Texturing Models

[Der Vampyr Engel]

Look is there a fairly easy program for texturing models making tank models and even pilot models is not so bad for me but texturing? well I heard of a texturing modelling prgram that is supposed to be quite easy and its  not lithwrap, I have Doga L series so I can make lots of models with that and I have made quite a few models with that and although I will have to make models again as I have my main PC upgraded in Windows XP . I have had quite a few problems over the years , that is why I haven't been able to work much on my "Dark Empires" mod and I am working on my 2 of PC games on my own so I have a lot of work to do , epecially to redo all my models again.

Does anyone know what the name of this texture program or any texture progrm as I don't wish to use 3D Max V5 as I want to get this mod out and I think 3D Max might ake to long

thaks for your help in anticipation

[Nielk1]

MAX is great for it, but to see what it 'really' looks like you should do a quick render since MAX optimized the texture maps/textures themselves when editing.

I have found max the best really.

[Der Vampyr Engel]

MAX ? you mean 3D MAX yeah  well I don't know I think I will take the guide down from BZ universe but I am sure htere was another texture program out , but I can't for the life of me remember the name I know it was featured in PC Format though

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

You could try the UV mapper that comes with Truespace 7.6. Then you would only need to import your model into it as like 3DS, or X to use it. It supports several different mapping options like spherical, cubic, planar and cylindrical options. It's pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it, and it saves out in several different paint formats like BMP, TGA, JPG, and DDS.

Check out my post covering TS 7.6 and the link to download it. If you choose to get it then also DL the PDF manual as it covers how to use the UV map utility in sufficient detail to get you started bro. BNG.

[Der Vampyr Engel]

Oh Sorry about that BNG Da BZ Fool been away working on my own game, thanks I will download it and  try it

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

Any decent paint program will make simple textures, the secret is painting them well. I use the UV mapper in TS to export directly to a paint program like Paint.Net. The problem is figuring out how to use the add layer tool to paint several layers and keep the original UV map untouched. Does anyone know of any tutorials covering the preparation of a texture for BZII models? It would seem that the easiest way to create a decent texture would be to just use the model itself rendered from the top, bottom, front and back including the scene lights to high lite certain areas of the model and then just touch up those areas you want to tweak. Then after saving the file just stretch the UV map to conform to the painted texture in the map editor. Any thoughts on the subject would very much be appreciated by those of us looking for a relatively simple way to custom skin our ships. Tanks, BNG. PS: To setup the paint program you want to output to in TS is fairly simple. Right click the UV map icon, click on External Editor button, in the search box locate the paint executable file and select open. To send your UV map to the paint program, in the UV editor window right click the folder icon, and select the second option link to the external paint program; it'll ask you to name the file and select the format, i.e., BMP, TGA, PNG, JPG, etc. Once you finish painting your map then save the file and when you return to TS the map will appear automatically on your model. It's easy enough to use, but painting a convincing custom skin is another story...Van Gogh where are you when we need you? BNG.

[Avatar]

When just getting started with texturing ships I highly recommend taking a page from the 'old school' method and try for as much symmetry in your model as possible.  This allows you to make a single, planar (flat) texture with, for instance, the right half being the bottom of the ship and the left half being the top.  You can then add areas of detail around those major sections to fill in anything that the planar mapping doesn't properly texture.

Most of the older 3D games used this method, as it saves on texture size and lets you use more of the space in your texture for detail.  The downside is you need a fairly symmetrical object for it to work well.

-Av-

[Fishbone]

Have you tried this:
http://www.bz2md.com/fishdotxsi/skin.htm

[mrtwosheds]

LOOK!^   

You can use that to make models too!

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

I've seen that tutorial, and it's a good one for MAX users, but we need something more oriented to actually painting the skins if you know what I mean? I've somewhat resigned to using material colors in my models as a shortcut way to decorate them.

In TS this is done by clicking the material editor icon to bring up material color palette. The primary options are painting over the entire object and the second is using a paint brush to paint individual faces. It works fairly simple for prepping the model to be UV mapped as it's map editor uses the mat colors to colorize the UV map in the editor which can be used to separate the colored objects into color groups similar to those used in Lithunwrap when selected in it's options settings.

Really the best option for learning to paint a decent skin would be to spend some time mastering whatever paint program you like using and taking the time needed to learn to use the tools it supports.
   

[Avatar]

A good first step, and I mean VERY first step, would be to go through the available skins for both stock and mod play.  Looking at them can give you a lot of ideas, and you can even 'borrow' pieces of them to learn to change coloring, shading, and scaling.

Another, more labor intensive way to generate skins is to actually make a hi-res model, complete with rivets, access plates, pipes, grooves, and everything else that you want painted onto a game object.  You can apply all of those cool dirty textures from your 3D package that would never export into the actual game, and use renders of the model to make the skins for the game version.

Takes a LOT of time, though...

-Av-

[mrtwosheds]

but we need something more oriented to actually painting the skins if you know what I mean?

A tutorial would be of limited use. First you need a half decent graphics program, like photoshop at the very least.
Then you need to learn how to use it.  Those with artistic flair will still take a while to learn enough techniques to produce nice looking work, those who think they lack such flair will find that it is not essential anyway, graphics programs are not like paint and brush, you cant just do it, you have to know how to. The best way to learn is to just get down and start working at it.

I can draw with pen and pencil, but this skill does not mean I can draw with a computer, I cant! (well maybe, if I had very big paper, a very large bucket of paint, and a computer I didn't mind ruining) Drawing is an brain/eye-hand-paper talent, computer graphics is far more like some sort of planned engineering design, nothing pleasing ever "just happens" as it can with real-world art.

As for photoshop, my most used plugin is from EyeCandy its called Bevel Boss.
I also found the Flaming Pear plugins to be very very useful

[Warfreak]

I DO NOT have photoshop, or Gimp.
I use Paint.Net and a few effect tricks that come with the program to achieve my textures.

Here is an example of a texture i FINALLY got looking somewhat decent. Click to See
I'll post pic of model MUCH later, still need to add ALOT of stuff.

[Nielk1]

Use a perma-link! that points to the newest image int he gallery!

http://www.bzcomplex.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-1220
There is your permalink.

[BNG Da BZ Fool]

Skinning a model really seems far more complex then actually creating the models themselves. I have a few questions about unwrapping a model UV verses just UV mapping it. In TS as with a typical 3d modeler we all understand that in order to apply a texture map a model it first needs to be mapped right? I noticed that TS also supports a tool called unwrapper. To use it you minimumally need to delete at least one face on the object to use it as it does not support closed objects. Anyways, once a face is deleted and the tool applied to the object then the tool actually unwraps the object into a nice flat UV map without the typical overlapping UV lines seen in say a cubic mapped object. I don't quite understand it yet, but the end result looks relatively clean and uncluttered. Does Lithunwrap work this way, or is it just basic a UV map making utility? I tried posting an image but Filefront is a bit buggy today.