To: Wings 3D users - UV Mapping, Image Plane (wow!)

[Cedaie]

Those of you who use Wings may have noticed the new implementation in the latest 98.06 Patch

UV Mapping (Experimental)

This latest add-on to Wings provides the user to texture using UV mapping, much like Max's Unwrap UVW, Wings includes a heavenly option called auto-UV which for example, a head.  Auto-UV will grab the left and right sides of the head as seperate flat 2-D meshes and place them on an image file without you touching it.  You can infact move the flat meshes around, but I think Auto-UV does such a good job, you may not need to move much at all. You can then export the image file as a bmp, roll into Photoshop or your preffered texturing program, open up the image and texture over the flat faces.  Bring it back into Wings and simply place the texture on the model, and whallah!.

I will point out though, the UV Mapping is "experimental"  so its not quite finished, I have had a couple occasions when wings would crash while using UV Mapping  :-\.

Else, its awesome new feature, Auto-UV will save a hellava lotta time.

I am aware that 3DS max 5 has a similar auto-UV. To those who have max 5, I envy you...for now.  


Finding this new feature

1. Get the latest Wings 3D,  www.wings3D.com

2. Open a previous untextured model in Wings, small weapon model for example.
If you have been working on it, SAVE SAVE SAVE!, go NO further until you have.
Up the top are 4 modelling modes shaped as pyramids, click the farthest one to the right.
Select your whole model, right click and down to 'Clean Up',
Then onto UV mapping (Experimental)

3. Select your model again (Ctrl A) right click and into Segment By: Feature Detection.

4. Unselect your model and you will see parts of the model are different colors.

5. Select the whole model, right click and to Continue: UnFolding.

6. Don't panic, the PC is now mapping out the chart for the colored faces, soon you will see a window pop up on the right with your model seperated and organised.

7. Right click in the new menu and into Export, save the tga, Leave wings open. Open the tga in your texturing program, Paint shop Pro and Photoshop both take TGA files.

8. the rest is pretty straightforward.  Texture your model, then Import it back into Wings via rightclick in the Mapping window.

9. If you get the message 'Closed surface cannot be mapped' make sure you Clean Up and Feature detection, then Unfold it.

10. Well, I hope this opens up a few eyes to the possibilities of Wings 3D, sorry for the Quick and disorganised tutorial, I've only played with ths new feature for a few days.  Just thought I'd get the basics out there.

11. Good Luck modelling!  ;D

-Cedaie

PS, attached is an composed image of what it looks like.


EDIT: Found a bug, when your Importing and exporting your mapping, avoid pressing Space while in smoothed preview, program crashes, baad.

Im Certain any bugs will be fixed in the next patch.

[asmodeus]

Sweet!   This is cool info!     ;D

Thanks Cedaie!!    

(The scary thing is, I understand it!)    

Time to visit wings.  Thanks again for the heads up.  

Asmo

[Cedaie]

np asmo.
Yes it is scary when I make sense.  

Ok I've got it all figured out now, so here I go again

I've named the steps in my first post so I can refer you to them.

Do steps 1 and 2.

Now Segment by: projection but this time don't bother selecting the whole object to segment by
I found projection to be a lot cleaner and more straight compared to feature detect.

I assume Projection means invisible lights are set up around the model that project certain colors and paints whatever faces are facing that light - Go figure.  :-\

Now onto Continue: projection, give it a few seconds depending on your model.

Once the UV window shows up, prepare for the problems.

Now be fair and hold in your flames, this feature is beta after all, yet bare with me as I will try to get you around these issues.

Right click into the UV window select Draw Options

ok now, listen up.

never increase the res past 512 x 512.
If you would like to see why, increase it up to 1024 x 1024, export it, and open the image up.

You might like to increase the resolution in your tex program after export

What happens is the lines that make up the UV are exported as the same pixel size from 512 onward, meaning deleted lines and missing parts in your image.

Check out the other options, then click ok.

Finally, export the 512x image, open it up in your fav texturing program.

If you have 3dsmax 3 and up:

If you decide you would like to view your texturing in progress in MAX rather than Wings, follow these steps:

In Wings, right click in the UV Window, select Import and Apply texture, your texture will have to be at the res you set in Wings (512x?).

Import the image, right click in the UV window and select 'Apply Texture'

Don't worry about aligning anything, Head up to File: Export as 3DS.

Open max up and import the file.  Grab the material and put it into the Diffuse slot.  Apply the modifier UVW Map.

Now you can Work on the textures then view them in MAX.  


Links
www.wings3d.com  (Wings 3D site,  )
www.gimp.org (Very nice texturing program, absolutely free, 70% of what Photoshop can do   (Comes with a nice Camouflage plugin)

Good Luck Modelling!

- Cedaie

[Cedaie]

Emm, I suppose I should put this in here instead of wasting a whole new thread on something so small.

This is the HK UMP 45 which was 'basically' a "getting back into 3D" project that 'basically' turned into nothing short of a challenge  :-\

Made in Wings, blah blah

I know its probably best if I had a more viewable image but I thought this was good enough I suppose, heh

[asmodeus]

That's good work!  :thumbsup:

Thanks again for the info on this thread!  I plan on putting it to use very soon...  

Asmo

[Cedaie]

Heh, fanks.

I suppose I had to put something up to keep this thread alive.  


Hopefully in the future the UV mapping in wings will improve, so we can improve our work, and save our dosh, heh

Cedaie

[Cedaie]

Just a heads up for you wannabe building makers for OFP

Wings 3D has the right tools for building creation, tried and true, I've put together a fountain in Wings, textured it and all, and I have to say it was a breeze, the most difficult part was oxygen LODs, heh

So, if you wanna save a few pennies but want a program that will do the job and more, try Wings 3D.

Dammit, I sound like I'm advertising.. :-\

Cedaie