TextureBaking and UVW Mapping Tutorial for 3dsmax
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Im new to this game (yesterday i chose my name and downloaded game)...i am attending college for Game and Simulation Programming (half way through the curriculum - whew). I have worked with 3dsmax for the last 5 years making terrains/objects for a game called Vietcong. I also make my own seamless textures with PhotoshopCS. Anyways, i have a good link for you all if your intrerested in texture baking (It was done by a online friend -Luke Stafford- which i worked with for the Vietcong game). I hope this helps all of you understand the texture baking process for 3dsmax.
BTW i have max versions 6,7 and 8. I also have Maya (but i have not messed with that much since i have excelled at 3dsmax over the last 5 years.)
Heres the texbaking link:
http://www.indiglow.co.uk/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.69.1
Im sure i can help with UVW mapping, since i have been doing this for a while.
1. Make texture in appropriate program (according to size/filetype specifications)
2. Place the texture(s) you need into your 3dsmax/matlibs folder
3. Press M key on your keyboard to bring up the Material Editor
4. Open the matlib folder (in seperate window), select and drag the texture to a material texture ball
5. Assign material to your polygon(s) (left click the "Assign Material to Selection" Icon --> Then click the "Show Map in Viewport" Icon)
UVW mapping:
6. Right click the word "Perspective" in 3dsmax window, choose "smooth + highlights"
7. Select a face/polygon on your mesh object
8. Go to Mofier Panel window --> click arrow down icon --> scroll down and choose UVW map
9. Select Box option
10. Set length width and height to 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, or similar
11. Select modifier Panel window (as described above)
12. Scroll down and choose Unwrap UVW
13. Under Parameters Section choose "Edit"
14. In Upper right UV window - Pick texture (texture is to be placed into 3dsmax root folder (3dsmax/matlibs -->Then drag the texture to a material ball after pressing M on your keyboard)
15. Click the scale icon [upper left] scale the polygon to fit your texture
16. Close the Edit UVW window
17. You should be able to render now following the "Texture Baking Tutorial - by Luke Stafford" i posted above
18. Right click your mesh object
19. Choose "Convert to Editable mesh"
20. File Save (Name your mesh object --> This will now be located in your 3dsmax/scenes folder)
21. File --> Export --> YourObjectName.obj
I have yet to try anything related to these threads, as i said i am brand new to this game, and i havent tried to import anything into this game (textures and models). I feel this may be useful to those trying to bake materials onto their objects. If you have a 3dsmax version lower than 6,7 or 8, im not sure if it will follow the same guidelines...im sure it will work with higher versions though...Im just getting started
I also have a link for .obj plugins for 3dsmax...basically lower versions can use higher version .obj meshes:
http://www.vietcong-coop.net/site?node_id=6&action=show_data&p_id=509
Pyrrha Magic