More UvMapping Questions....

[legacy-AlTeCk LaNsInG]

I was wondering if i can use uvMapping for each piece of a weapon, such as uvmap and texture the body and then the barrel and then the handle, ect. and then use ActorX for the importing into unrealED. will this get a wierd result becuase of the many different textures?

The reason i ask is when i flatten the uvMapping in Max it has alot of little cirlcles that i dont know were they go. I thought this might help me make the weapon better looking.

Or if you have any more ideas i would like to hear them.


Thanks,

Kyle


One more thing, is there snaping in 3d Max?

[legacy-AkumuX]

Snapping in 3DS Max, is that little magnet looking icon either up on the top toolbar (If you’re using Max 5.0+) or down on the bottom near the animation functions. Right-click on it to adjust things like Grid-size and how you want the snaps to work.

As for unwrapping the UVW of your mesh, this is a art form that takes awhile to master. I gave me the single most trouble out of all of this (well aside form animation, which I haven't learned much about yet).

The best way to unwrap is to select faces of your mesh that would go together well. Using your gun mesh for example... In Editable Poly mode, select the Polygon selection and then individually select all the faces of your barrel. Then apply a UVW Map to it and select the Cylindrical Mapping. Expand the plus under the UVW Mapping and select the Gizmo then adjust it until its around the barrel in the most efficient way (that green line is also where the seem should be, so position it where ever the seam will be least noticeable.) Then click the Fit button and check your results. You will have to tweak it using the Unwrap UVW modifier, but this is really one of the best methods I've found to getting these unwrapped.

[Radiosity]

http://www.3dtotal.com/ffa/tutorials...c/joanmenu.asp

Have a read through that, especially the UV mapping section. That's what I used when I was first setting out with UVMapping models and mastered the 'Art' on the first try. It's only as difficult as you make it

[legacy-AkumuX]

I never got to the Joan tutorial part of unwraping. Maybe it is better than the others I read. But a lot of the others had slightly confusing parts that didn't make sense as a total novice. :P

It took me 14 hours to unwrap my first model (a 500 poly character) :P

[Radiosity]

You must not be following very good tutes then. It took me about 30 minutes to do a 2000 poly weapon model on my first attempt, and that was from reading the Joan tut I just posted.

[PointlesS]

wow that 3dtotal site is awesome for beginners