[Maya 8.5] Need help with Spherical mapping

Natace · 11-29-2008, 06:49 PM

As the title says, i'm basically stumped with trying to do spherical mapping, it always ends up looking more like a mess when I do the initial projection, then I use the T on the manipulator to make it at least look semi normal, however when I do that, the UV ends up looking more like a planar projection than something like a pelt map

So instead of posting dozens of images of what's going on with me, it'd be easier for the time being if people posted what they do to project a sphere UV map.

I'm trying to create an apple, which will be seen from a close up perspective, since it will be used in a game, and the player will actually be animated to eat the apple in the first person, just as with any other food in the game when the player eats it.
So it is important that I make it so that there are no noticable flaws such as seams and so on as the apple will be very close to the players view at points in the animation.

I tried to follow a tutorial for Blender, but it was pretty much useless, however it was the only tutorial I could find in regards to what i'm trying to achieve.
The tutorial was basically one of those 1-2-miss-a-few tutorials that really only just shows the stages of development rather than running people through each step, so it didn't show things like what the UV map should look like or any of that.

So anyway, what do you more experienced maya users do when unwrapping a UV map for a sphere?

wolfsage · 12-01-2008, 09:10 AM

I tend to avoid using Spheres at all, as it's very easy to get a "Cat's arse hole" effect at the poles.

The only time I've used them is for eyeballs and then I create a Planner projection over the poles so you end up with two circular UV meshes, then spread out the outer rows of UV's till you get an even coverage, a checkered texture comes in handy here. I find it's a lot easier to paint out seams on the flat edged circumference of the sphere rather than mucking around with spherical UV projections.

Natace · 12-02-2008, 06:14 AM

Thankyou for your response, I've been thinking about doing it, however I guess I went into one of those blank spaces in thought and didn't think "well hey, why not a planar map with a seem in the middle of the sphere and just make the texture seemless..."

Thanks for snapping me out of that blank space

Now I guess i've just gotta figure out how to make a sphere texture seemless.

11-29-2008, 06:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
Natace Senior Artist 162 - 11	[Maya 8.5] Need help with Spherical mapping As the title says, i'm basically stumped with trying to do spherical mapping, it always ends up looking more like a mess when I do the initial projection, then I use the T on the manipulator to make it at least look semi normal, however when I do that, the UV ends up looking more like a planar projection than something like a pelt map So instead of posting dozens of images of what's going on with me, it'd be easier for the time being if people posted what they do to project a sphere UV map. I'm trying to create an apple, which will be seen from a close up perspective, since it will be used in a game, and the player will actually be animated to eat the apple in the first person, just as with any other food in the game when the player eats it. So it is important that I make it so that there are no noticable flaws such as seams and so on as the apple will be very close to the players view at points in the animation. I tried to follow a tutorial for Blender, but it was pretty much useless, however it was the only tutorial I could find in regards to what i'm trying to achieve. The tutorial was basically one of those 1-2-miss-a-few tutorials that really only just shows the stages of development rather than running people through each step, so it didn't show things like what the UV map should look like or any of that. So anyway, what do you more experienced maya users do when unwrapping a UV map for a sphere?

12-01-2008, 09:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
wolfsage Senior Artist 121 - 14	I tend to avoid using Spheres at all, as it's very easy to get a "Cat's arse hole" effect at the poles. The only time I've used them is for eyeballs and then I create a Planner projection over the poles so you end up with two circular UV meshes, then spread out the outer rows of UV's till you get an even coverage, a checkered texture comes in handy here. I find it's a lot easier to paint out seams on the flat edged circumference of the sphere rather than mucking around with spherical UV projections. __________________ www.wolfsage.co.uk

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12-02-2008, 06:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
Natace Senior Artist 162 - 11	Thankyou for your response, I've been thinking about doing it, however I guess I went into one of those blank spaces in thought and didn't think "well hey, why not a planar map with a seem in the middle of the sphere and just make the texture seemless..." Thanks for snapping me out of that blank space Now I guess i've just gotta figure out how to make a sphere texture seemless.