3d teeth and UVW

[MadReizka]

Hi folks. Ok I'm continuing with my 3d head model (http://www.distantshitfilms.net/personal/3d/head_wip_2.jpg)
and starting to make the teeth. And since I have no idea how to make it happen I need some help with it.
Should I first, model the teeth, map them, and then attach to the head mesh, or model them, attach and then map with the head?
Only problem is that with my UVW skills I dont know how to get other texture than the skin, applied to the teeth, if they are in the same mesh when mapping.
Is there some plugin that could make the 3d max's unwrapper bit more like a UnrealEd's texture apply system? Or something.
Tips and tutorials would be nice.

[Mozesh]

This is how it works with max payne 2 models:


I use the same technique, just add the teeth texture somewhere in your texture. So everything is in one image.
Let's say your skin texture is 256*256 and your teeth texture 128*128, then just create an image of say 512*512 place both images in there and remap so you can place everything in one image file. Like this:


Size is not close to 256 and 128... bear with me

I know I sound vague, but it works. Also the only way (known to me) how you can play around with the textures, like bumpmapping while still able to animate, when your model and animation get imported from Milkshape to 3DS Max.

[CaptainBinky]

It's easiest if you map the teeth as a seperate object, then attach this mesh to your head mesh (UV's will be preserved when you attach). Make sure your teeth has a seperate material ID (texture can be the same if you want to do it like in Mozesh's example, or you can use a seperate texture - up to you), so for example face=ID1 teeth=ID2. This'll make the UVs much easier to work with.

For a game model, you'd typically have the teeth textures on the face texture (as in Mozesh's example) since you don't really need much resolution for them. For rendering, it'd be best to use a seperate texture so that you can easily up-res or downres the texture as needed without having to play around with your UV's.

Using different material IDs means that you can easily hide all other UVW IDs when you're editing the UV Co-ordinates, and also you can have seperate material properties.

Cheers,

Cap'n Binky

[MadReizka]

Damn, this means that the teeth and head models should be quite finished when Im going to attach them. Because seems that if I modify them later (after attached), the uvws could get screwed and teeth lost its whiteness.
But anywho, thanks for your advice guys.

[CaptainBinky]

No no! You can continue to work on the teeth and head after attaching them together it's just easier to map the UVs on the teeth while they're seperate.

Especially if you've used seperate Material IDs, you can easily hide polygons of the head while you edit the teeth and vice versa.

So I wouldn't worry about when you attach. I generally attach and detach things quite a lot when I'm modelling. It won't spoon up your UVs.

Cap'n Binky