3D Materials

For design work this week we focused on improving texturing and the appearance of objects when they are imported from 3DS Max into Unity. Setting a block of colour to an object gives it a very unrealistic appearance so effects can be used to make them look much nicer. In real life, objects like walls are slightly bumpy and never completely smooth, therefore adding a single sheet of colour will make it look strange. This can be helped by adding a layer of noise, which will create a form of static and make the wall look slightly bumpy, giving it an overall more realistic feel.

To practice to texturing we did last week, we were tasked with creating a cube and adding a different texture to each side. The six different textures were: brick, gravel, window, carpet, clean wall and dirty wall.

Carpet, clean wall and dirty wall

Gravel, brick and window

We then went into Unity and learnt about editing materials to change their appearance and tailor them to specific objects. The two settings we focused on were metallic and smoothness. The metallic setting determines how light is reflected off the object; the higher the setting, the more reflective the object is and the less colour is visible. Smoothness increases the objects micro surface detail and makes things look more or less glossy. For example, a wooden or stone object will have very little, if any, of either of these settings. Whilst a plastic or metal object will have larger values of each.

Stone(left), plastic(centre) and metal(right) materials

The final thing we were taught was that when an object from 3DS Max is imported into Unity, it's textures can be edited to change the materials appearance. This is very useful when you import an object and want to make the separate components look like different materials. To practice this I created a table in 3DS Max and imported it, then changed the settings to make the legs look metallic and the actual table top look like varnished wood with a plastic edging.

Render in 3DS Max

Changed materials in Unity

UVW Mapping and Texturing

Practically every game contains objects and those objects need to have a texture. Applying a texture is a multi step process starting from the creation of the primitive object. Before we could create anything ourselves we were tasked with unwrapping a few objects that had been created to awkward scales and angles. Applying a checkered material to the object allows you to get a feel for how the texture will apply to the object and gives you a chance to change things round. Each polygon must be using the same scale as all others, else when the texture is applied it will become distorted and look wrong. Objects like cubes and cylinders are simple to unwrap and re-size, however objects like cones are a little trickier to sort out.

Re-sized objects from challenge

Once I had finished with the practice challenges, I was tasked with creating a few objects myself, then unwrapping and texturing them. The objects were: Coke can, dice, wine bottle and a crate. I started with the can as it seemed more interesting than the dice or crate but not as complex as the wine bottle. I started by making a cylinder and to make it seem more realistic I inset the top face and extruded it slightly, then chamfered the edges to round them off. When I was pleased with the shape I added the UVW Unwrap modifier and opened up the UV Editor to see how the object would look when unwrapped. Initially the mapping was confusing and messy so I used the unfold tool to make everything neater and easier to understand. The UVW template was then rendered and saved.

UVW template rendered and ready for texture to be added

The template was then imported into Photoshop so I could place the textures on it. The template works as a placement guide, allowing me to see where colours and pictures will appear on my objects once imported back into 3DS Max. I found a Coke can label and fitted it over the unfolded cylinder section of the UV, then proceeded to find a metallic texture which went over the can ends. For a little detail I looked up ring pulls and added it to the top face of the can.

Finished textures placed onto UVW template

When I was happy with the placement of each texture, I saved the image and placed it onto the object back in 3DS Max. The UVW was mapped back onto my can putting everything exactly where it was set in Photoshop. The result was a nicely textured can that can be used as a prop in game scenes.

Can with texture applied and finished

With the can complete, I set to work doing the same for the other 3 objects. The crate and dice were simple cubes so unwrapping them and adding the textures was no trouble.

Completed dice

Completed crate

The wine bottle was slightly more difficult to do and came out looking a little strange at first. To begin with I feel like I made the bottle slightly plump at the base rather than thin like it should really be. I do like the shape though and it could be used in a game for an alcohol bottle of many sorts. Secondly, I forgot the cork at the neck of the bottle, which I feel makes it more realistic, and the textures I applied didn't look very good. Therefore after I made the initial version, I copied it to try again. My second attempt looks far better and overall more realistic.

Improved wine bottle (left) and initial version (right)

Once each object was textured and I was satisfied, I set them up together and rendered the scene in it's entirety. I'm very pleased with the look and feel of each object, but it's definitely something I'll need to practice and work on if I hope to produce more detailed and higher quality objects/textures in the future. Unwrapping and texturing objects like this and even more complicated ones is quite daunting for me but it's a skill that will come in very useful so I'll spend some spare time practicing it and seeing what I can create for any games I produce.

Completed scene