After reading this post I gave IPackThat another try and I have to say I'm impressed by the improvements it get since the test-phase.
After re-packing some of my old models I realisted the % of used UV Space is not that big change (mostly ~ 2-5%) but the speed compared to "doing it by hand" is so much faster.
After reading this post I gave IPackThat another try and I have to say I'm impressed by the improvements it get since the test-phase.
After re-packing some of my old models I realisted the % of used UV Space is not that big change (mostly ~ 2-5%) but the speed compared to "doing it by hand" is so much faster.
Well said. Even if you CAN match the results it generates, it gets there in a fraction of the time that you would.
How does iPackThat compare to a tool like Headsu UVLayout? I was under the impression that UVLayout was the best tool, actually. But not for packing itself?
It should be noted that some of the most interesting packing features of Headus UV Layout like boxes, rotate, etc. are pro version only so if you got the hobbyist edition investing in Ipackthat is probably a good idea.
Yeah, I have the demo version of IPT, but didnt know how it compared to Headus in terms of purely layout\packing.
Thanks for giving IPT a +1, Warren! Seems to be the winner
Oh yeah, I forgot that was only pro features. Thanks for pointing it out, Mant, that seems to be the deciding factor for me
Hey man, thanks for the answer - if you could be a little more specific, I'd like to understand your points!
Interesting, can you elaborate? I don't get it.
Ditto. A specific example would be great!
See Warren answer about grouping shells in modern packers - I think it covers this use case, let me know if it doesn't.
You mean in Photoshop. I do my 'detailing by hand' in a 3d texturing suite.
Hmm. cant nest quotes.
Lods: if youre sharing textures across lods you need to lay uvs out very specifically - its hard to give a good example without pictures but you need to place uvs perceptually in place from a planar projection rather than based on how they are actually connected to each other
Shader effects: the obvious example is scrolling uvs but you can do all sorts of other stuff
Sharing across multiple assets: similar to the Lod issue really but with weirder overlapping
Readable uvs: no studio works exclusively in 3d paint apps, how do you deal with text or Graphic design elements effectively in conjunction with vis artists? How do you batch process maps?
Im sure an autopacker would help with a lot of these issues but I feel that at best id be saving 10/15% of the time I spend unwrapping the sort of things I deal with most of the time
I should qualify im looking at this from a production perspective rather than a pretty portfolio piece perspective so priorities and requiremtns are different.
I should qualify im looking at this from a production perspective rather than a pretty portfolio piece perspective so priorities and requiremtns are different.
Yes, that's why your answer is very interesting to me. I appreciate your taking the time to elaborate.
Replies
After re-packing some of my old models I realisted the % of used UV Space is not that big change (mostly ~ 2-5%) but the speed compared to "doing it by hand" is so much faster.
Well said. Even if you CAN match the results it generates, it gets there in a fraction of the time that you would.
Thanks for giving IPT a +1, Warren! Seems to be the winner
Oh yeah, I forgot that was only pro features. Thanks for pointing it out, Mant, that seems to be the deciding factor for me
Hmm. cant nest quotes.
Lods: if youre sharing textures across lods you need to lay uvs out very specifically - its hard to give a good example without pictures but you need to place uvs perceptually in place from a planar projection rather than based on how they are actually connected to each other
Shader effects: the obvious example is scrolling uvs but you can do all sorts of other stuff
Sharing across multiple assets: similar to the Lod issue really but with weirder overlapping
Readable uvs: no studio works exclusively in 3d paint apps, how do you deal with text or Graphic design elements effectively in conjunction with vis artists? How do you batch process maps?
Im sure an autopacker would help with a lot of these issues but I feel that at best id be saving 10/15% of the time I spend unwrapping the sort of things I deal with most of the time
I should qualify im looking at this from a production perspective rather than a pretty portfolio piece perspective so priorities and requiremtns are different.
Yes, that's why your answer is very interesting to me. I appreciate your taking the time to elaborate.