UE2 - UT2kX Help importing meshes (getting texture to align correctly)

[HeatherD]

Hello everyone,
I'm Heather and I'm pretty new to using the Unreal Editor. I have basic knowledge, and am currently building my own level for a college class I am taking. Here's my problem, maybe someone can help

I am using Unreal Editor version 3.0 from the UT2004 editors choice game.

My problem is importing a mesh I built in 3DS Max, and having the textures properly aligned in Unreal Editor. I built a stop sign and applied 4 different textures in a multi/sub object material. Each texture also has its own map channel, so when I apply the UVW map coordinates, I can change each image separately. Now, everything jives in max and the stop sign looks great from every angle all 4 of the textures I used are compatible with the unreal editor. The iron for the stand and the side area of the stop sign are 256 X 256. The front and back of the stop sign are 512X512 and they are all saved as bitmaps.

When I import the mesh into unreal, it shows up, but the textures are not lined up properly. The stop part of the sign appears way to large and not sized like I did in max. The textures all show up, they just aren't properly aligned. Now sure how to fix this. I was thinking of making my stop sign faces smaller in size and seeing if that would help. Right now they are kind of large at 512X512, so maybe if I take them to 256 X 256?

Oh, and not to sound like a snot, but yes I rebuilt the level over and over and over, haha. I do when I change anything (sorry, but everyone always asks if the level was rebuilt, so I figured I'd answer it first)

I'm attaching a screenshot of both the stop sign in max and in the unreal editor so you can see what I'm talking about. Just thought I would mention that I have successfully imported a street light that I made in max. The textures all lined up properly on that one, but I only had 2 UVW maps on it, so maybe that had something to do with it?

I appreciate any help I can get

Screenshots:
Render from max

Imported into the editor

Just for fun my streetlight

 

[Snaps_Provolone]

Check out the 'Sticky' thread, it's in this Mapping forum. "Importing meshes into UE2 and 3 using Maya and 3DSMax (UT2004 and UT3)". Specifically question #5. I am thinking it may have something to do with the mapping you have applied. See if that helps.

 

[r2tincan]

Hello everyone,
I'm Heather and I'm pretty new to using the Unreal Editor. I have basic knowledge, and am currently building my own level for a college class I am taking. Here's my problem, maybe someone can help

I am using Unreal Editor version 3.0 from the UT2004 editors choice game.

My problem is importing a mesh I built in 3DS Max, and having the textures properly aligned in Unreal Editor. I built a stop sign and applied 4 different textures in a multi/sub object material. Each texture also has its own map channel, so when I apply the UVW map coordinates, I can change each image separately. Now, everything jives in max and the stop sign looks great from every angle all 4 of the textures I used are compatible with the unreal editor. The iron for the stand and the side area of the stop sign are 256 X 256. The front and back of the stop sign are 512X512 and they are all saved as bitmaps.

When I import the mesh into unreal, it shows up, but the textures are not lined up properly. The stop part of the sign appears way to large and not sized like I did in max. The textures all show up, they just aren't properly aligned. Now sure how to fix this. I was thinking of making my stop sign faces smaller in size and seeing if that would help. Right now they are kind of large at 512X512, so maybe if I take them to 256 X 256?

Oh, and not to sound like a snot, but yes I rebuilt the level over and over and over, haha. I do when I change anything (sorry, but everyone always asks if the level was rebuilt, so I figured I'd answer it first)

I'm attaching a screenshot of both the stop sign in max and in the unreal editor so you can see what I'm talking about. Just thought I would mention that I have successfully imported a street light that I made in max. The textures all lined up properly on that one, but I only had 2 UVW maps on it, so maybe that had something to do with it?

I appreciate any help I can get

Screenshots:
Render from max

Imported into the editor

Just for fun my streetlight

Just looking at it it looks as though you either didn't export with the UV mapping applied, or you have two UV channels and you're applying your material to the wrong one.

Make sure when you're exporting as .ASE you're checking those last 3 check boxes on the bottom of the exporter...

 

[HeatherD]

Check out the 'Sticky' thread, it's in this Mapping forum. "Importing meshes into UE2 and 3 using Maya and 3DSMax (UT2004 and UT3)". Specifically question #5. I am thinking it may have something to do with the mapping you have applied. See if that helps.

Thank you Snaps, it seems that little bit of information is for Maya though and I am using Max. I have never used Maya

Just looking at it it looks as though you either didn't export with the UV mapping applied, or you have two UV channels and you're applying your material to the wrong one.

Make sure when you're exporting as .ASE you're checking those last 3 check boxes on the bottom of the exporter...

Hmm.. I did export my object with the UV applied, so that's not it and the last 3 boxes in the export box for the .ASE are checked. I do have more than one map channel. I have 4, one for each face of the stop sign, one for the sides and one for the metal stick it is on. Is that the problem then? I do not know how to apply the materials in Max and get them to align properly without using the different map channels. Maybe if someone looks at my Max file that might help?
http://heathers-dollz-and-design.com/StopSign.max

 

[Hourences]

Do you have 4 material ids, or 4 map channels. That is a huge difference?

You must have 4 ids. You should not use channels for this. If you did, it likely shows up wrong because all 4 textures use the first channel in Unreal.

Unreal does support multiple channels, but then the material must be a shader, and the shader must have the channels set. This is not the way to go for a simple mesh like this.

 

[r2tincan]

Thank you Snaps, it seems that little bit of information is for Maya though and I am using Max. I have never used Maya



Hmm.. I did export my object with the UV applied, so that's not it and the last 3 boxes in the export box for the .ASE are checked. I do have more than one map channel. I have 4, one for each face of the stop sign, one for the sides and one for the metal stick it is on. Is that the problem then? I do not know how to apply the materials in Max and get them to align properly without using the different map channels. Maybe if someone looks at my Max file that might help?
http://heathers-dollz-and-design.com/StopSign.max

There is a problem if this has 4 map channels. A simple prop should really have no more than one, unless you are doing this for high resolution cinematics or something.

Find a good tutorial about UV Unwrapping and unwrap it manually. I will look at the max file later when i get home and let you know if theres something else im not thinking of, but that is almost definately your problem.

4x the channels with 4x the textures loaded = more than 4x the memory!

 

[HeatherD]

Do you have 4 material ids, or 4 map channels. That is a huge difference?

You must have 4 ids. You should not use channels for this. If you did, it likely shows up wrong because all 4 textures use the first channel in Unreal.

Unreal does support multiple channels, but then the material must be a shader, and the shader must have the channels set. This is not the way to go for a simple mesh like this.

I have both I gave each ID its own map channel, so when I applied the UVW modifer, I could manupliate each one seperatly. I don't know how to unwrap (plan on researching) so that was the only way I knew how to apply 4 different materials to the same object.

I'm sure that is the problem, on the street light I imported, I only used one map channel and one UVW mod. It imported properly. I will work on this some more, thanks for all your help

 

[HeatherD]

There is a problem if this has 4 map channels. A simple prop should really have no more than one, unless you are doing this for high resolution cinematics or something.

Find a good tutorial about UV Unwrapping and unwrap it manually. I will look at the max file later when i get home and let you know if theres something else im not thinking of, but that is almost definately your problem.

4x the channels with 4x the textures loaded = more than 4x the memory!

Perfect! thanks so much for your help. Like I mentioned above, I only did it that way because I did not know another way to get all 4 textures in the right spot (I always take the hard road, haha) I will look into unwrapping and then re-save and try to import then. Thanks again

 

[Hourences]

There is a problem if this has 4 map channels. A simple prop should really have no more than one, unless you are doing this for high resolution cinematics or something.

Find a good tutorial about UV Unwrapping and unwrap it manually. I will look at the max file later when i get home and let you know if theres something else im not thinking of, but that is almost definately your problem.

4x the channels with 4x the textures loaded = more than 4x the memory!

You are mixing up channels with maps. A channel is nota map! 4 Channels has zero perfomance impact, but it just isnt a good way of working usually.

4 Maps on the other hand does slow down indeed.

As for the the texturing problem. Try this: Use an Edit Mesh or Edit poly modifier, select a face you want to change (UV wise), and then while it is selected, add a UVW map modifier. This UVW map will then stick to just the selected face. Do this for everything, and you will have the same result as you had using 4 channels.

But as mentioned by r2, it would be more optimal if you could combine the 4 textures into 1 bigger one.

 

[HeatherD]

You are mixing up channels with maps. A channel is nota map! 4 Channels has zero perfomance impact, but it just isnt a good way of working usually.

4 Maps on the other hand does slow down indeed.

As for the the texturing problem. Try this: Use an Edit Mesh or Edit poly modifier, select a face you want to change (UV wise), and then while it is selected, add a UVW map modifier. This UVW map will then stick to just the selected face. Do this for everything, and you will have the same result as you had using 4 channels.

But as mentioned by r2, it would be more optimal if you could combine the 4 textures into 1 bigger one.

I actually tried that first method and for some reason, whenever I would move the gizmo on one side and get it all lined up nicely, the backside would be skewed. I made sure I only had the poly's in the front highlighted and started over and same thing. I thought that if I gave each texture its own map channel AND UVW map, then it would fix that problem. It did in max, but then I couldn't import it.

I finally got it to work this afternoon using r2's advise I unwrapped the faces and used that template to line up the textures. Now, I still have a multi/sub object material, but they are all in the same map channel, and I only have one UVW map mod applied to the entire mesh. It imported perfectly. I cannot thank you both enough for all your help with this. I have been asking questions all week in my college forum and have yet to get an answer. You guys ROCK!! *smooches*

 

[r2tincan]

You are mixing up channels with maps. A channel is nota map! 4 Channels has zero perfomance impact, but it just isnt a good way of working usually.

4 Maps on the other hand does slow down indeed.

As for the the texturing problem. Try this: Use an Edit Mesh or Edit poly modifier, select a face you want to change (UV wise), and then while it is selected, add a UVW map modifier. This UVW map will then stick to just the selected face. Do this for everything, and you will have the same result as you had using 4 channels.

But as mentioned by r2, it would be more optimal if you could combine the 4 textures into 1 bigger one.

Yeah I might be messing up the terms. I know that I have made a vending machine before with a glass surface and I just created a seperate plane as an element to use as the glass in front of the vending machine, and UV'ed them seperately on seperate map channels. In the mesh viewer I could then assign a shader to the glass and my map to the body. Worked really well but doesn't this have a performance impact?

I don't know. Who cares about performance anyways











*(jk)

 

[Hourences]

I think you still mix up channels and maps

A channel means a completely different UV lay out, so the same poly can have for example 8 different sets of UV coordinates, which are completely unrelated to the texture/map added on top. A map is a texture/similar, and you can have material ids which allow you to add several different textures on the same object. Different textures <> Different UV coordinates

A lot of channels do not impact perfomance. A lot of different material ids/maps/different textures/whatever will slow down.

I am not super certain what happens when a mesh has four material ids, and all four do use the exact same texture/map tho...Though in case of your glass example, where the glass map is different from the normal map/texture it will impact perfomance.