How do you uv hi-poly models?
I have a high poly prop model, but I have no idea how to uv map it.
I use 3ds max 2009 and 2010. I tried uving "cage" and then turbosmoothing it, but that creates stretched checkers on edges of the model. And mapping hi-poly mesh is nearly impossible since it makes my pc very slow in UV window.
I use 3ds max 2009 and 2010. I tried uving "cage" and then turbosmoothing it, but that creates stretched checkers on edges of the model. And mapping hi-poly mesh is nearly impossible since it makes my pc very slow in UV window.
Replies
An effective method if you've already collapsed your stack and cannot go down in resolution. Would be to export your model out of Max and use a UV editing package like "UV Layout, Roadkill, or unfold3d, ect."
I planned on doing alot of tweaking to it in photoshop but it came out great, I just put in some baked AO and cleaned up a little bit.
Give the Headus UVLayout demo a try. It has an option which takes into consideration a model's subdivision when UVing the cage, hopefully preventing or at least lessening the stretched areas you're getting.
I have the low poly model UV-mapped, the problem is, when I turbosmooth it, my uvs get deformed in some places. I tried uv layout, but it's really strange tool. If I uv map it in "geometry" mode, it distorts after smoothing, if I uv map it in subD mode, then it's distorted when I import it in max without even the need of turbosmooth.
I think I am doing something wrong.
I haven't used this tool, but i imagine that this is what you want to happen. As it is distorting it in preparation for sub-d. So try applying sub-division to that mesh, it should give you better results than the standard method.
If you need clean uvs on both the sub-divided and pre-sub-divided mesh, you will have to use a 3d app that handles sub-d uvs correctly like modo.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/499159/modosubduvs.jpg
For those I usually just define the UV mapping in one of the pre-subdivision levels, and then let the program extrapolate the mapping from there. I use Blender, and I've found that as long as you stick to quads, this is a perfectly valid approach, that avoids any distortion. As soon as you throw tris into the mix, it messes everything up.
Also, on a similar subject, is there any need for Topogun, etc., with the new Freeform tools in Max 2010? Does Topogun do anything the new built-in tools can't?
Topogun is another great package, one that I purchased. It keeps re-topologizing extremely simple, and texture baking from high>low resolution objects simple, efficient and effective. It's really a point and click type of program.
I'm coming to Max from Maya and I feel like I'm going to need another tool for UVs -- though it's too early to tell for sure. I think I'll try the newly-released TexTools 3 before I buy anything.
Good to hear your thoughts on Topogun. How does the quality of the baked maps compare with xNormal?
Headus has been build from the ground up towards maximum performance and it is pure joy unwrappping something impossible with it.
If you use TexTools I can advise to split up stuff to relax or work on and stitch it together later on if you need to. And use things such as the mirror tool to transfer half's across an edge loop axis. And rather avoid the pelt mapping on super dense stuff as it just takes forever to relax back the ring pulled seams.
AH - no tris.. that's what happened here, am using the mental-ray archi textures, and they require UV mapping - otherwise you get nasty faceted effects like below.
I used tris when creating the five-sided flint wheel :
i use mia_material all the time and i've never once had that problem are you using maya of max?
Odd, I re-checked my topology and re-UV'd it, it's all quads after all, and the starting model, pre-sub-D is mapped into planar islands or strips for the cylindrical parts, and it still shows the crazy facet thing.
And it's all one smoothing group.
@renderhjs, sianki and Valander -- thanks for the thoughts on the 3rd party tools. Sounds like UVLayout and Topogun are pretty great.