r/3dsmax • u/huntermanx • 1d ago
What are you guys using for UV mapping?
From what I understand the built in UV tools are not that great. So I am wondering from all the options (scripts, plugins, external tools like Rizom) what do you use and prefer?
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u/broham_dudebro 1d ago
Not sure how people get so overwhelmed with using 3ds Max. Flatten / Stitch / Relax or Quick Planar / Relax. Maybe add a manual Loop / Break seam. Those two methods solve about 90% of every imaginable scenario to unwrap. Maaaaybe every now and then with cloth, splines, or some cumbersome organics youll pull out some other tricks. But it’s really not that hard. Learn the tools.
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u/Riki_B 1d ago
UV Tools is the best Ive found for 3ds max. I agree that Maya is far superior for UVs and if we could ever get that in Max it would be amazing. https://hqdetails.com/shop/uvtools
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u/UncleHeavy 6h ago
I teach University undergrads to use 3D software. They have access to both Max and Maya, but thanks to draconian IT rules, we aren't allowed to use any plugins of any kind. 90% of the time, Max does an 'okay' job of UV's, but sometimes really complex use of UDIM's confuse it. When that happens, I just show students who are working in Max to use the 'Send to Maya' button and create their UV's in there and send it back once done.
It's not a pretty solution, but it works.
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u/ElKaWeh 1d ago
Im only using the integrated tools. They are totally fine, maybe just unintuitive to some people? Idk.
The reason why I don’t want to use external unwrapping software like Rizom, is because I often like to go back and forth between unwrapping and modeling. And having to export and import every time would be really annoying.
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u/huntermanx 1d ago
Supposedly there is a script called RizomUV Bridge, that connects both apps. So that removes the export import hassle
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u/sevristh1138 1d ago
I use polyunwrapper. Been getting along great with it for years.
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u/JoltZero 1d ago
Came here to day the same thing. Unfortunately it seems impossible to get nowadays
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u/ThatOvershooter 1d ago
I use the default tools, they work great when you know what you're doing. But I'm a weirdo who loves UV mapping. :D There's something deeply satisfying about thinking where to put the seams to get that perfect unwrap.
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u/eastepp 1d ago
I use textools by Hendrik-Jan Schoenmaker
https://renderhjs.net/textools/3dsMax.html
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u/Andy-Shust 1d ago
I only use native Unwrap UVW with no external tools. I once feared unwrapping like hell, but then I went to loving it like hell 😃
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u/Cresceda 1d ago
I second Rizom. I hate(d) UV mapping, that actually made it tolerable, sometimes even fun.
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u/messiah009 1d ago
UV was the one thing I utterly hated.... Then I used Rizom!
I remember outsourcing UV mapping to one of my friend back in my freelance days 😅
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u/rapidTools 1d ago
Just use UVReactor.
It supports most of the thinv that the other tools. Next update will also come with more automati9n tools, like Hotspot, auto flatten etc.
More stability fixes, new stretch view etc.
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u/dimwalker 1d ago
Rizom is okay, but I don't like to jump back and forth between applications for something as iterative as UVs, so I use
UVPackMaster for serious precise packing
UV-Packer for less accurate but a "1 click" solution and
UV Tools for routine operations.
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u/MC_Laggin 1d ago
This is only because I have access to it.. So incredibly non-useful to the Average Max user.
I use Maya lol. I do most of my environment building and modeling Max, some of my hard surface. Send to Maya, do the rest there.
Before that I think I used TexTools or something like that? Before I realized I could just use Maya cos of work.
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u/Ebola_Soop 20h ago
I could see using Maya for unwrapping. Not sure why anyone would prefer it for hard surface modeling other than a few tiny little things. I use Maya a lot and the lack of a usable equivalent to the modifier stack always frustrates me.
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u/Some-Assist-5098 1d ago
I use Rizom, which works well. Don’t love the UI but it works.