Texturing a Ship in Wings3D

Links to other Texturing Howtos/Helps/FAQs

Wings3D-Forum -> USER MANUAL PROJECT
- -> Body Menu / UV Mapping (experimental)
Wings3D-Forum -> FAQ PROJECT
- -> Q : What are UV Coordinates and where can I get some ?
- -> Q: How do I add textures to my models?
Q & A: Interface & Usage
- -> NEW AutoUV - (How to use / tips / tricks etc)
- - > uv mapping explained?

The future of the second UV-Plugin for Wings3D called ExtremeUV and where to find it

A step by step instruction:

Look for the newest version of Wings3D (AutoUV is in an early state of development right now, so newer version=better AutoUV; but remember: it may also crash more often than a stable release)
Create a model HowTo:Create Models;
Change to body selection;
Select one body, and click " -> UV Mapping";
Now there are several ways to continue (this is for Wings3D 0.98.26):
- The primitive way
  - -> Assign an "even" texture with no image manipulation afterwards. This is to show how texturing works:
  - " -> Segment by -> Projection";
  - " -> Continue -> Projection";
  - " in AutoUV -> Create Texture -> OK" (maybe you want to tweak some setting like "Texture size");
  - Close the AutoUV window;
  - " on the image (Outliner) -> Make External";
  - Replace this image with the primitive texture you have;
  - " on the image (Outliner) -> Refresh (to update the image in Wings3D)".
- The common way (I think):
  - Sometimes a "" -> Segment by -> Projection" or a "" -> Segment by -> Feature Detection" is a good start for this;
  - Select contiguous faces of a specific area;
  - " -> Select one of the "AuvChartX" Entries";
  - Do this until every face has a color;
  - "" -> Continue -> Unfolding" (or "" -> Continue -> Projection", this depends on the preferred outcome);
  - Arrange the geometry in the AutoUV Windows so it fits best in the window;
  - "" in AutoUV -> Create Texture -> OK" (maybe you want to tweak some setting like "Texture size");
  - Close the AutoUV window;
  - " on the image (Outliner) -> Make External";
  - Modify the external image (using you favourite image manipulation program e.g "The GIMP");
  - "" on the image (Outliner) -> Refresh (to update the image in Wings3D)"

Mapping Mapping-UVmap

The green edges are the cutting edges.
Optional: Per pixel lighting;
Optional: Set Reflect factor (if "1" is not needed) The specular map is the color of the light that the object actively reflects. See below: <Mesh texture="normaltexture.png" texture1="specular_map.png">
- If it's black, the object is matte;
- If it's white, then the object is totally shiny (window);
- And if it's like orange, then the object is copperish cus it'll reflect only the orange light that hits it.

Just take the texture you have and run it through like brightness/contrast/saturation

Editing the REFLECT factor of a xmesh

Menu->Outliner;
Select whatever_auv;
-> Edit Material;
Set Shininess(=reflect) to some value;
Select OK and save.

Tips

Tip 1

If you want to unwrap e.g a cylinder, do this in the "UV Mapping" mode:

select all faces of the cylinder;
assign an "AuvChartX" color to them;
select a edge which goes from the bottom to the top of the cylinder;
" -> Mark Edges For Cut";
select all edges of the top and the bottom circel exept for one edge on the top and one on the bottom;
" -> Mark Edges For Cut";
- " -> Continue -> Unfolding".

Example UnWrap Cylinder

Tip 2

Some pictures may crash wings (even if their size is a power of 2). For more information go here.

Here is a workaround:

After UV Mapping save the UV data: " in AutoUV -> Quit -> (*) Save UV Coordinates and Texture";
save the wings file;
select one body, and choose " -> UV Mapping (Experimental) -> Edit existing UV Mapping";
Import the Image (now if wings crashes, the uv data is save).

If the image is corrupt, try to copy and paste it in an image application and save it under a new filename.

Or resize the image to 512x512.

Tip 3

Use jpeg/jpg format for the texture:

Its not as free as png, but it's much smaller;
And size DOES matter when it comes to download time!

(but jpeg doesn't preserve an alpha layer, which may be kind of important. -- [Aegidian])

Remember to keep an uncompressed version of the texture!!!

"But Wings3D only imports tga/tif/bmp, how am i supposed to use jpgs?"

Easy answer:

Convert the uncompressed textures into tga/tif/bmp and jpg;
import the tga/tif/bmp;
uv-map the ship;
export the ship to xmesh format;
edit the xmeshes to point to the jpg-files.

Tip 4

Use different skins for different factions in the game:

Quoted hellcatv:"VS already has the ability to change skins without actually having three units. Say you have a unit that has a mesh file with mesh texture="talon.png";

If you make a texture confed_talon.png and another texture retro_talon.png it will nab those before it goes for the default texture"

Tip 5

Selection Tips - Also works in normal geometry mode:

To deselect faces just press and draw a rectangle over the faces (rectangle must start out of object);
This in comination with the , , and +, , keys in orthogonal-mode is a very powerfull way to select/deselect specific faces;
use the and keys to make your selection bigger/smaller;
play with the selection modes (faces/vertices/edges) to see the selection behaviour. It is sometimes very helpful.