• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Unwrap UVW modifier

S

sfrenchie

Messages
1,043
Country
us-northcarolina
Hi, anyone would know why when using that modifier I get a stack of vertexes instead of them being shaped as the poly I selected to apply that modifier to?
In the snap shot is what I get then what I have to go through to sort out the mess.
View attachment 9540

I literally have to unwrap it all then put the puzzle back together. It's a nightmare :mad:
 
Last edited:
I have never seen this before but I assume you are selecting your face then apply the unwrap uvw mapping.. collapse then start again on another face?
 
Only to Meeeeeeeeeeee :(

I have never seen this before
Click to expand...
Oh I have LOL way too many times :)

I assume you are selecting your face then apply the unwrap uvw mapping.. collapse then start again on another face?
Click to expand...
Correct. I followed the tutorial from the FS SDK.

I must be doing something wrong no doubt...but what?
 
Did you first place a UVW Map Modifier at the object level before you placed the Unwrap UVW modifier?

Regards, Mike Mann
 
it would be helpful to tell us how you created this object, and....why (edited:sorry I meant how :) ) did you use the UVWmap before unwrapping?
 
Last edited:
In Gmax I created a Box, converted to Editable Mesh, did my transformations. Once done I applied the UVWmap modifier.

why did you use the UVWmap?
Click to expand...
Isn't that the way to proceed to "import" a texture to apply to a model? I just followed the Gmax tutorial from the FS SDK.
 
when you do your 1st step, that is the uvw mapping, do you make sure that your mapping is set to Box mode?

if not, then set this to Box, collapse, select your poly, unwrap it and try again ;)
 
The UVW vertices are "projected" onto a texture based on the UVWMap that you applied before unwrapping.

Certain objects apply a "default" mapping (eg boxes, planes etc)

The two most simple examples of a MAP modifer are the "plane" ... which projects as if each of the vertices was applied directly onto a 2D screen.

The BOX UVW Map modifier applies a similar logic to the 6 sides of the cube (based on which direction the normals are facing on the model in relation to the orange cube that Gmax/max draws around your object)

The reality is, if you apply a simple modifier to an ENTIRE object the vertices will project in a somewhat confused fashion.

SO ....

You not only have to think about your geometry, ... but also how that may relate to your choice of map modifier, and finally, how you unwrap that to make the textures work.

My advice is to explore how the simple modifers project by applying one, and then unwrapping to see where the vertices got placed.

TIP: When using a Box modifer, set all the side parameters in the rollout to the largest dimension, and the map will look more like the object.

Unwrap faces using the MatID selection, or a dependent polygon subselection.

(hmmm ... that's enough to read for now)
 
UVW Modifier unscramble

The sequence I suggest you use is this:

1. Select the box and the single polygon you are going to apply your map to....
2. THEN you apply whatever MAP you have chosen and placed on the ball..

IF (I am guessing here) you drag the map onto an entire 3D entity before you define a single face, you may have to sort out all the vertices till you get a pair that represents your particular face.

Don't rush to apply the map until the system has one place for it to go. Let us know if this works.

:teacher:
 
Last edited:
It might help if you think of the UVW Map as you would a camera. If you choose for example a Planar Map, the direction in the Viewport is the direction you are "aiming" the camera. You are effectively "taking a snapshot" of the mesh based on what's contained within the "frame" of the UWV Map.

When you add the Unwrap UVW modifier, you are "developing" the "snapshot" and "printing" a "photo" in the UVW Editor.

If you choose a "Box" type UVW Map, you effectively have a "magic camera" that will take six "snapshots" from each of the six possible directions at one time. When you add a UVW Unwrap modifier and then open the UVW Editor, you will see all six "photos" layed out for you automatically.
 
Thanks to all for your inputs. I have just ran several tests. Since my building is made of 3 boxes attached together I thought that might have some impact. So I created a single box and tested and it worked fine. I then created 3 rough boxes, attached them together and tested following the same steps I made when I was working on the original and surprise it worked fine too so go figure.

Gmax is not an easy program to use anyway and it is the most user UNfriendly I have ever used.

A question: I found a post on Internet that says that when creating the objects I should check the Generate Mapping Coords checkbox in Parameters. What does that do? Could that relate to my issue?
 
Patrick, I wished you lived close enough I could spend just two hours with you. You'd have this mastered quickly.

Since someone mentioned "dragging," let me say that applying a mapped texture that way is a classical "Bad Idea."

The reason is that Max/GMax will often create a new material without you noticing it, and you'll be frustrated when things don't work out the way you expected.

Select the object, then click the "Apply" button in the Material Editor. That's what it's for... :D
 
As an extension to what Bill said. Never allow Gmax to make multimaterials.

This usually occurs when two meshes with different materials are attached to one another.

Always make the multimat yourself, and assign MatId's. Neat, tidy and predictable material editor.
 
Last edited:
Update: I just created another building, more complex in shapes, with awning and columns on the front.
This time Gmax was setup properly as far as system units goes.

It all went without a glitch. I didn't have the problem when applying the Unwrap modifier and no size issue (reported in another post).

Conclusion:
1. Gmax has to be setup properly...dimensions in meters
2. When something goes wrong forget about fixing it, clear & restart.
 
sfrenchie said:
Conclusion:
1. Gmax has to be setup properly...dimensions in meters
2. When something goes wrong forget about fixing it, clear & restart.
Click to expand...

In general terms perhaps. But there's more to it than that.

There are two separate things you have to set in Max/GMax that are related, but not identical:

System Unit Scale: must be 1 unit = 1 meter

Modeling Scale: can be any of the options allowed, feet/fractional inches, feet/decimal inches, meters, etc.

The System Unit Scale is where most folks fall down. This is used only when the scene is exported, and automatically rescales the scene to the size required by flightsimulator!

The Modeling Scale is used for the modeler's convenience, and may be changed as often as needed while working on any scene.

For example, if I only know the dimensions of a building in meters, then it only makes sense to set Modeling Scale to use meters!

But, perhaps I only know the dimensions of a standard door in feet and inches, so to model that I would change Modeling Scale to use feet and inches... :D
 
Yup, I understood that but too late. If Gmax came with an instruction book, would any of us read it from A to Z? :)

And for some reason I don't have any help files installed. I thought remembering it came with help files?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top