[jacek]

Ok so... I made really easy model to show You how to "uvw mapping" models in 3dsmax.

Our model render:


3dsmax viewport:


-From modifier list we choose "UVW mapping" and turn on "XYZ to UVW" option:


-From modifier list we choose another modifier called "Unwrap UVW"
-click right mouse button in viewport and choose from menu "face"
-in right menu click button "edit"


Ok so we have new window:


If we scroll down we will see our ship:


-in "edit UVWs" window select one wing
-click on menu "mapping" and choose "unfold mapping"


click "ok"


If we scroll up we will see our wing unwrapped:


Now select it and use scale to decrease it size something cause in this square we must have all parts of our ship


Do the same steps with second wing and nose (use unfold mapping):









Now we must unwrapped our hull so we select it:


From menu choose "mapping" and "flatten mapping":


put "ok" and scale our new parts, it should looks like this:


THATS ALL  Now we have our ship unwrapped. I hope my tut help You something.

Be patient cause unwrapping takes more time than modelling.

[Scooby_Doo]

Personally I use Flatten Map rather than Walk to nearest. 


BTW, I did a tutorial a couple years ago: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,47240.0.html   

[jacek]

Very nice tut Scooby It's really professional 

I was trying to make UVW mapping tutorial easy as possible cause so much people think that UVW mapping is really hard but it isn't... It only takes so much time and isn't very interesting. In my opinion unfold mapping is good when we want to unwrapped cylinders, some kind of greebles or other easy shapes.. in other situation I am also using flatten mapping.   

[Scooby_Doo]

If you've got cylinders and other mostly flat areas, use UVW Map first (with planar/cylinder style)    This will be a major time saver.   

Some things about UVW Map modifier:
Don't forget it has a subobject level, you can move the gizmo center for the map (very useful when you have half cylinders)

You can rotate the gizmo center when things aren't at 90 degree increments.

Also there is a "normal align".  All you have to do is click on that button then click on the surface that you want aligned, and it'll auto rotate the gizmo to match that surfaces normal (Very useful for odd angles).  You might need to do some minor cleanup, but it's much quicker

Face Mapping does come in handy.  I've been using it with extruded edges, those small long polygons on sides.  What face mapping does is it'll try and wrap each polygon into a square going from (0,0) to (1,1) [i.e. using the entire map].   All you need to do is select all of the polys you want mapped, apply face mapping, use uvunwrap to scale them down to the right size.   Manually select those that weren't rotated right (they'll appear really stretched out/smeared) and rotate those 90 degrees and rescale, and vola.   A lot easier than flatten map and have umpteen million different rectangles to work with.

One last thing: If you use planar make sure the Length and Width values are the same.  By default it'll try and make it so that the takes up most of the uv map area, which will result in an incorrect width/height ratio.  Setting them to the same value will result in a 1:1 ration and will look correct.

Edit: BTW I've switched from Edit Mesh/Select Mesh to Edit Poly/Select Poly last year.  Poly's are more useful.

[jacek]

Yeah You're right but when I say that unfold mapping is usefull I mean that we have ship like for example my Tie-interceptor and we want to assign only one texture 2048*2048.. so parts which I marked on red (cylinders) I usually unwrap using unfold mapping.. maybe it's because I had been doing carton models before I learned how to create models on computer 

[Scooby_Doo]

That makes sense... I guess one of my major gripes with unfold is how it handles the results.  I like having my uv polys go either horizontal or vertical.  Makes texturing easier and less prone to aliasing.

Also a helpful hint, use a checkboard texture to start off with or even this one:

<original size is 2048*2048>

I saw limdaepl first use something like this and I loved it.  I so decided to make a copy of it.  Makes sorting things out 100% easier.

[jacek]

Thanks for checkboard It works nice 

[Scooby_Doo]

btw how do you get unfold... walk to closest to actually produce a useable result? All I ever get is something that looks like it went through a food processor.

[jacek]

Hi!
First. I assign modifier "UVW Mapping" and choose option "XYZ to UVW". Then I assign "unwrap UVW" select faces which I want to unfold and select option "unfold mapping" and press "ok". Thats all but It is usefull only for not very complicated shapes like cylinders, boxes and few other If You would like to unfold whole ship You must do it in few steps. I suggest You try it with cylinder or any other shape like this in my tutorial.. As You see I don't use unfold in all section.. one time I use normal mapping cause unfold won't work in this situation. If You still can't do this I will try to record short video 

[Scooby_Doo]

Ah I see now, hmmm this could be useful in a few cases.

[cahdoge]

I'm sorry but I can't see any pictures.

It just says: click and discover imagehack

[Goober5000]

The images have likely expired since this thread is six years old. 

[Scooby_Doo]

Also check the Relax tool, it sometimes comes in very handy, especially Relax by Face Angles.  Then again there are times it makes a horrible mess.  The Pelt tool I haven't had any luck with, it's meant more for organics than hard structures.