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OK call me stupid! Let's see if I've got this right.

A UV Mapper looks at an object and draws its shape onto a 2d plane (a flat screen) This lets you paint or add text to it that can be transfered back onto the object that it mapped? So, can the object be really complex or does it have to be simple? Is there a free version about?

Message edited on: 11/17/2004 05:13

Yep, kind of dumb idea, but everybody is doing it, lol, go figure :P

Bryster, it can be any object, complex or simple, it gives you control over being able to do complex textures too. I tend to use it most often with free models I've downloaded that don't some with textures. There IS a free version available. I just happened to DL this latest version last week...it's not entirely intuitive but, it is pretty slick.

I use Unwrap3d ( www.unwrap3d.com ) for UVmapping, but it's all a question of taste, and which one you happened on first :^) I find it pretty easy to use. You don't absolutely have to unwrap faces at all, unless you're mapping something like a figure, where you want to place textures correctly for the face etc. I normally just do a simple UVmapping using planar, spherical, cylindrical etc. - that specifies how the texture is wrapped around the object. Rather than UVmapping, I just select the faces I want to texture in perspective mode. I'll try to do a screenshot.

Sorry, I meant 'rather than UNwrapping'. Here's a screenshot of a crappy lo-poly avatar that I made in Wings, and exported with different coloured materials applied. Once in a UVMapper, it's possible to apply different textures, or textures that you've painted yourself, very easily. The faces on the left have been mapped in the simplest way (box) but could have been mapped in lots of other ways, or unwrapped. You can grab faces and drag them round to place them where you want on the texture as well.

I get the unwrapping, I get the painting..it's the putting the texture back on the figure and getting it to show up in Bryce that I've been blocked on..for years..;) ah well..;)

I've used UVmapper for a while now Bryster and it's a doddle once you've done it a few times. You import your model into UVmapper, map the various parts in whatever mode suits you and then save the model AND the map with the same name. After painting your textures on the map(I always save a back-up in case I want to change details)you import the model and then import your map exactly as if you were importing any bitmap image to add to a texture. I know you can import Poser figures(I've seen the evidence,lol)and it really is just as simple, probably more so.

Well thanks very much for the tutorials, Guys! I get the picture - or at least I will when I get my sticky little hands on a uvmappertypethingywatchamacallit!

Psst! If you haven't heard already, Wings has a decent UV mapper built in. (Not to mention that it gets better with every new release.)

Pauljs75: How dare you tempt me with sedition! (Is it easy to use?)

Bryster, it allows you to import any .obj model, and allows you to determine the type of coordinate mapping you want (plane, spherical, cylindrical, box, polar) depending on which looks better on your model type and save it as an image which you can then take into your favorite image editor and place the skin of the model anyway you want on your model. You can then import that model and corresponding .mtl (material library) and open that model with the skin accurately placed depending on your modeling program. Heres a low poly example Ive been playing with, built using 3D StudioMax and exported as a WaveFront Object file then brought into UVMapper and finally brought into Bryce for background content and refined in Photoshop.

Message edited on: 11/17/2004 16:33

I discovered UV Mapper a few months ago.I soon realised that if the map produced is pasted as a layer onto a new sheet in Paintshop and clipped to size,then all the tools and/or imported potos can be used to make a good texture.

http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=807609&Start=1&Artist=jedswindells&ByArtist=Yes

Hull and sails modelled then UVs textured in Paintshop.

Sigh! Looks like I'm the last to hear about this! Thanks once again!

here are examples of what can be achieved with proper uv mapping. the pictures in these images are all totally uvmapped with uvmapper and rendered in carrara. They coulda been rendered in Bryce, except itd be around 2050 before they were done with the current render engine :) anyhow, see: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1422132 http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1393412 I highly recommend uvmapping your models that you build in 3rd party apps (like amapi, or wings) to get the most out of them. Its also really easy to cut the model up into different groups and materials. might want to check out the uvmapper forum here as well. :) BT