How to capture a models UV map to aid in skinning

[svösh]

This is both 3dmodeling and Photoshop related and it is very very handy

 

*I recommend this to all skinners, real-time viewing your skin and getting the sacred UV map to make your job easier. *

 

First make sure you have mdlops in your KT dir /

 

To simplify the skinning process first extract the model your using the double click on the mdl only method in kt* [if you have mdlops in the same dir / as KT that is] we aren’t using this model for the game anyways it’s just for “haut couture Modeling” for your skin. If it’s a multi part model weld it all so it is all joined then Go to the modifiers tab [ bent tube ] tab in the right side and click the drop down to get the different modifiers find the unwrap uvw modifier now hit the {EDIT} button and voila the uv map , now hit print screen and paste that in to a new document in ps or psp

 

Now in gmax click the materials editor m on your keyboard now using the eyedropper tool click your model and the default texture should be assigned to the material in slot one.

 

 

crop it and scale it to the same size as your skin then in ps select the background

 

Hit ctrl + L [levels] and with black eyedroper click the grey background, Now it‘s black and white much better, hit ok .

 

Click the black with the magic wand [ w ] now go to select > similar it should now only have selected the black. Now cut, if the section was good you will be left with what looks like nothing if you have a transparent canvas. Drag that layer to your actual texture document. add it to the top of the layer stack and lock it at 40 or 30 % opacity so you don’t inadvertently do any unwanted editing to it.

 

So now skinning will be a snap and the uv map overlay helps big time.

Not to mention skinning In real time with your w.i.p. skin in ps and on the model in gmax you can see the changes

 

Back in 3d and spin the model around in gmax perspective to see how thing are doing and turn on edged faces to see the exact conflicting areas when you get down to that point forget loading up the game 50 + plus time just to test your skin, use gmax to view your skin right after you save it out in ps.

 

Every time you overwrite the .tga file inside the

 

KT dir\ > Works dir\ > your model’s name dir \ To see how thing are taking

 

shape. You may have to update it manually by clicking o the M next to the diffusion box and choosing the path to your texture but after this once it should work by it self every time you make changes and overwrite the .tga in your model’s name dir \

 

A note for 3dsmax users this is automated just make sure you overwrite the .tga in your KT dir\ > Works dir\ > your model’s name dir \

 

Happy skinning

 

svösh