Easier UMV unwrappnig in Gmax

[WasteLock]

I have seen several posts from people having trouble UMV unwrapping and agree that it's a pain. I found something in Gmax that was not in any tutorial that I read that makes the job a little bit easier. In the Edit UMVs screen in the bottom right there is a drop down menu that says (by default) All IDs. This menu gives you the option to view 4 different layers separately. It doesn't actually break the map up, but makes it exponentially easier to see what you are doing and cuts down on unwrapping time.

[trowa500]

tnx

[Kahl]

*commits suicide for not knowing how to #### with UVblah mapping unwrapping sh|t*

 

:crybaby: please someone help me :crybaby:

[WasteLock]

FBF let me take this chance to thank you for the tutorial. Although I must say that I am throughlly obsessed with 3d modeling now

 

I have a few suggestions of things to add to the tutorial if you choose to update are:

a. the topics discussed here (ID's and mesh select)

b. the upper limit to model complexity esp. sabers (I found out the hard way)

c. perhaps an expanded section on unwrapping (which many of us modeling newbs have trouble with)

 

I totally agree with the Gmax basics being left out. Gmax's tutorials are perfect for beginners, just as you said. Thanks again for the help and keep up the good work!

[Lord -=[FBF]=-]

nother hint i discovered recently:

if u select a vertex and click the large + on the toolbar, it selects every other vertex in the mesh the original comes from. ie, if u have 2 cylinder meshes overlapping in the model, and ur having trouble seperating them in the map, select a vertex, click +, and the rest of the cylinder is selected, so u can seperate them. i find this very useful, hope it helps!

[Frumpus]

Lord FBF, which big plus + sign are you reforring to? can you post a screenshot, please? Thanks.

[Twisted Vertex]

http://www.geocities.com/courier411/graphic.jpg

 

 

I don't understand wastelock. Unless you specify otherwise, all uvw mapp are default ID 1. Its better to work

 

Unwrap

UVW mapp

material ID 1

Mesh select 1

 

 

Here, this option works wonders if your trying to view your work in max, rather than constiently unploading it to md3 viewer. Now also Ig you work this way and repeating for each mesh, when your editing the unwrap you have the ability to move the mesh aside. So when/IF you do collapse the stack, it's not one big clutter.

 

 

I will explain further how to edit your character's materials in max, for those who don't understand. I also made a 62 meg vid at 25 mintues for this process. Basically the mesh select sperates the portion of mesh. the material ID assigns that portioned off region, a speific material. If your editing in a producion enviroment, you can also assign multiple map IDS to control different levels.

 

So lets say you have a completed stack, uncollapsed that looks like this.

 

Unwrap

uvw mapp ID 2

material ID 2

mesh select ID2

unwrap

unw mapp ID 1

mesh select ID 1

editable mesh.

 

You then goto material editor, and where it says standard select multi-sub object from the list that pops up. Now you should by default have 10 material IDs in the list. Set the number only to 2. becasue you only have two ID's.

 

Assiign your materials by hitting the material button. BAM, you have two sperate material on a single mesh.

 

 

I suggest you play this on the teapot first.

[Frumpus]

sorry. . . I thought the original post was about Gmax. Is it the same in GMax?

 

I don't see it, but then, I haven't been able to even bring up that "Edit UVWs" window either. I think I'm gonna try to work through that tutorial completely.