UVW Unwrapping in 3ds Max Mastered - From Beginner to Pro

Name: UVW Unwrapping in 3ds Max Mastered - From Beginner to Pro
Rating: 4.3 (144 reviews)

Learn the hidden yet simple tricks the pros use & master UVW Unwrapping. UVW Unwrapping made simple for all your assets!

Created byDon Ott

Last updated 3/2019

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Learn the most important, core UI elements of the UVW Editor in 3ds Max
Become a pro at UVW unwrapping your game assets in 3ds Max
Learn to UVW Unwrap all sorts of 3d shapes - from simple to complex - hard surface to organic
Become a UVW Unwrapping master in no time by learning the most important, yet most commonly used tools in the un

Course content

3 sections • 21 lectures • 2h 6m total length

Introduction to the Course1:04
Master uvw unwrapping in 3ds max by focusing on essential UI, tools, and workflow, eliminating unnecessary scripts, to handle even complex shapes quickly and efficiently.
What are UVs?4:07
Learn how uvw unwrapping converts three-dimensional objects into two-dimensional texture maps for painting in Photoshop, using a uvw modifier in 3ds Max to lay out six box sides.
Basic UI and Navigation9:04
Master uvw unwrapping in 3ds Max by converting a box to editable poly and applying the unwrap uvw modifier. Pack and normalize UVs, using hotkeys for move, rotate, and scale.
Flatten Mapping2:54
Apply flat mapping to unfold polygons into a two-dimensional, uniformly scaled UV layout, preserving proportions, preventing texture stretching, and maintaining all UVs inside the zero-to-one square for easy export.
UV Exporting and Texturing Intro1:49
Export uvw templates in 3ds Max by choosing a power-of-two texture size, render the uv template, and save a high-quality jpeg for editing in Photoshop, preserving uvs with editable poly.
Texturing and Applying a Texture2:48
Paint a texture on the uv texture in Photoshop, save as a 24-bit bitmap, and apply it to a box in 3ds Max with show shaded in viewport.
Additional UI Elements6:48
Configure uvw unwrap workflows in 3ds Max with a modifier bar, enable map seams and colors, and set hotkeys for unwrap uvw and flatten map to speed up unwrapping.

Resetting XForm and Working with Instances5:21
Reset the x form before unwrapping to normalize transforms; understand that instances share data, so converting to editable poly breaks instances, while collapse preserves them, with ctrl+x as a reset.
Basic Unwrapping Start - Boxes and Relaxing9:56
Unwraps basic boxes using a three-step workflow—flat map, unwrap in the zero-to-one space, and move completed pieces aside, then uses a checkerboard texture to verify unwrap and relaxes the layout.
Attaching Objects and More Instances7:16
Attach multiple box pieces, convert to editable poly, reset xform and center pivots, then unwrap and apply pack normalize to scale textures across all instances.
More Quick Planar and Relax Tricks7:28
Master quick planar and cylindrical unwrap techniques in 3ds Max, using flip and weld tools, breaking seams, and relaxing to create clean UV layouts for large cylindrical shapes.
Unwrapping Multiple Objects at Once9:58
Group similar shapes, unwrap multiple objects at once with flat map, planer, and relax, then optimize texture space using pack normalize or custom pack.
Unwrapping More of our Asset!18:02
Master uvw unwrapping in 3ds Max by finishing asset pieces, combining meshes, applying unwrap uvw, flatten maps, using by-angle selection, planer, relax, stitch, weld, and unfold mapping for efficient texturing.
Objects at an Angle and Cables5:48
Master unwrapping angled assets in 3ds Max by creating backups, enabling generate mapping coordinates, and using straightening, relax, and alignment to achieve clean UV layouts.
Using Soft Selection2:46
learn to use soft selection in 3ds Max to make subtle, organic adjustments during uvw unwrapping, with falloff and angle controls for ground planes and manual tweaks on specific areas.
Attaching Objects and our Final Pack13:41
Master UVW unwrapping in 3ds Max by collapsing props into a single mesh, stacking and grouping overlapped pieces, and applying pack normalize for tighter, efficient textures.
Scaling Up Smaller Elements6:19
Scale up smaller elements after packing to maximize leftover space, boost texture resolution and ratio in uvw unwrapping for 3ds Max, render a 2048 by 2048 uv template for texturing.

Bonus Tips - Submit your complex shapes and questions!0:17
Bonus Tip 1 - Rotating and Randomizing our UVs5:44
Explore techniques to rotate and randomize UVs for repeated assets, using local rotations and selective flipping to maximize texture variation and minimize visible tiling in 3ds Max UVW unwrapping.
Bonus Tip 2 - Hiding UV Seams and Quick Planar Mastery2:46
Master UVW unwrapping by hiding seams in interior faces and using quick planer to unwrap and relax edges, align vertically, and minimize stretching for clean textures.
Bonus Tip 3 - Complex Coils2:24
Unwraps a complex hose coil in 3ds Max using quick planer for single-direction projection, then relaxes faces and applies a 40 by 40 checkerboard tiling.

Requirements

Access to Autodesk's 3ds Max
3ds Max 2019 is used in the tutorial - but all of the tools shown have been around for years

Description

In this in-depth course, we'll cover everything you need to know to simplify the often antagonizing process of UVW Unwrapping. Using simple, functional, and quick tools at your disposal - we'll show how to master every aspect of UVW Unwrapping in a simplified way within 3ds Max. Stop struggling with out-of-date-methods, confusing 3rd-party softwares, or techniques that are losing you valuable time (and even precious money) Master the simple UVW unwrapping techniques with this course, and learn to UVW Unwrap everything from simple primitives to complex assets.

Who this course is for:

Beginner to Intermediate students who are either just beginning - or those who want to master UVW Unwrapping in 3d for games and film

UVW Unwrapping in 3ds Max Mastered - From Beginner to Pro

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Intro to Unwrapping Principles and the UI7 lectures • 29min

Unwrapping our Water Tower Prop - Start to Finish10 lectures • 1hr 27min

Bonus Tips and Additional Shapes4 lectures • 11min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: