Ok I'm stumped...... I can model and UV map features all day long and put them into spring np.
But I can't UV map a unit... I make the model in Rhino, Export the objects into 3DS, Put the model together, Export it as a .S3O into Upspring, Export the model from Upspring as 1 solid .3DS object for UV mapping, UV map the object, then try to get the UV cords into Upspring for the unit..... No Such Luck

I don't know of any way to UV map a model in 3DS that is made up of multiple objects. If I join all the objects into one model and UV map it, when I split the object back up all the UV cords are screwed up.

And please don't tell me to use Wings or Blender I have enuff art apps swimming in my head as is.

A unit can only have one UV map. But I think upspring automaticly combines all the UV map present into one.
I've little idea what goes wrong. I do it diffrent:
Make unit in maya (note the problem doesn't matter), uv map the model. Export the induvidual objects as .obj and gather them in upsirng. UV-map is fine.

Well I don't use Maya, and I'm sure there is someone here that has successfully used 3DS Max to make a .S3O unit for Spring.

Ohh just to be a bit clearer, I use 3DS Max 7.

And for a small peek at what I'm working on here are a few 3DS shots of the Arm Flash.





The texture map is not done yet (i.e. no tread texture on the tracks yet).
231 pollys

Hmm are you doing this after this awesome design sketch?
That's pretty cool.


Never worked for me either. Can't you combine/group everything together into one object in max and then UV map it? That's what I do in Wings.

Yes that concept drawing is my main inspiration. I saw that and thought now there are some designs worthy of some high quality units for spring.

If you can in Max I do not know how, and I have been searching online through tutorials all night trying to find out.

No idea, I use wings. MR.D should know.

Well with alot of hard work I finley figured out how to import a working UVMapped multi object model from 3DS Max into Upspring.

I don't have the time at the moment to write up a tutorial on how to do it, but I will make one within a day or two. Until then just know that it CAN be done.

Yes, you have to uvmap each individial piece and import it into the heirarchy.

I found out a way to UV map all the pieces that make up a model at once instead of having to UV one piece at a time. But I tell you it was a pain in the ass figuring out how to do that.

Can you please share your method? I use rhino and I'm having the same problem. Thanks!

That flash looks freaking awesome

That is a pretty spiffy flash, dosen't look like the origional, and its still got style.. might be a little too "pointy" for me though...

It's alright.
http://itchstudios.com/psg/ta/topdown.jpg

Those designs are pretty damn good and your interpretation and execution is excellent.
So the question arises, are you planning to do all those units?

Looks like a lot of the texturing would be transferrable because the units have specific look and design to them. Still, modelling and texturing all of those would take a LOT of work and time:D

I only work in 3dstudio max, I have no clue whats Rhino is like or what features it offers.

But in 3dsmax, if I have a model that has many seperate parts that all use the same Uv map.

I just uv map each object, use the texporter to save the uv-render.bmp, .jpg.tga whatever format I feel like using, unwrap the next object, compile the uv-mapped parts together, and keep on going untill I have all the seperated parts mapped.

You can compile all the seperate parts together, and unwrap it all at once too, but that can get a bit messy sometimes.

I then assign the compiled object a Material so I can set what the object will use for a texture (in 3dsmax its called the Diffuse map).

Then after I have all the compiled Uv-mapped parts, and the UV_render.bmp, I detach the parts that need to be seperated into their own objects.

For my commander, and for my Solar model I made, I then just exported to .s30 directly using the plugin for 3dsmax, you can export to .3ds as well, or even .3d0 with the TA plugins.

If there is something missing in my madness, I'm sure someone else here can fill in the gaps, or provide a more efficient way to do it.

Personally I merge my objects before making the final UV (though I usually unwrap them before that, I just arrange the UV groups after the merge) so I can move all of them around if e.g. another part would fit better into a gap or to let me balance the UV space allocation, etc.

Spelling nazi has a word to say, it's s3o/3do.