DeleD Community Edition

[Spaddlewit]

Does anyone have any tips on how I could UV map the grey texture seen here to 'curve' with the surface? I'm stumped...

[/img]

[trucker2000]

The only way I've been able to do it is face by face. There may be better advice here tho as others have mastered the uv interface better than I.
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Sys specs:
asus
8 gigs ram
Invidia gtx560 video card
Windows 8 (worst op sys Ever)

[AWM Mars]

Method One: You can move vertices in the UV map to stretch the top sections of the map, to fit a curve. Note: There is a bug in the routine, whereby the last selected vertice in the UV map, will remain 'attached' to your cursor and move it when you are doing other functions in DeleD. To overcome this, always press escape twice in the UV map, then save your work, close and restart DeleD. Also, the 3D views do not always show the correct orientation of the moved UV map vertice correctly, meaning you need to work 'blind'. I got over this by using a 'template texture' that gave me the desired shape and where to place each vertice, then simply swap the texture for the finished one, when complete.

Method Two: Alternatively, you may try separating those polygons from the main model (simply select the polygons and use 'extract' with the 'remove original polyone' checked), then use the 'Projection Mapping With Selection' plugin http://www.delgine.com/plugins/viewPlugin.php?catid=41&catdesc=Extensions&contentid=27, albeit you will have to play with the variety of excellent functions/settings, along with perhaps rotating the polygons in the UV mapping afterwards, to get alignment.

You may get the results you want just using this plugin. I would suggect you use 'Save As' on your model, giving it a version number, before using the plugin, which is good practise in any event. I have found using this plugin on a whole model (or in this case, a sub-mesh) to yeild the best results, rather than applying it to polygons still linked to another portion of a mesh.

Method Three: There is another way. Use a graphics programme to create a curved texture that can be applied to those polygons. I use Fireworks and it has some very good distortion, skew and bend functions to make 'keystone' textures.

Quickest Method:
EDIT: Added Information
I've been playing around with various methods to get what you need, in the simplest way possible.
Start out with a simple rectangle. Apply your texture straight away. Then subdivide the top and bottom edges into an amount that gives an odd number (i.e. divide by 6 will give 5 new vertices on each edge) as you need a central pair to get a nice curve.

Connect the top and bottom pairs of vertices. Now select all the polygons and use Triangulate (normal will work, but you can experiment with central etc).

Select all the top vertices and use the scale function to make the rectangle wider at the top.

Then select the central pair of vertices and move them upwards, select each top/bottom pair and mirrored pairs each side of the central vertices, and move in turn to get a smooth curve. What you will notice is, the texture curves with it.
Using the triangulate function, smooths out the potential distortions in the texture. You may wish to increase the divisions to get better quality.


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[AWM Mars]

Did anyone find this useful? If so, I could turn it into a short tutorial, using the easiest/shortest method.
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[trucker2000]

That looks really good. Nice and simple too.
I wonder if it will work on an image like the ops tho. (horizontal lines)
I'll have to give it a try when I get home from work.
Thanks for all the different methods.
_________________
Some day I will grow up and be a real modeler.
"Never give up! Never surrender!!"
Sys specs:
asus
8 gigs ram
Invidia gtx560 video card
Windows 8 (worst op sys Ever)

[Jeroen]

Yeah, that is great info! Definitely worth turning into a tutorial!
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[Spaddlewit]

[AWM Mars]