Oxygen's UVEditor

[Col. Faulkner]

Are there any instructions or tutorials available for using the
Oxygen 2 UVEditor? I cannot work out how one uses this to
map the faces of an object onto a flat plane - all it seems to
do is redraw the faces as they appear in the Buldozer view.

[Scars09]

create 2 animphases, 0 and 1.
select what should be unwrapped, change to animphase 1 and unwrap the object with structures/unwrap.
change to uv editor press strg/f2 and select a texture, then press planar mapping to get the flat structure in the uveditor.
animphase 1 is the unwrapped structure, animphase 0 the complete object. after uv mapping you delete the animphase1, textures are applied on animphase 0, delete aswell that animphase aswell after mapping.

[Col. Faulkner]

Thanks for the explanation, but I still cannot follow it.
I can get as far as trying "Surfaces->unwrap structure..."
but that just results in a jumbled mess, no matter how
simple an object I try it on.

[Scars09]

if unwrap is correct you will see the structure from the top view only. try it with a cube and you will see. BIS mentioned a basic unwrap function, thats why you have to rotate sections and stuff after unwrapping alot.

[Rip31st]

Let me make it easy. First off build your model. Secondly think of the UV mapper as a painter's canvas.

1.) Create a .png in your favorite paint program (psp, ms paint, adobe, gimp, etc...) Make that image either 512x512, 1024x1024 or 2048x2048. Make is so that image has a default background...can be any color. DO not use a transparent background as it will result in a semi transparent model.
2.) Use tex2view ( one of BIS's tool's ) to convert it to a .paa image file that arma uses.
3.) Go into o2 and select or highlight your model in the model's base LOD ( 0001 ). Then background map the entire model with it. This way that blank texture you created is now associated and mapped to the model. To do that all you have to do is hit "A" and right click to load the texture. Then stretch it out over your model and hit "B". Hit "A" again to return to normal mode.
4.) Start selecting faces you want to paint from your model. The way you see them in whatever view your in is how they will appear in the UV editor. So, if you are painting the side of a truck, just grab the surfaces from the side of the truck you want to paint.
5.) Open the UV editor. hilight and delete everything you see. Click edit and select "selection to UV". This bring's the side of the truck you just selected into the UV mapper and onto that artists canvas we were talking about. You can stretch that sucker out and place it anywhere you'd like. It doesn't have to be in the same square.
6.) In the UV editor click "view" and select your texture you made. IT should appear in the short list since you already mapped it to the model. It will now show you that texture in the UV editor.
7.) From there you can continue to grab surfaces you want on your canvas and bring them into the UV editor to achieve the desired result.
8.) You can view the results as you go along in bulldozer until your entire model is mapped to the UV editor.

This unwrap function in o2 is for the horses. - Just my opinion. There is no rhyme or reason to it. I personally try to avoid it. Unwrapping models can be done in several other programs. I don't unwrap models myself as the UV mapping process itself is time consuming if you plan on being very detailed. I try to keep it simple and cut back on time by only mapping from four sides of my models. Depending how curvy or how much detail your model contains will dictate how many faces you need to UV Map to give a decent appearance.

Here's an example of bringing the faces from o2 into the UV editor notice how I didn't stay inside the box at the bottom, again you can put them anywhere:



Here is the same shot with the texture selected from the view option:



Here is the finished product:



*I don't claim to be an artist - In fact I'm far from it. I'm just showing you how I do it.

Good luck.

[nuxil]

Rip31st Nice

adding thouse pictures really helps understanding how it works

Lock this topic pls

[fabiantronc]

woow thanks Rip31st

Can you make a basic tutorial anti-noobs?

I followed the basic tutorial of Chris Young about UV map and the method it's a little different, but I think your method it's better, just I need a tutorial with pics and examples.

Well, if you make a tutorial you will make me very happy mate

[BraTTy]

create 2 animphases, 0 and 1.
select what should be unwrapped, change to animphase 1 and unwrap the object with structures/unwrap.
change to uv editor press strg/f2 and select a texture, then press planar mapping to get the flat structure in the uveditor.
animphase 1 is the unwrapped structure, animphase 0 the complete object. after uv mapping you delete the animphase1, textures are applied on animphase 0, delete aswell that animphase aswell after mapping.

Thank you for that...finally an explanation on how to put the stuff back together.

Quote[/b] ]Col. Faulkner:
Thanks for the explanation, but I still cannot follow it.
I can get as far as trying "Surfaces->unwrap structure..."
but that just results in a jumbled mess, no matter how
simple an object I try it on.

Ya I know.If the part is attached to other vertices it ends up a jumbo mess.

Unwrapping works from the facing view. Say you are doing a vehicle hood that is sloped at outer faces..Use the top down view and unwrap it and it will lay out flat.
However if its attached with other parts it creates the mess.

Unwrapping a wheel seems to work well looking at it from side

Scars09...any tips on unwrapping this connecting stuff.I see you say you have to rotate and such,is that the only way ?

Rip31st..Thanks very much for the tips,that is a completely different way I was doing it.Good help to see ways of doing it.

You dont unwrap the plane hull and its ok? Not stretched on top and bottom?
I did my planes planar method in past,working the angled pieces best I could.
I see with current Oxygen has a "look at face" feature and that helps.Angles the model so you are able to planar map the face

Quote[/b] ]
Are there any instructions or tutorials available for using the
Oxygen 2 UVEditor

Good place to post some links:

http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....4&hl=uv

http://www.chris-young.info/cyp/spip/spip.php?article28

Heres a blender unwrap tutorial:
http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/wi...rap_in_Blender

[Col. Faulkner]

Thanks for the replies everyone (Scars09, Rip31st and Bratty).
I'll report back once I've had a chance to give it another try
in the light of your information.

[Scars09]

@bratty
you can split the structure in animphase 1 with structures/split (same path as find non closed) to make it easier for o2 to unwrap.
i think locking axis can be used aswell, but didnt tried that. going back to animphase0 will reconnect the splittet structures again.