Forget one-size-fits-all textures.
UDIMs let you break it down, assigning specific tiles to different parts of your 3D model
for maximum detail. Paint your heart out, and Voilà!
Unleash your texturing wizardry!
What are UDIMs?
UDIM stands for U-Dimensional Images, and it is a standardized way of organizing and managing texture maps in computer graphics. UDIMs are commonly used in 3D modeling and texturing for creating high-resolution textures for 3D models.
In traditional 3D workflows, a single texture map is used for an entire 3D model.
However, this can become limiting when dealing with high-resolution models or surfaces that require a lot of detail. UDIMs address this limitation by allowing artists to use multiple texture tiles, each representing a portion of the model's surface.
The UDIM system assigns a unique identifier to each tile, typically in the form of a numeric extension (e.g., filename_1001, filename_1002, etc.). Each tile can then contain a separate texture map, providing the ability to work with higher resolutions and more detailed textures.
Creating UDIMs in RizomUV
In RizomUV, crafting your UDIM Layout is done within the UV-Tile menu.
Simply generate as many tiles as necessary to suit your model's requirements.
It's maximum 10 vertical tiles and theoretically limitless horizontal tiles.
To achieve specific UV island arrangements within a single tile, you can organize them into island groups. The packing algorithm then strategically places these distinct groups onto the respective tiles.
UDIMs for painting in 3D-Coat
Ensure that you load your model with UVs and import tiles as UV sets into the
3D-Coat paint room.
Later on, you can fine-tune the texture resolution for each specific UV tile according to your preferences in the textures menu.
When you have finished texturing, you can save the textures through the
Export Objects & Textures menu.
3D-Coat will then generate the respective textures for each set you have selected.
Configuring a UDIM material in Cinema 4D for use with Corona Renderer
In Cinema 4D, create a new corona renderer material for your object with UDIM Layout.
Apply the new material to your object.
Now create a Corona Renderer bitmap shader for the desired texture channels.
In the bitmap shader, choose UV-Tiling mode: UDIM
Make sure that the correct number of U and V tiles is set.
In our case (see UDIM layout above in RizomUV) there are 4 U tiles and 1 V tile.
It is important that the pattern for the name of your texture file is correct, you can choose this yourself, but must include the number for the specific UV tile.
My recommendation:
Name of the object_UDIM-NUMBER_name of the texture and file extension
character_1001_albedo.jpg
character_1002_albedo.jpg
...
The appropriate file pattern to insert into the field is: character_<udim>_albedo.jpg
The <udim> is searching for the number.
Configuring a UDIM material in Cinema 4D for use with Redshift Renderer
In Cinema 4D, create a new redshift renderer material for your object with UDIM layout.
Apply the new material to your object.
Now create a texture node and plug it to the desired texture channel.
It is important that the pattern for the name of your texture file is correct, you can choose this yourself, but must include the number for the specific UV tile.
My recommendation:
Name of the object_UDIM-NUMBER_name of the texture and file extension
character_1001_albedo.jpg
character_1002_albedo.jpg
...
The appropriate file pattern to insert into the path field is: character_<udim>_albedo.jpg
The <udim> is searching for the number.
Configuring UDIM in Unreal Engine
First, you activate "virtual textures" in the project settings:
Basically, you just load the first texture from your texture folder into the project, and if everything is named correctly, the others are added automatically.
Naming: BaseName.####.[Support Image Format]
The problem, however, is that not all textures are present in your project, as it accesses the folder path.
To get around this problem, select all textures of a certain type (e.g., Albedo) from 1001 to the end and import them into the project. This creates a texture that contains all UDIM maps.
Simply drag and drop the texture into your master material and a texture sampler is automatically created with the correct settings.
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