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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:51 am Post subject: can someone teach me unwrapping 2 pieces together? |
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Hi,
Say I have a house mesh. Very simple, with one box as the bottom part, and half a box turned as a triangular shape as a roof.
Now, I know how to unwrap each part separately and at the end I have two templates to texture.
But I want them to appear in one map only, two parts together but only 1 template to texture.
How do I do that?
I know one is saved and then the other is made and the saved one is loaded or something but what r the steps for this please?
Thanks
P.S.
This will save a lot of textures that r not really needed if all can be collected in 1 template.
I know many developers do that I wonder if it is a better way or more difficult for texture artists. _________________
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nerseus
Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: USA - AZ
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:50 am Post subject: |
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You'll want to use the Unwrap UVW modifier. You'll probably do something like:
* attach the two separate meshes
* make sure they have the same material assigned
* Add Unwrap UVW modifier
* Select faces for one box and move/resize them in the Edit dialog
* Select faces for the 2nd box and move/resize them
Now you don't *have* to attach the meshes. they can remain separate. Without attaching, you won't be able to generate a complete "template" from within Max. But things will still work just fine as far as using one texture in previewer, with each "part" of the texture mapping correctly. I'd attach though - just makes things easier
-ner |
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nerseus
Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: USA - AZ
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Work in progress - trying to make a short video demonstrating the Unwrap UVW.
The following videos show how to build a "house" from an inverted box. I added a roof as well, then attached the two pieces and applied one texture to both. At the end of the video, there's a "house" made up of two elements - the "base" and the "roof". They use one texture, but every side uses up the whole texture. Finally, (in the 2nd video), I show how to use the Unwrap UVW to move/resize the mapping.
I'm using Jing and Screencast.com as a test. Jing is a freebee tool from the makers of Camtasia - it does super-easy screen captures/uploads as well as short 5 min video captures, with limited editing. Screencast is like photobucket - I'm testing out the free account there to host the videos. Hope all goes well for making short "helper" vids
Part 1 - building a house from two boxes. Attaching. Adding a single texture.
http://screencast.com/t/6jJGLz6c
Part 2 - applying unwrap uvw. resizing the mapping of the 'base' to use only the lower half of the texture while the 'roof' took the upper half. then I used "unfold mapping" on the base, to give it 4 separate rectangles. I selected each 'roof' rectangle and used "break" to then manually resize/move those mappings around. At the very end, I used the Tools-Render UVW Template to show how to make the wireframe template.
http://screencast.com/t/u16TpqzV
Sorry for the lack of sound. If you have questions or want this done "better", let me know. I was trying to do it quick, from work
-ner |
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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:03 am Post subject: |
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Oh Ner! Thank you very much for taking the time to even show a video on that! I appreciate it a lot. You are awesome man!
I am going now to study them  _________________
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yokoed
Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5110 Location: USA - PA
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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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Likes watching videos. _________________
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Arezeon
Joined: 06 Jan 2009 Posts: 5000 Location: USA - MA
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nerseus
Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: USA - AZ
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:00 am Post subject: |
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Network timeouts? Well that's no good... I was hoping screencast.com would be a good place to host video/screenshot tutorials since it's free and super-easy.
The videos are flash - the first is about 8meg, the second is about 11. If you (Janbazz) or anyone just can't get to them, I'll see if I can upload them to my personal website which has usually been pretty good for hosting.
Whooda thunk Unwrapping would be thwarted by network issues?
-ner |
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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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I saw the videos with no problem. Thanks Ner.
Here is another one but so fast u cant believe it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fDDmZNgfg0
Unfortunately these wont help me with flowers. Look:
flattened:
normal:
perhaps what I want to do is not yet doable.
I just want to have 1 leaf, 1 pollen, 1 petal and 1 stalk all show in 1 template; each one in 1 shape near each other. So total of 4 shapes in 1 template. _________________
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nerseus
Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: USA - AZ
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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There are params on flattened that may help - setting the angle at which to "break" things. In the end, it's best to learn the basics and get a *good* understanding of the options - then you can pick and choose what works best (often a combo).
For a flower mesh with 4 leaves, for example, you'd probably want to use planar mapping - giving you a "top down" view of the leaf. Assuming the leaves are roughly the same shape (not necessarily size), you can then move the maps of each leaf "on top" of each other in the Edit dialog. That way your final texture map only has one "leaf" shape for a user to color in, but it gets applied to all 4 leaves on your mesh. The stalk would probably be separate from that, and the flower yet again different. How you "break up" the texture mapping on a flower depends on a LOT of factors, mostly on how complex the mesh itself is.
If you want a demo of a simple flower with multiple leaves, let me know
-ner |
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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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lol I think I figured it out. It is pretty easy. I havent finished it yet though. It is like a 5 min work.
But here is what I do:
-attach all the pieces as the mesh is finished.
-click UVW Unwrap modifier
-select "faces" option
-click edit
-you will see "select by element" inside uvw unwrap modifier. click that so it is selected.
then select each element on ur mesh by clicking each one of them inside your viewport not inside uvw unwrap window. For example, I need to click all of my petals not just 1.
When u do that you will see red areas on ur little window where the wireframe image shows.
Now, click "break" from tools tab inside uvw unwrap modifier thingy.
It will detach that element from other elements. So u can now move it away to work on the next elements.
(I am here)
Break each element that carry the same texture but after selecting all of them with CTRL and click. you will break them once.
When u break you can move it away the whole thing as 1 element.
When u select all the elements (say all the petals, in uvw you will see u r only selecting the back and forth of 1 shape only.
Now move them away after breaking and then do it for other elements (I need to select each leaf then click break and then move it. then each stalk, and click break and then move it away and then each pollen and click break and then move it away)
and finally resize them and put them together the way u want.
Click rendering and choose ur size 128*128 or 256 *256 or whatever size u want to make your template.
Do not click flatten map or normal map or unfold map at any point.
YES!!!!!!!!!!! It works. Like in 5 mins I did this:
the top part is the green side underneath the rose, then the stalks.
The middle is the back and front of petals.
The bottom is back and front of leaves.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man I wanted to learn this a year ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _________________
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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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oh but now I need to ask one more thing.
During export since I put the whole mesh into 1 template, then I will export only 1 xrf file right? hmm or how do I do the export of the mesh now.
The mesh is the same as u see the "normal mapping" template above.
The different pieces are, petals M0, leaves M1 and stalks M2.
Oh I guess i still have to export 3 xrf files but use the same template for each one.
lol I might have actually complicated my texturing work ha!
Is that correct? crap lol
hmm or maybe I can select the whole mesh and make it edit poly and then apply only 1 texture as the template I made and then I only export 1 xrf for 3 meshes.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!! less work for me! _________________
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Jaleman31
Joined: 03 Jul 2006 Posts: 11655 Location: USA - WA
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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lol..
I do it both ways you have discrive..
but now every piece of the mesh on that wire map, it will use just one xrf file.. I don`t export from max, I use keef tutorial about the xrf files and edit it in note pad.. way easier for me. so yes now when you "group" your mesh this way. you only need one xrf for all thise pieces, and you should have apply only one for all of them before you unwrap them. _________________
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nerseus
Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 2008 Location: USA - AZ
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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@LovedWarrior:
Looking great! You might even be able to combine some of those leaves, if you want.
For your question about how to export and materials and such:
In Max, you only need one texture. You *can* use a multi-sub texture, but you'd only need to use the first "slot." Or you could just use a standard texture ball - just make sure it's named correctly:
flower [0] (or something similar)
If your mesh is all attached, you'll export only one XMF and one XRF - which is perfect. If you leave the mesh separate you'll have multiple XMF files, but each should have the same material ID. That *should* show up in previewer as one material (M00 for example) on furniture products. I think on room products, the previewer splits things into "P" textures (P0M00, P1M00, etc.).
-ner |
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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Ner, thanks J! _________________
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LovedWarrior
Joined: 17 Jun 2007 Posts: 4592 Location: Canada
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:41 am Post subject: |
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lol ok now I have 2 other questions:
1.........Say I made a simple sofa and I want to use 3 textures on it. One for the pillows, 1 for the sides of the sofa and 1 for the sofa seats and back and legs...
Now if I make the whole thing 1 template that wouldnt be a good idea right?
I mean it would be best if I selected all those polygons of the side of the sofa and then apply a texture there. Then select all the polygons of the pillows and apply another texture and then another texture for the legs and the sofa and so on.
So I end up with as many templates as the number of textures I used right?
Or is there another way?
All I want to know the fastest and the easiest way
2..... When we make 1 template with several meshes showing in it. To make it easy, some meshers color each piece on the template to show
where those sit on the mesh. They r simple colors, like blue, green, yellow and so on.
Is there anywhere we can do this inside the unwrap modifier when the wireframe is open. You know when u want to save it as jpg you can choose colors like black and white, blue, yellow, and green but can we somehow color each area there instead of opening up ur template in PS and then select and color? _________________
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