Hello all...

I am new at meshing but I did do a couple of meshes. I cloned my previous meshes over a single texture object. Only now I´m doing a new chair and the chair I cloned have 2 texture files (plus the shadow). And I can´t quite figure out how to export the two parts seperatly into the UV mapper or if it is necessary. The problem is that they have 2 different sizes and when I export it back to milkshape I can only save the UV map in one size.
I also thought about just to do one UV map regroup the whole thing in milk shape and then just export one file back to SimPE and delete the 2 and replace with my one. But woulden´t that screw up all the file name things and make the object invisible in game?

I know this is totall newbie questions, but I am new :sorry: and I really want to be able to do it... now and for my future projects.
So I hope I make sense and someone will take pitty on me and help me out and explain how to do it....

*SS* Line

I don't know which uv mapping program you are using, but in general, you would have a uv map for each material. For the uv mapping program I use, there is no need to import/export the subsets separately, and on the export dialog for the uv maps you can fill in the map dimensions. But your program may be different. If your program is limiting you, you might want to considering getting a different one, as UV mapping can be the hardest and most important part of meshing. I use Ultimate Unwrap 3d, which is the newer version of lith unwrap. It has a lot of flexibility and makes uv mapping alot easier.

Thank you for answering.....

I´m using UV mapper classic and I can add dimention on export... but as far as I can see only one. I map by group (legs/seat) but they still come out on one map. I don´t know if this is a limitation of the program and I should get another?
Since I am still new to all of this I am still struggeling with all the terms... such as subsets ect. and it does not make it easier that english is not my first language.

Thanks Line

If the parts have different textures, the meshes are probably different subsets in SimPE, as well. What I do with objects like that is map and import them separately. You can view them in Milkshape together if you need to see how they relate to each other, but save them as separate meshes. Then open one of them at a time, export for uv-mapping, import back to Milkshape alone and again export for SimPE. Then repeat the same with the other mesh. If they don't share a texture, then it doesn't make sense to map them together, as far as I know.

To be able to export them from Milkshape separately, first save your mesh when you're done with the mesh editing. Then delete the group(s) that don't belong to the subset you want to save (for example "wood"), and save it as a different mesh file. Close this one, and open the mesh file that you first saved, the one that has all the parts, and then delete the parts you saved the last time, and save this one as the other subset mesh (for example "fabric"). It sounds a little complicated when explained like this, but it's quite simple really.

Hmm that sounds like alot of work. You might want to check out lith unwrap (freeware) or Ultimate Unwrap 3d ($). Both with open ms3d and obj as well as other formats, and allow you to have multiple subsets and materials, and have a uv map per material. Both will allow you to hide subsets or materials or faces that you arn't currently working on. UU3d has a better interface and more uv tools.

With those you would just open your milkshape file in the unwrapper. Create a material for each subset. Hide the subsets you aren't working on. Assign the subset you are working on to the material. Map out that subset. Hide that subset and work on the other. Save and voila.

Of course normally I tend to do it a little differently. I start off making many more subsets (logical groupings) to make it easier to map. Then as I uv map, I'll regroup until I have my final subsets. If you have a complicated item you can get a better map this way sometimes.

Let me see if I understand this correctly...

The chair I cloned has two files legs/seat that I exported to milkshape....i´m guessing that means two subsets?

Next i´m finished with my mesh....and I have saved it. Then I in turn delete each group (legs/seat) and save them seperatly under different names and export them to be UV mapped and back to milkshape. And then in turn texture them and import them seperatly back in to simpe?

For my current situation then I have the problem... that when I first cloned the chair I chekmarked both the leg and seat file when i exported them so when I get them back in milkshape after Uv mapping them I have only one file to save them to.....as for what I understand this should be a problem..... so what I should do now is to reclone the chair and export it in two different files (legs/seat)?

I really appriciate that you take the time to answer theese "dumb" questions...

Correct



This is not a problem. Even if you export them separately, they will, by default, be saved under the same name. When you export them back for SimPE separately from Milkshape, you will save them both as the same file in turn. It's the name of the group (like "wood" or "fabric") that'll separate them in SimPE. As long as they don't both have the same group name, they will not get mixed up.

The way I explained it is not, of course, the only way. That's how I do it, and I don't find it a lot of work (there are other things that take a lot longer than those steps), and I don't see much difference in time consumption whether you map them separately or together, but it's all about personal preference.

thank you...... i´m off too try :salute: