I need to texture a T shaped piece of tubing I’ve modelled but can’t think of a way to do it without having seams around the junction of the model?
Is there a generally accepted method for mapping such a object or is it just a matter of hiding the seams as much as possible?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
You’re going to have seams, but you can hide them by using two UVs and masking in between the two with a fade along the seams.
Yes same here, how would I fade the seams? To do that would mean you can apply 2 UV mape to a object or selection of faces at the same time, one over the other. How would I do this??
Like this, but twisted to your situation: Mapping Channels Head.
Someone did an excellant example down in the texture forum using an airplane. I think it was the texture forum…?
If I can find it, I’ll holler.
edit:
Got the bugger.
Okay, thats immensely cool! Thanks! Bit messy having to setup a seperate object to accuire its coords but hey looks like it works!
Is this the proceedure you were suggesting EricChadwick?
Stoker just checked out the thread you linked to. In his first example he talks about using a mix maps and a mask. Maybe its me but he lost me completely! 
It is very confusing if you haven’t done that sort of thing before.
I understand what he means about using a mix map, ie this ‘The first map in a Mix Map is the sideview (mapping channel 1). The second map is the top or bottom view (mapping channel 2). The third map is the mask, whereby areas that should receive the sideview texture is painted white and other areas black’
But he then mentions applying side textures which somehow blend in with the previous coords. How are you supposed to do this and not erase the previous uv mapping?
Do you know of any other tutorials about this kind of thing or could you explain his principal in more detail?
You don’t have to set up a separate model.
The different mapping coords can be on the same model.
The different UV coords are different mapping channels on the same model.
One object can have multiple unwraps on it.
I’m having trouble getting my head around mapping this tubing. Its changed from a T junction but its still essentially the same kinda idea.
My idea is that I’d texture the junction (where the tubes meet) with a sphere or cylindrical UV map, whichever fits best. I’d then map each tube (4 of them with their own mapping coords) with its own cylindrical UV map and an opacity map that would blend into the junctions texture.
Here is how in my mind I sould set out the mapping coords.
These are the UV’s for the junction. I’'m not really bother with placement right now I just want to understand what I’m doing. 
and these are the UV’s for the tubes.
However when I apply a composite material each subsequent material overrides the other? What am I doing wrong? Am I applying the UV’s in the correct way?
I’m sure I just don’t understand the correct mapping methods used in max and I doing something really stupid.
I guess what Im having trouble understanding is how to stop each ‘UV Mapping’ in the stack from tiling over the rest of the model and only go where I want it!? Is this even possible or am I approaching it the wrong way?
Any advice really appreciated.
Gizmo, if you post the mesh I’ll take a whack at it.
I could use this kind of challenge to get away from the kids for a bit.
Package received. Started dinking.
If you don’t quite understand mapping channels, I might be confusing a bit with multi/sub. But beer with me and we just might get there.
The first thing I did was slap a multi/sub on the object. This is for visuals and for making poly selection things easier.
The object is to be divided up into two major chunks: the tubes and the junction. So, I divided it up into 3 chunks: tubes only, junction only, and overlap/transition. So, red is junction only. Green is tubes only. And yellow is where the fading between the two will occur.
So far I’ve only done mapping channel one. Didn’t bother doing a great job, so excuse the slop. The four big UV chunks are the 4 various tubes. These are the green and yellow polies. Now, there is also a tiny blob of UV tossed near the right. That tiny blob is the red polies. This is fine as they will eventually be masked out and don’t really need much UV space.
Started on mapping channel 2, but haven’t come up with a good plan of attack just yet.
Few more hours or another day and I should be able to wax this mini-tut.
Thanks for this Stroker, its greatly appreciated.
So you’ve applied Unwrap UVW to the model. I’m really interested to see how your going to achieve the transitions??
Getting there.
Unwrapping the junction is kind of weird. Just a weird shape. Finally went with cylindrical as a base with the seam over the bigger tube and the 2 small holes in the middle. Then I moved verts real quick-like because I’m sloppy like that for this. Notice the blob of UV coords along the bottom. Fine because these will be masked out.
Remember - this is mapping channel 2.
Use this for painting the regular texture(s) for the junction. I would also use this for painting the mask between the two materials. Did a real quick example of what the mask might look like. Although, I didn’t give myself much room for those two small holes.
The material would look something like this:
Start with a composite material with 2 slots.
In the first slot goes the maps for the cylinders. Make sure these are set to mapping channel 1.
In the second composite slot goes the maps for the junction. Make sure these are set to mapping channel 2.
In the second material, the junction stuff, use the mask in the opacity slot and set to channel 2.
That should give you a very good running start.
If you want to see how crappy my unwraps are, I suppose I could show some examples.
Heh.
Sample with two random pictures. The transitions are kind of marked.
One transition is kind of too long.
The others are too short.
Fix?
Slightly better modeling, certaintly better unwrapping, and better choices for transition polies.
For this, I think the the cut on the ‘up’ tube should be down farther. Or something.
When modeling, might want to take unwrapping and texturing into consideration. Not a big consideration, but good to keep in mind.
Lately I’ve been messing around making a Borg space cube. Just a basic box? No way, Jose. I had to think about getting textures to wrap seamlessly around the corners. Also had to take into consideration normals for smooth displacement. Because of all of that, I had to make a bunch of extra cuts. Also used seven mapping channels. It was a lot of work to set up, but worth it when it came time to texture. Bit of an extreme example, but thinking about these things is good sometimes.
Thanks for the distraction.
Much needed break for the brain.
Thats great Stroker! Its exactly what I want to be able to do.
Unfortunately I feel ashamed to say but I got a little lost along the way.
I don’t want to hassle you for more detailed info because what you’ve done great but sometimes I guess a little hand holding helps a lot!
If I can just write down what I think you’ve done, you can tell me if I’m wrong or right!?
Okay, first you applied an Unwrap UVW; then you applied a mesh select and selected one of the tubes; then you applied a cylindrical UVW Mapping; next a mesh select; followed by another unwrap UVW.
This method was applied to each subsequent tube and all Map Channels were set to 1.
Now, I don’t understand why you’ve added a small blob of UV’s for the junction?
I’ve only done this sort of mapping using a single texture map so I’m not sure how you’ve applied 2 texture maps to one object? Also how big does the stack end up being using this method!? Surely it would be huge unless you using a simpler method I don’t know?
Sorry if this all sounds dim but I think Im out of the loop on several of the methods your using?
Actually, I’ve just thought that it might be a good thing if you could send me over your file so that I could try and understand what you’ve done? I’ve just PM’d you!
I think you are close to having that Aha! moment when mapping channels make sense.
Why the UV blobs?
Each object can have multiple UV coords. For each mapping channel, it is the entire object. This is different than unwrapping with multi/sub. Since mapping channel 1 is for the tubes, they get the most UV space. However, the unwrap/mapping channel is for the whole object and the junction has to be included. Since the the junction UVs won’t be seriously used in this channel, they are dinkified and tossed aside, as it were.
The same holds true for mapping channel 2. The UV space is given to the junction, but the tubes have to be included. However, the tube UVs won’t be used in this channel and are dinkified.
Each mapping channel is an entirely different set of UV coords for the same object.
When doing this kind of thing, it’s perfectly fine to collapse the stack. For the tubes, I collapsed each time.
I selected a tube.
Gave it cylindrical (quick-n-sleazy).
Collapse.
Select next tube.
Rinse, repeat.
Once done with the tubes, I gave the junction, just the red, a quick planar and dinkified them.
Collapse.
Once happy with mapping channel 1, move on to mapping channel 2.
Same basic idea, but making sure that working in proper mapping channel when doing various things. Believe me, I’ve gone about my business and ruined a perfectly good job by working in the wrong channel. Ugh!
Collapse.
The mapping channels will remain intact and do not need to be ‘in the stack’ persay. Really up to you and how you work.
Got to take care of a few things.
Then I’ll get to uploading a file or two.
Buttload of files corrupted.
Not happy.
Sorry, Gizmo, but not exactly in the mood to do this all over again.
Everything you need is in this thread.
Corrupted files suck.
Don’t be Mr. Fancy-Pants unless you know what you are doing.
Even then, take precautions.
Aaahhh!
Grrrr!
Thats ok man, sorry you’ve lost some files, I know what thats like!
Thanks again for all the help I’ll work it out. I think I know what to do now but don’t be surprised if you get PM pleading for advice!
Nice job Stroker.
Here’s another tutorial in the same vein, if it helps.
http://www.neilblevins.com/cg_education/map_channels/map_channels.htm