UV map

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A UV map is a part of an object's geometry. It defines which areas (using UV coordinates) of a 2D pixelmap should be rendered on which polygonal surfaces (using XYZ coordinates) of a particular 3D mesh. A UV map does not contain any pixel data (eg color, etc). It is only a matrix relating 2D to 3D coordinates.

Materials apply the pixel data of each VTF (base map, normal map, specular mask) to same UV area of the model. Therefor the model's material can easily be changed without having to create additional UV maps.

Note.pngNote:Models tend to have a more complex mesh than brushes, which makes UV mapping much more fiddly. Model VTFs therefore tend to be created specially to map easily and efficiently onto one specific model only. Models may use multiple (alternative) skins, so long as the layout of each VTF corresponds to the model's UV map.


UV Mapping, or Texture Mapping, is the process of aligning Polygons to Pixels.

Blank image.pngTodo: confirm: this only works for VMTs applied to Brushes, not to Models?
    • U (horizontal) and V (vertical) coordinates are calibrated from 0 to 1, so "0.5 0.5" is always the center of the VTF.
    • UV coordinates : "center" and/or "translate" "<0.0 - 1.0 U> <0.0 - 1.0 V>"
    • UV angles : "rotate" "<0 - 360>"
    • UV scale : "scale" "<float U> <float V>"


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