What is a "Custom UV Map Template" in 3ds

JustColorado

I am going through this book "3ds Max Modeling For Games", and in one part of the book he says he created a "custom uv map template". When I googled that in quotes the only time those 4 words were used together in any of google's results were on that page of his book.

Does anybody know what this is and how to make it.

I attached a copy of the page of the book where he mentioned it to the thread.

Sean VanGorder

I THINK he's referring to the checker texture that he's using while he unwraps the model (the picture on the left). Most people have some sort of colorful checker pattern they use in order to make sure they don't have stretching in their UVs. You'll also see checker patterns with numbers which are used to easily see if any of your UVs are flipped.

You could just google search for checker maps and I'm sure you'd find some.



You could also just as easily make your own in Photoshop. If you're using 3ds Max, the TexTools plugin comes with 3 of it's own checker maps.

JustColorado

Thank you. How do you "use a texture while unwrapping a model"? Do you apply it as a material or is it something you do somewhere else in Max?

Sean VanGorder

Yup, you just apply it as a material with the checker texture as your diffuse map. That way you can see it on your model as you unwrap it. Let me know if you have any other questions

JustColorado

Thanks. I tried applying a checker texture to the model, and just like you said. Some things were stretched way out of proportion.

In the book it seems that he is able to get the background of his Edit UVW window to display on the model and update in the viewport as he scales it. This seems like it would be very helpful to make sure things are proportioned right, and the different colors in the UV map would help group things together that I want the same texture on.

I attached 2 images. The first is my Edit UVW window with the "custom UV map template" I did in photoshop. The second is an image from the book on where he shows how he used it.

Do you know how I can get the map from my Edit UVW window to display in the viewport as I unwrap and scale?

Eric Chadwick

Use the Material Editor to apply the map to your model.
In the Edit UVWs window, choose the texture from the dropdown at upper left.
In the Edit UVWs window, go to the Options menu, choose Preferences, and turn on "Constant Update in Viewports".
Also in the Options menu, turn on "Save Current Settings as Default".

http://docs.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/15/ENU/3ds-Max-Help/files/GUID-630DAA9E-F9AF-49AD-97B6-56F4A250C906.htm

JustColorado

Awesome! Works beautifully. Exactly what I needed. Thank You!!!

Sean VanGorder

Eric beat me to it

Eric Chadwick

Everyone seems to have their favorite uv template, here's one of mine from awhile back. Click on it for the full TIF file.



What I like about it... Colors are unique across the thing, so it's easy to see where I'm tiling. Letters and numbers help me see when the UV is reversed. Circles help with solving distortion, as it's easier for the human eye to see when a circle is distorted than a square. There's a fine per-pixel grid to help me see small distortions.

This reminds me to add some of these to the wiki. I have a bunch of good ones just sitting on my drive.

Kbrom12

I should get something fancy like that Eric, I'm boring and just use the checker material built into max

Eric Chadwick

ok added here, including sean's grid.
http://wiki.polycount.net/TextureCoordinates#UV_Map_Grids

Eric Chadwick

Yeah it's easier to use the built-in one. But the problem I have with that is it only shows large scale distortion. Doesn't show tiling, mirroring, etc.

TexTools has a couple checkers built in.
http://wiki.polycount.net/CategoryTools?highlight=%28textools%29#Plugins_and_Scripts

But I still find something with circles, letters, and a per-pixel grid is the most helpful.

JustColorado

I finished the model thanks to all of your help. This forum is awesome.
Here it is 2150 tris

Rrebel

I wish I could download the checker map, it would be really helpful. Unfortunately I have a message I do not have the right to do so. It is probably due to the fact I am new to polycount

Eric Chadwick

Rrebel, see if you can download one of these.
http://wiki.polycount.net/TextureCoordinates#UV_Map_Grids