UV Unwrap

[Snake Man]

UV Unwrap

I decided to open a topic for this area of modeling/texturing. At this moment I dont know practically anything about UV unwrapping, but during the course of learning this stuff, I'll write updates to this topic and hopefully at the end we have a nice tutorial for all the other people who are like me now, dont know nuttin'

Okay so I know something, I know that the UV thing (whatever the name stands for and the unwrapping... do I need to wrap it again then later heh) is the texture layout of my model flattened out from the 3D model shape into 2D texture.

Now, rolling up my sleeves and start learning, where is that google...

Basic Lithunwrap guide by Norsu:
1) Export model from O2 to 3DS format, untick all choices ja 100% size.
2) Open model in Lithunwrap and edit UV to your liking.
3) Save model to OBJ format, tick save coordinates.
4) Import OBJ to O2 and move model to proper location.
5) Then apply texture made for the UV into the model.

A rough guide to give some idea how UVs are done (lithunwrap method), thanks goes to Norsu. More coming later as information is gathered.

[Synide]

Whats your weapon of choice for 3D Modelling? Primarily?

I use Modo302... It's UV Tool suite is a pleasure... If you want some tools to go from O2->Modo and back again let me know...

[Snake Man]

Well I am a total newbie what it comes for modeling, ie creating new 3D content p3d models. Yes I know how to modify existing models, I can tweak them to suit ArmA etc, can even do small lower res LODs in small scale.

Having said that, I'm quite much on the mood that I need to create new content myself at some point, its my understanding that BIS does not use O2 to create their models or to UV unwrap them... I havent heard any developer facts about this but "everyone" in the community thinks this is the case. So yeah I guess if I seriously start to create content, I should learn some 3rd party professional 3d editing software like 3DS Max or Modo.

Actually I leeched tons of Modo video tutorials and oh boy does it look like a cool piece of software on hands of someone who know what to do. Damn if I'd just have skills to edit, wonder what I could do. Heh ok I'm tripping, back to topic.

Ok Synide, so you're saying that in the long run... I/we should forget O2 UV editor and do all the "major" editing in for example Modo, UVUnwrap it there and then just use O2 to fine tune the model to ArmA specs?

[Synide]

Ok Synide, so you're saying that in the long run... I/we should forget O2 UV editor and do all the "major" editing in for example Modo, UVUnwrap it there and then just use O2 to fine tune the model to ArmA specs?

Yip.

'The Alley' Modo tutorial is a good one...

A number of purists in the ArmA community will say 'You only need the BIS Tools' to create content for ArmA. And, while they a technically correct.
I suspect those same people would not mind being flogged everyday either...

If ArmA is the only game you ever want to Mod then sure.

However, if you are planning to Mod other games or develop skills that may (or may not) transfer to other environments, then learning 'proper' 3D modelling applications is quite assuredly more beneficial than only knowing how to use O2PE well.

All that is required is having the means to import/export stuff to/from O2PE in the least lossy way possible.

Currently, I do pretty much everything outside of O2PE and then just use Oxygen 2 for putting the final ArmA specific requirements in place.

[Snake Man]

Okay now I have Modo 302 installed and running, been fiddling it a little bit, cant do anything yet hehe.

Could you please walk as through as how to export model from O2PE (the "export" version) with correct settings for textures, then how to load it properly in Modo and do the UVunwrapping, then finally how to save/export it back to O2PE readable format?

So far I've had little luck with the uvunwrap as the results are just horrible mess, I quess I just blindly take stabs at the dark at the moment.

[T_Rex]

If you want some tools to go from O2->Modo and back again let me know...

I'd be very interested in these, too!

[Synide]

I'll put together a small'ish Video Tutorial for going from O2->Modo.
Although, it should be pretty easy to do with the p3dm2lxo.exe having been 'out' there for a while now...
I've already got one for going from Modo->O2 however it was made for a specific person. So, I'll redo it into a more generalized format.
I'll try to knock them out before the end of the week... maybe...

The other day I imported one of the 'Dancing Stephan' .rtm files over an O2 standard BIS character and then saved the p3d.
Ran the p3dm2lxo.exe and the selected LOD was exported. The .mdd point cache file that was created was about 320 Mbytes... so be prepared for that if you are exporting long .rtm anims.

The p3dm2lxo.exe was released a while ago through a thread at the BIS forums...
As yet I haven't released the lxo2p3dm.exe prog. except to a few mates...

[Snake Man]

The video would be great, cant wait to see it

[Snake Man]

I edited this basic guide to first post which Norsu was so kind enough to teach me.

Basic Lithunwrap guide by Norsu:
1) Export model from O2 to 3DS format, untick all choices ja 100% size.
2) Open model in Lithunwrap and edit UV to your liking.
3) Save model to OBJ format, tick save coordinates.
4) Import OBJ to O2 and move model to proper location.
5) Then apply texture made for the UV into the model.

A rough guide to give some idea how UVs are done (lithunwrap method), thanks goes to Norsu.