New to Static Meshes and Running into a problem -LW

[Valfaroth]

I just started playing with Unreal Ed the past few days and have run into a problem that I can't seem to get around.

I am currently working with static meshes and trying to build a completely custom map. The problem that is tying me up right now is that when I import a static mesh from LightWave it only has one surface in the materials group at the bottom of the static mesh browser.

I have set up the static mesh with 2 uv's....one for the walkway and one for the rail. I assumed that multiple "surfaces" in lightwave was the way to get multiple "materials" in the static mesh browser. That is not working.

Does anyone understand what I'm asking? (not sure if I'm using the right terminology or asking the right question but if anyone has any thoughts I'm all ears.)

Thanks for reading.

Valfaroth

 

[Six Ways]

I don't understand the Lightwave specific terminology, but I'll suggest a couple of things; by 2 UVs do you mean 2 completely separate maps or two alignment directions, combining the whole mesh into one UV map? If it's just one then that may be why you only have one material appearing in UEd.

Do the two different 'surfaces' have different textures or are surfaces different somehow? If there are other ways of applying two different textures I suggest trying them.

 

[Valfaroth]

What I have is a catwalk with 2 different surfaces.....one surface is named Walk_Floor (for the surface that the character walks on)....and one surfaced named Walk_IBeam (for the surface of the I-Beams supporting the floor)

Each Surface has its own UV map....also named Walk_Floor and Walk_IBeam respectively.

In the surface panel in lightwave the surfaces both have the UV maps applied to them.

One question that comes to my mind is "Does Unreal support two different UV maps on the same object"....if the answer to that is no then that is the problem I'm facing.

If the answer is yes then I need to figure out how to get Unreal to See the two UV maps......If unreal sees the two UV maps then I should see two "materials" in the static mesh properties -- [0] and [1] (correct?)

If I only see material [0] and I should see more then something is getting lost in translation.

I'm not sure of any other way to name surfaces in Lightwave.

(hope that clarifies what I'm looking for......)

Thank you greatly for your response and I hope we can work out this answer 8)

 

[GuinnessMan]

you can have multiple textures on a single object, ive had up to 10 for a floorstanding lift i made, you can also have multiple uv maps on a single surface if you want to combine alpha maps for multiple levels of transparency and the like. I know nothing of light wave so can't help you there, but if your having issues making 2 seperate textures show up its on the lightwave side. have you considered laying out the uv's to make a shader for the catwalk and rail? One file for both textures instead of two seperate files?

 

[Six Ways]

Right, I think I get it. Are you saying that in Lightwave terminology, each 'surface' is a separate mesh? As in, an object is known as a surface? In which case, simply having two surfaces is not enough to have two materials. Nor is having two UV maps.

Look at it this way; a UV map is not a material, or a texture, in any way. All it is is a definition within the code that describes the mesh itself as to how to apply textures/materials to the polygons that make up the mesh. So it doesn't matter how many UV maps you have, all UEd interprets it as is how to apply whatever material you select to the polygons.

What I think you need to do is to actually apply textures to the objects/surfaces in lightwave. I.e. a different one to each object. The exporter you're using should interpret the different texture settings for each mesh as saying two materials are needed in UEd.

 

[Valfaroth]

You name a surface in lightwave by selecting the group of polygons that will belong to that surface and then giving them a name....for example....a stop sign....one object....one layer.....select the octagon portion and name that surface "sign"....select the post area and name it "post"....this one object now has two surfaces....I can put a stop texture on the sign surface....and a metal texture on the post surface.....this is basically what i have with the bridge.....a floor surface....and the I-Beam surface. (hope that makes more sense)...on one object.

 

[Valfaroth]

Is there a specific naming convention that Unreal looks for? I exported one of their static meshes to take a look at it and it came with many different surfaces named on it....they all started with "DefaultTexture" I think......is there a specific name I should be using when naming surfaces?

 

[Valfaroth]

update --

After working some more on this, I have found a way to have multiple "materials" show up in the static mesh browser.

If I split the catwalk up into two different objects, then place them in a level, line them up, then convert the 2 objects to 1 static mesh, i get a material for each object. Is this the solution? Is there a better way? Can I import one object and have it show multiple "materials" right off the bat?

(Thanks for the replies so far. I appreciate your help)

 

[Valfaroth]

Ok I figured out my stupid mistake...

Unreal apparently doesn't look for surface names or UV's...it looks for unique textures....I had no textures on my object because I knew I could apply them in the editor....

Learn something new every day 8).....Thanks for the assist guys...I'm sure i'll be back as more problems arise 8).....and maybe I'll have something playable very soon 8)

 

[Six Ways]

Like I said then?

 

[Valfaroth]

Yup, I just misunderstood what you were saying the first time I read it....looking back the answer was there all along 8)......thanks again 8)