Hello I am losing my mind over this. I have recently started to work on tracks in 3ds max 2010 I build my track mesh in BTB and then load it into 3dsimed. From 3dsimed I export it to .3ds and then import it into 3ds max. I then quadrify the mesh and got it looking like this http://postimg.org/image/wwt9hdkyz/ Then I'm trying to texture the track but can't seem to get it correct. I setup the realroad they way it is suggested in the realroad pdf from ISI but when I drop the texture on the track it's either sideways, or blury. I have also tried to follow freew69 tutorials and spline map the track but again it looks like crap. I'm at a loss. Could someone post instructions from start to finish on how to setup the textures and how to get them on the track looking proper? Thanks in advance.
Are you using tiling in the gTex panel in the material editor? If you are, then you should not do that, and instead apply a UVW Xform for whatever channel you're trying to map.
Do you map every texture trackmain, norm,spec,racegroove,marbles, etc to a spline collapse and then uvw xform and adjust? do I need to create a spline for every texture or can I use the center for everything and the fast line for the racegroove? After I'm done mapping do I delete the spline? I'm really a noob with 3ds max just starting to navigate around it. Another question I have what about the pit lane do I have a open spline and map it the same way?
You only need 3 UV Mapping Channels. One for TrackMain (and Norm, if you set it so), another for Spec/Multi (and Norm, if you set it so), and a 3rd for the RaceGroove. TrackMain (Channel 1) usually gets spline mapped to your center line. Channel 2 is up to you, but I 'think' people usually just do a planar projection over all of the asphalt (all asphalt/tarmac meshes, including runoffs, pitlane, etc.), the scale this using the UVWXform, Channel 3 usually gets spline mapped to the racing line. Then/first you need to go into each texture stage, and make sure that each texture is using the appropriate mapping channel (I think this is mostly for viewing in Max...with the exception of the Normal map--which you choose whether to map it to the Main texture (Channel 1), or the Spec/Multi mapping (Channel 2)
Ok I finally got the track looking great! Thank You. The other question is what do I do with the splines when I'm done. Do I hide them or do I delete them?
It's up to you. Personally, I like to keep things around in case I need them (I hate re-doing work); I'll put them on another layer and hide them. Other people like a clean file, and would delete them.
