maps made in the AWESOME ZBrush, with Max. Because I can see the diplacement in the viewport (with some test renders to check out the the Luminance amount to see if the mesh is bulging at render time & adjust it accordingly). It helps me if I am doing any cloth sims or fine animation (hand touching face) etc, you don’t have to guess where or how much the mesh will bulge (hands don’t penetrate through the skin etc).

These settings work with Brazil (as it doesn’t support MTD as yet), Mental ray without MTD & Scanline which is surprisingly fast.

If you have a large mesh and start to run out of memory and Max crashes you can net-render the scene in Backburner, with the “Initially Suspend” option. Close down Max and render from the Backburner Monitor.

Any corrections on what I’ve posted most welcome.

Hope this helps?

Scratchy:D