ZSPHERE clone using metaballs

hi I was wondering if perhaps someone on these forums could in intergrate the metaball system with the blender sculpt tools

tools thus a clone of the zbrush zsphere system.

thanks

james

There was a script doing that, so search for it.
But it will never be like zspheres, because zspheres create a very clean topology, in opposite to metaballs, which are very useful for scetching.
The way I do it if I use metaballs:

  1. create the basic shape from meta
    2.convert to mesh, sculpt to the desired volume
  2. retopo the mesh to get proper topology
  3. do fine sculpting/mapping/occasionally rigging.

Indeed there’s a script somewhere that uses metaballs and creates Zsphere alike things, but with a bad topology.
Aren’t there any coders out there interested in trying to create a better tool using our envelope bones? Would be great, no?
See: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=29617

Looks like this isn’t something easy if you think more about it…

like skinny you mean ? :

http://www.gravity-music.net/skinny/

I think the retopo tool have only begun to shine. I see it becoming more powerful in the future. Retopo side by side with sculpting and ore metaballs sounds powerful already.

thnx blaize, that skinny script comes close to zpsheres. I gave it a try (in v2.45), but the result are not that good personally… If you have a branch with more than 2 envelope bones, it doesn’t seem to know what to do…