Loop map just part of a larger texture

[[aps]gnat 28]

OFP and some ArmA Addons - a habit was to loop or repeat map a single small texture across a large area.

Question: Can I loop or repeat (or maybe its called TILE mapping) map a small area of a larger texture onto a model?

i.e. I just want a small area of a larger merged texture mapped across a large area of a model.

Relative to ArmA and OFP addons being converted to ArmAII. To reduce the number of textures and the number of sections you need to merge the 10's of smaller textures. But if many of those textures are "looping" textures, it doesn't seem possible to merge them and use them again.

[namman2 0]

no i guess becuase to Tile map a face you must make the uvmap bigger than the textures

[norsu 180]

*Edit* Useless information removed. *Edit*

Bah, I should have read the OP more carefully :p.

Anyway, you could probably sacrifice some sections for repeating textures. I'm guessing your model is quite large and won't be used very often so it shouldn't be a problem. Another way is of course detail texturing but that will also increase section count if you want to use many different detail textures.

Edited April 13, 2010 by Norsu

[DaSquade 0]

Not possible i think unless you remain 'the loop/tile' direction. But i guess since you mention it is a small texture piece and i guess the tile/loop directions go in all direction. I suppose you know what i mean by that (right?).

Anyway, i don't think you can in some way isolate a texture piece for tiling.

*The pain of big game models: optimize vs quality.

Imho, i would go for individual textures and maybe a full individual texture that allows no tiling at all. Find it very hard to make a decent tile that should it is repeating over and over (once you add grim and wear the pattern springs in sight over distance).

[[aps]gnat 28]

Yeh, I suspected it was a no-go.

@Norsu

Yep, large models are the worst! Like a 130 meter long ship hull !

@DaSquade

Yep, in some cases its worth making a new larger texture if the tile doesn't repeat too many times (2-3 times max).

But where a tile may repeat 6+ times in multiple directions ..... aarrggh!

Thanks guys.

[max power 21]

You can do it but it takes polygons and a certain amount of precision.

You take whatever portion of the mesh you want to tile and make sure it's tileable. You divide your mesh into polygons of appropriate size for tiling. You planar map (or whatever) that portion of the mesh, then take the tiling portions and either overlap them over the same UV space, or increment each 'tile' +1 in either the U or V direction. For the purposes of rendering maps and such you can probably get away with putting one in the 0-1,0-1 UV quadrant and the rest overlapped in the 1-2,0-1 quadrant.

[mikebart 1]

Gnat, this is totally doable using the multi material, you need to have a second UV channel for the mask and you can do it with up to 4 textures, have a look at the A2 building .rvmats and texture maps, i cant see why it couldnt work with a vehicle too.