Textures for uv mapping

Blitz3D Forums/Blitz3D Beginners Area/Textures for uv mapping

NRJ(Posted 2016) [#1]
How do you guys uv map a 3d model, I found it is very difficult to uv map my 3d model's correctly with the appropriate textures. Basically I, download free textures from website like textures.com, textures from any installed game in my pc. 

Do you guys develop your own textures, then which software do you people use or download the textures from some websites. 


RemiD(Posted 2016) [#2]
I use Fragmotion to unwrap, texelsfill, uvmap, a model, but there are others...

I suggest to learn about modular modeling/texturing to build your maps.
Basically, instead of modeling each map from scratch, you use a set of premade parts/things that you assemble together in a coherent way.
So you only have to model/texture each part/thing, then it is only a matter of positioning orienting a copy of the part/thing in your map.


Gloomshroud(Posted March) [#3]
@RemiD: I find your advice useful, any pointers on where to start? Google didn't turn up much, sadly. :/ Maybe I'm using incorrect terminology, I don't know.


Matty(Posted March) [#4]
Google turns up thousands of web pages when you type in 'how to uv map a model'....


RemiD(Posted March) [#5]
Here is a more detailed answer :
->modeling consists in creating a shape using vertices (3dpoints) and triangles, the vertices and triangles can be grouped in different surfaces, if you need to have different effects (like different transparency/opacity or fullbright)

->unwraping consists in selecting 3d triangles which form a part of your mesh (for example a humanoid head) and that you can project on a 2d plane (as if it was on a texture space) without provoking too much distortion (when you will have to paint the texels of the texture), you can then invert the projected 2d shape (made of 2d triangles), scale it down/up, move individual vertices to prevent texel distortion (in some cases you will have to choose another way to unwrap some part of a mesh because if you project the whole part (for example a whole humanoid head on plane) it will cause too much distortion, so you will have to unwrap/project subparts of a part (for a humanoid head, i usually separate the scalp, the face, the noise, the neck)

->texelsfilling consists in scaling up/down each projected 2d shape (made of 2d triangles) to have a uniform texel size projected on the 3d shape
(you don't always need to have a uniform texel size on all parts of a mesh, but for the parts which must be colored with details, you need to have a uniform texel size (and the less stretched possible) so that it will not look weird)

->uvmapping consists in positionning each projected 2d shape (made of 2d triangles) in the texture space so that you don't waste too much texture space.

If you plan to do some modular modeling, the idea is to use a big texture ("atlas texture") and then uvmap all your parts (objects) on this texture, and then you will be able to easily merge each surface of each static thing (like buildings, containers, furnitures, machines) in a final surface which use only one surface one texture for the whole map
Turning moving things like characters, vehicles, usually have their own surface and own texture and are shown/hidden when necessary.