Maya texel density/ increasing UV resolution ?

efwfew16 · Sep 2019

Hello, uv noob here.

I have a pipe that I unfolded with Maya. However, when I bring the fbx to Substance Painter the resolution is very low (smart mask).

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/86/raj0e5kies83.png

I tried looking around, and I read that the problem might be my texel density in Maya (I learn the existence of it today)

Here is a screenshot of my UV.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/a0/wujelt8afinq.png

I usually import my model in Substance and bake it. Most of the time it worked but in this case, I think I have to change my whole way of processing this because it looks like I'm missing a lot of things.

So basically I need to change the resolution of my uv map ? How to go about it ? Can I even do it now or before modeling ? From what I've read it needs to be done at the start.

Sorry if it has already been asked, I hate anything to do with UV

Thank you

Alex_J · Sep 2019

Did you look at the wiki page on this site? It has pretty clear, simple explanation to make you understand the basic concept.

That 0-1 space is where the texture will be. The more space your UV shell (the unwrapped pipe) takes up on the texture, the more pixels it is encompassing, right? So you simply make it take up more room if you need more resolution.

There is a lot of nuance that is easier to see than to read. Try taking that UV shell of the cylinder and scaling it. Make it wider, taller, etc. And watch in the viewport what happens to the checkers. You can imagine these as individual pixels. If they are becoming smaller, then you are gaining resolution.

Just save out each FBX wiht a new name so that you can try lots of experiments to gain a better understanding what is happening but not have to redo work when you hit the result you like.

efwfew16 · Sep 2019

Alex Javor said:

There is a lot of nuance that is easier to see than to read. Try taking that UV shell of the cylinder and scaling it. Make it wider, taller, etc. And watch in the viewport what happens to the checkers. You can imagine these as individual pixels. If they are becoming smaller, then you are gaining resolution.

But doesn't the uv mesh need to stay inside the 0-1 space ? I suppose this wont work (or i've been doing wrong all the time ) Can't you just bump the uv resolution in the uv editor ?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/o7/mlgkswz7550z.png

The more I read about it the more confusing it is

Alex_J · Sep 2019

That's why I'm always saying, don't only read, go ahead and just forward into texturing and it becomes much clearer. Because it's complex to describe with words but quite easy to understand with a bit of trial and error practice.

Let's say you want A LOT more resolution on cylinder though. You can only scale it up so much before it goes outside 0-1. For the sake of simplicity, let's say that it's necessary right now to keep it in the 0-1. So what to do? Well you could cut a seam in the middle of the shell. Then place them next to each other, and be able to scale them both to double the size, right? The 0-1 space is a square, so the most efficient wway to pack it would be with squares.

I would start out by trying things that way. There is many other solutions -- you'll want to read about wrapping and tileable textures -- but for now simply slicing up your shells to see what happens that way should keep you moving forward.

It may help to go ahead and apply a generic tileable texture inside of maya, and practice editing the UV shells along with that texture. Like maybe a wood grain. This way you can see how orientation of the shells works with the texture projection, and what some of the issues to keep in mind will be.

efwfew16 · Sep 2019

Thanks for the help, gonna try this out tonight !

Maya texel density/ increasing UV resolution ?

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