UV Mapper help
myotherworld
Posts: 606
in The Commons
Hi All
Sorry the title is a bit short.
I want to put some life back into some older models (hard oblects not human or animals) ) that dont have a uv map.
My first will to rework be the "Dystopian Heavy Lander LVX9-Basilisk"
So i want to UV map them.
What would be the best (cheapest with the shallowest learning curve)
Uuvmapper.com is down for update at the moment, unknown how long that will be.
so has anyone any ideas that will help?
dystopian-heavy-lander-lvx9-basilisk-large.jpg
500 x 650 - 135K
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Comments
I don't have the model myself, but from the promos, it certainly looks UV mapped to me. What exactly are you trying to do?
UV Mapper is pretty good for very, very basic models.
If that is unavailable, there is Blender... But.. unless you know Blender, it's probably not worth the frustration.
One program I do want to look at and have considered buying a few times, is Ultimate Unwrap (https://www.unwrap3d.com/u3d/index.aspx). Never used it but it looks as if it should be OK.
I have written a freebie modeller (http://www.chestnutpens.co.uk/misc/modeller.html) that was originally written for generating finite element analysis models. I have dragged it, fighting me all the way, into being a modeller suitable for creating DS compatible models with basic UV mapping (Box and 'Current View' are the only two it can cope with), however I have used it to map about 75% of my freebie models available at Rendo. The remainder (mostly cylindrical) were mapped with UVMapper. The most awkward models that I mapped with my modeller were the Arch Bridge and Lutchyns Bench, both of which needed quite a lot of thought over how to map them. Neither program can cope with unwrapping a model, which is unfortunate as unwrapping makes the mapping process so, so much easier. If being rash enough to consider my modeller, can I suggest that you read the User Guide first & see if it's a program you could work with. I wrote it for myself and it works the way I want to work - which may be deeply frustrating for you. The most useful sections in the user guide would be "3.2.8 How to Model for Rendering" to "3.2.11 How to Create a Morph Target" (pages 35-51)
Regards,
Richard
If you don't want to go through a lot trouble making regular UV maps and just need or want a quick UV map to paint in a 3D painting program like ArmorPaint ($20), Blender's automatic UV unwrapping features are fairly easy to use and there are tons of tutorials out there... plus if you decide you like it, there are a bunch of great plugins (called "Addons" in Blender-world) that will make it even more useful.
The only drawback with most "Auto-unwrapping" programs is they tend to break the map up into lots of tiny bits instead of the more familiar "pelt map" most of us are familiar with... there are a few that do a great job of that automatically, but they are pretty expensive... Rizom UV (Virtual Spaces) is one, but the Perpetual Indy License is $167... there are others, but they are all around $200 - $300...
I use 3D Coat a lot, it's auto unwrapping feature is better than Blender if you don't like messing with the unwrapping manually too much... but it's expensive (around $370... I got mine on sale for like $180 a few years back)... 3D Coat is also a modeling/sculpting program and you can do 3D painting in it too.
If you don't like Blender at all, Ultimate Unwrap ($50 - $60) is pretty good, but you need to learn how to use it to unwrap manually and there aren't a lot of tutorials and it expects you to already understand UV mapping somewhat... but it has a lot of features and if you get the pro version which is around $60, it comes with a huge import/export file conversion capability list... not that you'll need most of the formats, but it generally is pretty good with Theo one that count.
Lastly... the guy who created Ultimate Unwrap (Brad Bolthouse)... (that'd make a cool superhero name), used to have a simple UV unwrapping program call "LithUnwrap" for free on ShareCG... it was the predecessor to Ultimate Unwrap, but it disappeared from SCG a few years ago and I recently came across it again on GitHub... I haven't tried this version out and it's been years since I dabbled with the on that was on SCG... but here the GitHub link...
https://github.com/timdetering/HomeworldSDL/tree/master/tools/editors/texture/LithUnwrap
If I recall correctly, it was about the same more or less as the free version of UVmapper.
Then there is Roadkill which was a good (Free) simple mapper that was easy to use and learn, but that disappeared about 6 or 7 years ago when the site that was hosting it closed down.
Hexagon3D is free and has a built in UV unwrapper. Certainly not the best out there, but it is functional if you plan the seams right.
https://www.daz3d.com/hexagon-2-5-download-version
sorry for not getting back sooner.
Thanks all for poating I will have a look at all theprograms you have posted.
If Blender is a problem then try it's easier to use clone BforArtist. They keep pace with the current versions of blender. They also have a discord server if you need help.
I don't know how useful a book on Blender would be, because it seems to change more from version to version than other programs.
Google-Fu usually helps with finding written explanations.
I prefer video tutorials for Blender because I watch them with Blender open and replicating step by step what they are showing.
Same here Pixel but yes there are written tutorials, just harder to find. Also Blender has announced it's not released so many updates each year, limiting to 3 I think they said.
& this Looks like You'r saying " 31 " + Thanx
Some great suggestions already up there and I'd like to add one of my own.. this one isn't necessarily cheap and has some limitations but I've been working with it for more than a year now and the things I managed to pull off are just mind boggling to me. Maybe not cheap to purchase but in the longer run?
Substance 3D Painter and optionally (but highly recommended) Substance Designer. They're Adobe products but you don't need an expensive subscription, instead you can grab a perpetual license for these on Steam out of all places. Painter can be used to, well, texture your mesh whereas Designer can be used to create textures and materials alike which you can then use for texturing projects as well (and a whole lot more: you can also generate Iray materials with Designer for example...). Not cheap... These sell for approx. E 150,- each, but you can do a lot with these combined.
Best part is that it's quite easy to export stuff from Daz Studio to be used with Painter, and then bring your results back into DS again. I never looked back.
Maybe food for thought?
The only Dummies book I can find (there might be another, newer one out there) is for older versions of Blender, before they made the GUI more friendly... Honestly, it glosses over modeling and is more about animation and scene construction... I didn't really learn that much from it when I got it years ago and unless they updated it, it's not that greatly informative... not in an sort of "epiphany" sort of way where you'll be like "ooooh, now I get it!"
I have learned more from Blender forum conversation tidbits then from the book or videos, but unfortunately even when people ask what is clearly a novice question, more often than not the answer or replies seem to assume a preexisting level of comprehension that would negate the need to ask the question in the first place, so trying to figure out the answer is like piecing together a puzzle... (like if someone is using Blender, they probably don't own Maya, so telling them that "the process is similar to Maya" is kinda useless)... but that often the problem with most videos as well... it seems like people assume viewers are coming from more high end software or have learned 3D design in school... I don't get it... it's like promoting luxury products at a dollar store... There is one guy who makes Blender videos that are usually very quick and to the point that I've tended to find useful (but he does it in the voice of a 1930s Brooklyn used car salesman)...(Which is amusing to some extent)... for some reason I never bookmarked his channel though, I just keep coming across his videos... He's not the only one, but more often than not the ones that could be the most helpful are too long or assume you are already familiar with the software.
Heres one of the videos... by the Brooklyn used car guy...
I mean exactly what I said. If you dont' believe Blenders announcement, go tell them. Please don't twist my words or put unspoken words in my mouth.
Sorry to hear about your troubles Richard, wish I could offer more help.
UV Mapper is still being improved upon and had a new release. They also have a demo version and the classic versions are still available, not sure at this time if the classic version will be updated.
https://uvmapper.com/index.html
Thanks, that must be recent, the last time I looked for them the link I had led to a "We'll be back soon" (or something like that) page...
Very recent,on the site I think it was only a few days ago they updated it.
This is my go-to UV program. I'd love to upgrade the UV Mapper Pro but don't know if I'd even use it.
Blender Manual has a section on Addon-ons (free) called Magic UV script, written steps may be helpful
https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/addons/uv/magic_uv.html
Hi
I am hope to revamp some of fireangels models for Daz ( for my own use) and wanted to know if anyone knows if he ever released uv maps for
FA FireGhost
FA Thunderlifter
FA Stormbringer
FA MUV
FA Storm-Hammer
and
FA Guardian APC
many thanks
If you in Daz Studio select the surfaces you can swith your viewport to UV.
Unfortunately DS can not export the UV.
But you can take your model into any modeller, and you should be able to extract the UV map from there.
The OP asked a similar question in another thread wanting to remap some other older models and was given many ideas and suggestions. I guess they never got it figured out
Threads merged.
You need to be clearer about what it is you want to do - as noted in the first reply it certainly looks as if the model you were asking about is mapped. Are you wanting to retexture the mdoels, and so looking for UV templates shping how the mapping is laid out, or are you wanting to completely redo the UV mapping (the way textures wrap around the model)?
I have the FA MUV and it is definitely UVmapped, so unsure what the issue is. To the OP, if you want custom textures for personal use, just edit the existing ones in an image editing app like photoshop or GIMP
OK
lets try this
In my first post I was asking about a good UV mapper. because "Dystopian Heavy Lander LVX9-Basilisk"
only has some texture templates (only part of it) and I needed templates for all of it.
UVmapper.com is back up BTW.
I am now working on this.
In my post about Fireangels models (the one that was moved/merged) I was asking if there was already uv maps out for these I should have asked if there was texture templates,
as this would have saved a lot of time and it would be silly to do something that has already been done. I was not askimg about remapping.
so In my eyes they are not the same thing.
Well that looks like thats killed it.
thanks to those that offered help. I have found a UV mapper and Im working on remapping some models.
hopefuly with a better texure map i can get something I am looking for.
BforArtists
https://www.bforartists.de/features/
Different from Blender
https://www.bforartists.de/the-differences-to-blender/
@myotherworld :
Since it appears you just want to create UV Map templates (from already UV Mapped objects), you might want to try my favorite UV Map extractor/creator created by the late, great Dimension3D (Ralf Sesseler).
It just creates UV Maps for texture painting extracted from the OBJ UV data, and then you export the map size you wish to work with.
It can create differentially colored UV island maps, or the original single color default mapping templates.
It does not do any UV mapping, so there is no worry of accidently remapping of any islands.
And, just for an F.Y.I. -- If, let's say in any UV Mapping software (UV Mapper, Blender, Roadkill, Maya, etc.), you even move/rotate/scale one UV island (without the recutting of UV seams) -- Well, that is still remapping the existing UV mapping (which will require new texture sets to be created for, and break existing texture sets).
You can find it by Googling "D3D UV Viewer" -- I would post a link, but it is at that other place (freebies section) that must not be named, and I do not wish to incure the wrath of the almighty mods...
* EDIT: As I am reading another thread regarding UDIM UV's, it dawned on me to add a qualifier for my suggestion above -- This software predates UDIM, and works with traditional stacked UV's (with ability to work with individual UV's in the stack), or single UV mapping.