SteamRoller

14 votes
Version: 
v1.72
Date Updated: 
10/05/2018

Steamroller unwraps every objects in a selection using Max's built-in flatten function based on the specified parameters. Steamroller is mainly intended as a quick and dirty method of quickly unwrapping lightmap UVs on large sets of objects, similar to the automatic unwrap in Render to Texture.

To install, run the macroscript (.mcr) or drag the file into the viewport, then go to Customize > Customize User Interface. On the toolbars tab, select "# SmallpolyScripts" from the category and drag Steamroller onto a toolbar to create a button. 

Rollout Screenshot

Upcoming features:
- Ability to repack UVs using the Non-Convex packing method
- UV channel swapping
- Updating real world scale after editing geometry

Additional Info: 

/*
Author: Michael Vladimir Nicolayeff (SmallPoly)
Email: SmallPolyArtist @ gmail.com
Social Media: http://tiny.cc/SmallPoly_SocialMedia

Change Log:
v1.72 - 2018.10.05
- Reflatten overlaps is now off by default.
v1.71 - 2018.09.18
- Added installation instructions back onto Scriptspot page.
- Added an installation instruction popup to the script that runs when the .MCR is first ran/dragged onto the viewport.
v1.7 - 2018.06.18
- Reflatten Overlaps option is now implemented. When active, this option detects overlapped faces, unwraps with an angle of 0.001, and repacks using the parameters supplied for the unwrap.
- Minor text fixes
v1.6 - 2018.06.15
- Settings are now saved when closing and loaded when opening for the duration of the Max session.
- Beta UV Tools now pops up to the right of SteamRoller instead of directly on top.
- Fixed a bug that was preventing unwrap when the face selection was being carried over
- Switched UV tools to a check button to allow obvious toggling
- UV tools now closes with steamroller
- UV tools now moves with steamroller (currently, as a fixed position)
- Added UV channel suffixes to allow unwrapping to multiple channels.
v1.5 - 2018.05.11
- Chaning spacing default to 0.001 to match Max defaults
- Adding Normalize clusters, rotate clusters, and fill holes. Thanks to Teriander for the suggestion.
- Added tools to quickly view the first several UV channels, among other things
v1.3 - 2018.02.19
- Hunting down a bug that is causing unwraps to fail when "by selection" is disabled.
v1.3 - 2018.02.07
- Bugfix for a case where some of the geometry wouldn't be unwrapped.
v1.2 - 2018.02.06
- Fixed the instance problem by using a custom unwrapper name and checking for it.
- The applied modifier is now called "SteamRoller_UVW"
- The modifier has also opened up an easy way to clear the unwrappers and check for them before flattening.
v1.1 - 2018.02.02 - Working on instance fix. Making script category consistent. May be doing some fixes soon.
v1.0 - 2014.06.27 - Initial Version

Unsolved Issues:
- Render UVWs has some really weird quirks. Something also keeps it from closing.
*/

Version Requirement: 
3ds Max 2017+
AttachmentSize
sp_steamroller_v1.7.jpg175.34 KB
sp_steamroller_v1.72.mcr18.85 KB

Comments

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Smallpoly's picture

Version 1.7 Released

UVW Unwrap's overlap bug has been continuing to mess with my day job lately, so the reflatten fix is in now. :)

This is a very quick and dirty approach, so I recommend leaving this on for your initial unwraps but cleaning it up manually as needed.

Smallpoly's picture

Version 1.6

Hey! A new version is out that does the following:

v1.6 - 2018.06.15
- Settings are now saved when closing and loaded when opening for the duration of the Max session.
- Beta UV Tools now pops up to the right of SteamRoller instead of directly on top.
- Fixed a bug that was preventing unwrap when the face selection was being carried over
- Switched UV tools to a check button to allow obvious toggling
- UV tools now closes with steamroller
- UV tools now moves with steamroller (currently, as a fixed position)
- Added UV channel suffixes to allow unwrapping to multiple channels.

Teriander's picture

Thank you!

Thanks buddy! Much appreciated!

Smallpoly's picture

Changes are in

Hey, letting you know that I've added the Rotate Clusters option in, as well as normalize and fill holes.

Teriander's picture

Any luck with adding the

Any luck with adding the "Rotate Clusters"? I know you're working on bug fixes. Just curious if there is an eta on this feature!

Thanks buddy!

Smallpoly's picture

That's a possibility. I'll

That's a possibility. I'll add that to the list. I found a bug I want to track down the source of first.

Teriander's picture

Rotate Clusters

For your next build, is it possible to add an option to disable/enable "Rotate Clusters"? The same option that is inside the Flatten Mapping panel.

Thanks!

Smallpoly's picture

Version 1.4:

Fixed a problem where models would receive an unwrap modifier but not actually unwrap when "Use Selected" was disabled. Thanks to GTARandom / Woggy Design for bringing it to my attention!

Smallpoly's picture

Recent updates

Hey, thought I'd let you know I recently updated steamroller with some bugfixes. Sorry for taking so long to get back to you. If you're up for checking out the new version, please let me know if you run into any trouble.

Smallpoly's picture

I'll look into it

Hi Filip,

I'd like to get some more information.

So you're saying that it's not looping through all models in the scene even when "use selection" is unchecked, or when everything is selected manually? I'll look into that asap. Can you give me some more details on what's going on, especially a sample file? What kind of object is getting skipped?

The only time it should skip models is if it's specially named modifier is already on a model *and* the "Replace Existing" feature is disabled.

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