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3 Dimensional Chat / Anyone with serious lightwave 3d modelling experience?

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Penfold
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2007 16:00
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I have lightwave 7.2 and a fair amount of knowledge on it but I am having problems with simple things , like finding a good reliable UV mapper which works well with lightwave.

The ones I have found so far either

A. Split the whole mesh up intoa gloryfied jigsaw puzzle. or

B. Aren't actually very compatible with lightwave objects whjich have no UV map already asigned.

OR if someone can point me to an *upto date* site with tutorials. As most of the ones I have found are out of date / and or far too complicated (made by people who already know lightwave back to front so miss out what think are obvious points).

'Ooh 'eck chief'...'crumbs'
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2007 18:13
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Have you tried Unwrap 3D?

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Penfold
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2007 20:11 Edited at: 3rd Sep 2007 20:37
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Tried Unwrap 3D or at least the demo (amongst others) I had a problem with it. I will edit this post when I can find my pad with exactly what went wrong.

I really would like to here from a lightwave user specifically though because chances are there already using the best software for the job.

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2007 22:22
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Most in modeller UV Mappers tend not to be the best sort, though I don't know about lightwave's. I've been doing some UVMapping today and I find Lithunwrap has yet to let me down - though basic, it gets the job done. Other UVMappers tend to interact with the model in its 3D state and get you to set up seams to unwrap with - though they do have presets like lithunwrap does - but they're no use to you if you can't use them properly (though it's good to learn them)

Lightwave users around here tend to be well...light, Sadsack and KeithC from the FPSC side of things I know use lightwave and I've got the demo sitting on my hard drive (Cinema 4D user myself, hope to upgrade to R10 soon)

Also...one last thing...

Shush Penfold! - Had to be said, sorry. I love that show.

I shot the sheriff
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Penfold
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2007 22:39
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If I've read it correctly (Ultimate) Unwrap 3D used to be Lithunwrap but now with a nominal charge.

Unfortunatly for the people at Unwrap 3D I'm reluctant to pay the (approx £20) for it, without being sure that it wil do what I want it to (and I won't be sure without the save option).

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 01:33
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Lithunwrap is still available and free, Ultimate Unwrap is far more featured. The developer just no longer supports lithunwrap as they have their newer flagship that gives 'em a bit of cash. You'd need to find lithunwrap on another site that hosts it (check out the modelling links thread, you never know, a link maybe there)

As for in Lightwave, I've seen no evidence of a 'proper uv mapper' (I didn't see it, but it may still have one) - it seems to only give you options for 'planar, cubic, spherical and cylindrical' UV maps in the materials - as for custom you'd probably would have to go to external applications. But if I were you, I'd google 'UVMapping in Lightwave' or something along those lines, if nothing shows up then I'm right, it doesn't have one.

But that's no biggy, a lot of us do UVMapping externally (besides you're a Lightwave user, I'm sure you're use to swapping between more than one app to do certain things. ) I tend to model in Hexagon 2 or Silo 2 (replace with Lightwave modeller), open up lithunwrap, uv map and then texture in photoshop and then import into Cinema 4D (replace with Lightwave Layout) for the rest of the business.

If you're not willing to purchase and lightwave is incapable, lithunwrap I would say is your best alternative - I found it really easy to get results with and has prepared me for the real thing (I'm learning to UV Map properly in Hexagon 2, so I can cut out the middle process)

If you want, I need to UV map something tomorrow, shall I walk you through the process in lithunwrap if it'll help you understand it and get you started? (I'll also do a search in google for the application download)

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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 09:43
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Quote: "If you want, I need to UV map something tomorrow, shall I walk you through the process in lithunwrap if it'll help you understand it and get you started? (I'll also do a search in google for the application download)
"

yeah that would be great. I think I have the download now but a quick walk through would be great.

BTW: Plenty of UV mapping walk throughs for Lightwave but unless you want to map primatives you have to go through a long and tedious process off unwelding points and stretching the object out it seems.

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 12:44
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Yeah, that's the typical UV Mapping process - external UVMappers tend to let you apply at type of UVMap you can edit, like say spherical, cylindrical, cubic, decal, planar etc. If you're doing higher poly work, 'proffesional uvmapping' tends to be a good idea.

I got to so something in Silo first and then I'll get started on this little tutorial.

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 14:08 Edited at: 4th Sep 2007 14:09
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Right, here we go:

Lithunwrap download link:
http://files.seriouszone.com/download.php?fileid=198

The Tutorial:












Hope it helps.

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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 22:31
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If I export from lightwave as .obj file I get errors in lithunwrap.

(basically stating theres no object data).

<edit> may have fixed this, in lightwave you need to add a UV layer. I will see if I can follow your tutorial a bit and see how far I get.

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JimB
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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 22:36
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UUnwrap is well worth the money without a doubt,it also has many plugin filters.....a bargain.
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Posted: 4th Sep 2007 23:54 Edited at: 5th Sep 2007 00:01
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I've fidled about managed to get Lithunwrap to load my model.

I've split it up and grouped each area and split up the mesh.

I've exported the UV map and saved off my model aswell.

I can even texture the map and put it back in lithunwrap.

All looks well there, but I'm having problems putting it into DB. (the texture is too small on the model)

and back into Lightwave to texture.
(I can't even get it to UV map on the model).

I'm a bit further but still seem to have so far to go.

<edit> maybe its something to do with the clear your mesh up part. I can't figure out how to do that in lightwave. the model still seems to be in one piece.

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 5th Sep 2007 00:33
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Hmmm...Do you have Milkshape 3D - if you do, just use 'clean mesh' under the tools. If not, well, I'll have a look in the demo tomorrow morning.

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Posted: 5th Sep 2007 19:39
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Nope don't have milkshape. I'll have another crack at it tonight. I can texture from the UV I made in Lithunwrap and it looks *ok* but as soon as I try to get it into DB it distorts the image and looks naff.

eg. The side of my cats body can be seen on the body but is about 60% of the normal size (Viewed in DB)

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