UVW Unwrapping Tutorial

THIS TUTORIAL IS FOR 3DS MAX USERS ONLY!!!

I have seen so many people ask about this but Unwrapping is really fairly easy , its just more time consuming for more coplicated models. If you follow this tutorial Carefully you should be able to do it.
NOTE: dont ask how to import your skins/models here, go to the Tutorials section to get these Questions answered.


Tools
3ds Max 4 - 6
Textporter (free plugin for 3dsMax, do a google search)
Unrapper 4 -only for Max 4.x users- (attached, a replica of the 3ds Max 5 Edit UVW interface)
A model :D
[list=1][*]Apply a UVW Mapping modifier, make the style "Box Mapping"[*]If you have 3dsMax 5 + then add a Unwrap UVW's modifier[*]If you have Max version 4.x then dl the unrapper 4 plugin, apply this as a modifier[*]open the edit UVW's window, and deselect all verts[*]right click, then select "Mapping > Flatten Mapping" set the number that says 45 to 180[*]this will untangle the mess considerably[*]now, go into the viewport, and with the Unwrap modifier turned on, select the faces of each seperate body part e.g. Arms, legs, head, hair, chest, back etc. NOTE only select one part at a time, we will start with a leg[*]go back into the Edit UVW's panel and the leg should be selected, if you try moving it, it will take all the faces it is connected to as well, to fix this, go to "Tools> Detach Edged Verts"[*]now do the same on all the other parts, and, when need be e.g something doesnt look right on one of the "parts", just go to flatten mapping again, and it should form into a better shape[*]now all you have to do is rearange all of the parts so they fit into the box, remember to take up as much space as possible whilst not overlapping[*]now go to Utilities > More > Textporter, and make the skin size either 64 X 64, 128 X 128, 256 X 256, or 512 X 512 these are the only sizes you can have in wc3 without having an outrageously large map size[*]now click on pick object, pick your mesh, then voila! you have a perfect UVW Map that you can paint to your hearts desire![/list=1]

Hope this helps all you faithful modders :D

-Andy-

P.S this is the Unrapper plugin fo all you who dont have Max 5

Good tutorial Andy,
Should help some of the noob modelers get started...

But I think you forgot to link to Texporter

its not included with max, you gotta install that seperately

Hope that helps too!

Peace,

I'm gonna make a tutorial later on: "How to unwrap like Blizzard does"..... Many people use easy kinds of unwrapping so they suck....

Nice tutorial, anyway.

I dont really understand 3dsmax 5.1 as much. But i'd like to know more :) Uwwraping, ok I upwrap it, how do I get it to be blp?

my retartedness, rite at the bttom of andy's post

OK, I want to animated the model and so I must devide it in many meshes. How can I do that without losing the uvw map?

"right click, then select "Mapping > Flatten Mapping" set the number that says 45 to 180"

I right clicked in the edit uvw's window and it doesnt have that option... how do i get it?

here is what it looks like...

SON OF A!!! DANGIT forgot to attach image. ... erm here it is:

thats because you have applied UVW Unwrap Modifier, and not an Unrapper 4 modifier, dl the plugin and you should be able to use this modifier:D

Thanks, I got that working, but now i got another problem... When you said "Textporter", did you mean the program "Textporter" or the plugin i found on google, "Texporter". Anyway, I installed "Texporter" plugin, and it doesnt show up in the Utilities>More>>... thing. And could you give me a link to the correct one?

On step 7, when I go inside the viewport and click, the unwrap edit box disappears.

just reopen it, or put it down the bottom of the screen

and, attached is the TP plugin

but after i select it, theres no selection in side the box, im using 3dsm5

post a couple of screenies, I dont know if I can help you