Could someone explain UV Wrapping?

I've made a few models, but I can't texture them properly. Basically, I don't know how to. If you look at a Blizzard Skin, every area of the model that is visible is on the image in an easy to edit position. How can I do that for my models? Basically, I want someone to tell me how I can create an image resembling Blizzard's skins for my models. Thanks.

Also, one more thing, how do you get 3DS Max to show textures in the free viewport? I looked through the helpfiles, but they don't seem to say.

go to 3dbuzz.com and get an account, then go to download section and then to unreal tournament 2k3 section, and u can find really good videos on unwrapping and texturing, its the best way to learn i think, but u gotta have fast connection to dl the videos lol

well with unrwapping u gotta think on how its gonna look so first of all what u wanna do is give ur material the chequar look (or however u spell it) to see if there is any stretching. (personal prefrence really, u dont need to do this)

basically with unwrapping u just select the verts like say all the head verts go to mapping in the tool bar and go normal mapping then choose out of the combinated styles u could have etc, do this for all the major parts of the model, there is other ways though like deleting half ur model then symmatry etc but ur better off popping on IRC for that people there are always willing to help u :D

Unwrapping is not an easy task....
1) spend many hours reading many tutorials and try to learn
2) go to an art school (thats what i did)
3) study other models....you seem to be doing this...

unwrapping is just as hard as modelling, to get a good and effective unwrap.

You are basically telling the program how the 2d map will be projected onto the 3d mesh, therefore you want as much of the mesh to get flattened out as possible, so you can have your texture applied effectively

Using max5, try applying a UV unwrap modifier to you mesh, press the little + button next to UV unwrap and click SELECT FACE
Now grab a bunch of faces, click EDIT UVs and then press PLANAR MAP...it should have Averaged Normals as the set option b4 you press the button.

That should give you an idea on how to unwrap
If you wanna see your texture on yuor object, again, read the tutorials to find out this stuff, but ill tell you...
Under the Diffuse map slot, you put your "bitmap" .tga file.... when you assign the .tga file, it will take you to the Bitmap slot and you need to click the Checkered cube Button to show the map in viewports....
press the Up arrow Button next, and press the checkered cube again for in the main material window. Ill post a pic of this screen...
BTW if your trying to use the art tools for War3, then make sure you set the Material type to Warcraft III, by default its a button that says "Standard"

hope that works out for ya

again, read tutorials ! only way to learn this complicated stuff

It is just a huge image:



Like a cube building.


ALL 2D PARTS OF A 3D IMAGE ARE LAID OUT IN THIS IMAGE.

YOU SELECT WHICH PIECES YOU WANT IN THE IMAGE TO THE 3D MODEL POLYGON FACE.


Why UVX? It takes less space rather than making 200 images for a 3d image. Do ya understand?

umm..........you need to get ur facts right, thats what a UVW map is, he is asking how to Unwrap UVW's i.e Get the 2d image, and to some, thats considered flaming, and I know 35263526 is not stupid, so dont go around assuming things when they are completely wrong

btw, here is a UVW unwrapping tut :D