Need help texturing

[Tristonwilson12]

I need some help making a mod. I have my model on blender done but I don't know how to texture and after that thanks

[Thomas988]

Go ask a moderator to move this thread to the Modelling and Texturing Discussion subthread. There you should be able to get better help.

I myself don't know anything about modelling or texturing, so I'm afraid I can't help.

[CaptainKipard]

Look through the sticky at the top of this section to get started, or click the Compilation link in my signature.

[Tristonwilson12]

Look through the sticky at the top of this section to get started, or click the Compilation link in my signature.

can you help im using blender

[CaptainKipard]

Texturing is not something specific to KSP, but I made a couple of intermediate tutorials. They are also in my signature. You're better of just googling specific tutorials.

[sumghai]

If you could post a screenshot of your completed part in Blender, we may be able to advise you on mesh resolution / UV mapping for textures.

[Tristonwilson12]

i just need help with the texturing if anyone wants the file and wants to texture it they can email me. when i upload the mod you will be credited.

its a command pod

Edited February 25, 2015 by sumghai

[passinglurker]

Here is my recommendation. Map the model to an existing texture either from the stock parts or a favorite mod of yours with a permitting licence. You get your part done without having to make a texture and when configured properly it doesn't take up any extra ram. Its win win .

here is an example of what is possible...

I made this 1 kerbal 1.25 diameter mercury-esque pod using a texture sheet from the tantares mod that was meant for this...

a 2 man 1.875 diameter gemini-esque pod.

Also take a look at SXT the whole mod is parts made using texture sharing techniques

[Tristonwilson12]

this is my first mod

[passinglurker]

this is my first mod

what do you mean? are you afraid of a little UV mapping?

[Tristonwilson12]

no what does that mean

[passinglurker]

no what does that mean

start by googling and learning how to make a UV map in blender. When you can make a UV map at all then I can help you help yourself.

[Tristonwilson12]

i cant get anything allined im using paint.net.... its verry hard for me

[passinglurker]

i cant get anything allined im using paint.net.... its verry hard for me

You don't need to use paint.net the UV map simply tells which part of a texture sheet covers which part of a model meaning if you use an existing premade texture sheet you won't need to open a paint program at all. Instead you load the texture sheet into blender and then tweak your UV map to fit it(as opposed to the usual method of making a UV map and then filling it in like a coloring book)

[sumghai]

When unwrapping UVs for a mesh, it helps to (mentally) decompose or "split up" the mesh into simpler shapes, which will help you lay out your UV maps later. In your case, your command pod is a composite of a truncated cone and a flat cylinder (we'll disregard the square doohickey on the side for now).

Now imagine both shapes were paper models:

- The cylinder would need a flat circle for the base and a long skinny rectangle that wraps around to form the cylinder wall

- The truncated cone would need a flat circle for the top and a fan-like shape for the curved side

To make to UV map from such a complicated shape, we'll need to split the mesh up (not physically, but from a UV perspective), which I'll walk you through.

1) In Edit Mode, go into Edge Select Mode

2) Shift-select the following edges

- the ones making up the bottom ring (base of the cylinder)

- the ones making up the middle ring (base of the cone)

- the ones making up the top ring (top of the cone)

3) Press Ctrl-E to mark these rings as Seams\

Save your work and post your screenshots to get the next set of instructions

[Tristonwilson12]

When unwrapping UVs for a mesh, it helps to (mentally) decompose or "split up" the mesh into simpler shapes, which will help you lay out your UV maps later. In your case, your command pod is a composite of a truncated cone and a flat cylinder (we'll disregard the square doohickey on the side for now).

Now imagine both shapes were paper models:

- The cylinder would need a flat circle for the base and a long skinny rectangle that wraps around to form the cylinder wall

- The truncated cone would need a flat circle for the top and a fan-like shape for the curved side

To make to UV map from such a complicated shape, we'll need to split the mesh up (not physically, but from a UV perspective), which I'll walk you through.

1) In Edit Mode, go into Edge Select Mode

2) Shift-select the following edges

- the ones making up the bottom ring (base of the cylinder)

- the ones making up the middle ring (base of the cone)

- the ones making up the top ring (top of the cone)

3) Press Ctrl-E to mark these rings as Seams\

Save your work and post your screenshots to get the next set of instructions

[sumghai]

Looks okay so far.

I've noticed that the faces of the circles are ngons - to ensure that they export properly to Unity later on, cylinder caps should usually be circular fans. Luckily, there's a way to fix this:

1) Select the face of the top circle

2) Press Delete, then select Only faces

3) Select the edges that make up the (now missing) top circle

4) Press E (to extrude), and then (without moving your mouse) Press Esc

5) Press Alt-M (to merge) and then A (At Center)

What you're basically doing here is to replace the ngon circle with a circular fan circle, by deleting the ngon face, making a zero-distance extrusion of the circle's edges, and then merging the extruded vertices to form the tris in the circular fan

6) Repeat (1) to (5) for the bottom of the command pod

Assuming you have completed this fix, you need to now mark a couple of seams down one side of the cone and cylinder, so that they will unwrap properly later on:

7) Select one of the vertical edges of the lower cylinder

8) Shift-select the vertical edge on the side of the cone, directly above the vertical edge you selected previously

9) Mark those as seams

Save your work and post your screenshots to get the next set of instructions

[Tristonwilson12]

Looks okay so far.

I've noticed that the faces of the circles are ngons - to ensure that they export properly to Unity later on, cylinder caps should usually be circular fans. Luckily, there's a way to fix this:

1) Select the face of the top circle

2) Press Delete, then select Only faces

3) Select the edges that make up the (now missing) top circle

4) Press E (to extrude), and then (without moving your mouse) Press Esc

5) Press Alt-M (to merge) and then A (At Center)

What you're basically doing here is to replace the ngon circle with a circular fan circle, by deleting the ngon face, making a zero-distance extrusion of the circle's edges, and then merging the extruded vertices to form the tris in the circular fan

6) Repeat (1) to (5) for the bottom of the command pod

Assuming you have completed this fix, you need to now mark a couple of seams down one side of the cone and cylinder, so that they will unwrap properly later on:

7) Select one of the vertical edges of the lower cylinder

8) Shift-select the vertical edge on the side of the cone, directly above the vertical edge you selected previously

9) Mark those as seams

Save your work and post your screenshots to get the next set of instructions

[sumghai]

We need to make sure that we don't get extra vertices/edges/faces hanging around, as that would adversely affect the unwrapping process (and subsequent attempts at tweaking the UV maps):

1) Select everything

2) Go to Mesh > Vertices > Remove Doubles

You shouldn't see anything different in your model, but any duplicate vertices should be removed. Also, make sure all the red-marked seams are in the right places.

Next, we need to make sure all the faces are facing the right way:

3) Press Ctrl-N (recalculate normals outside)

Now here comes the fun part...

4) Open up a UV/Image Editor window, and make sure the UV area is a square

(For KSP, it's usually easier to work with square texture atlases)

5) With everything still selected, press U > Unwrap

Save your work and post your screenshots to get the next set of instructions

[Tristonwilson12]

We need to make sure that we don't get extra vertices/edges/faces hanging around, as that would adversely affect the unwrapping process (and subsequent attempts at tweaking the UV maps):

1) Select everything

2) Go to Mesh > Vertices > Remove Doubles

You shouldn't see anything different in your model, but any duplicate vertices should be removed. Also, make sure all the red-marked seams are in the right places.

Next, we need to make sure all the faces are facing the right way:

3) Press Ctrl-N (recalculate normals outside)

Now here comes the fun part...

4) Open up a UV/Image Editor window, and make sure the UV area is a square

(For KSP, it's usually easier to work with square texture atlases)

5) With everything still selected, press U > Unwrap

Save your work and post your screenshots to get the next set of instructions

[sumghai]

Okay, something doesn't look right.

- Many of the red seams on your model are missing

- There are two thin rings (top left and bottom right) that haven't been accounted for.

In the UV/Image editor, select the faces making up the two skinny rings, and show me what they correspond to on the model.

[Tristonwilson12]

Okay, something doesn't look right.

- Many of the red seams on your model are missing

- There are two thin rings (top left and bottom right) that haven't been accounted for.

In the UV/Image editor, select the faces making up the two skinny rings, and show me what they correspond to on the model.

i got the red seams back

[sumghai]

Okay, red seam are back and are looking good, but I'm still not sure what those mysterious two rings in the UV are for.

Could you please select the two skinny rings in the UV view, so that I can see what they correspond to on the model?

[Tristonwilson12]

Okay, red seam are back and are looking good, but I'm still not sure what those mysterious two rings in the UV are for.

Could you please select the two skinny rings in the UV view, so that I can see what they correspond to on the model?

i fixed it

[sumghai]

By fixed it, did you mean you removed them?

Just checking.