Totally awesome straight UVMAP?

[PuffyAmi]

I really, really hope someone here could answer that: how on earth EA makes the UVmap of the mesh very straight? All the EA Uvmaps I've seen have it. Also some CC creators like Newsea's hair meshes have their mesh uvmap all lined straight. Those lines are totally not handmade but some automatic tools must have been used. I don't think Milkshape has anything like that but is there maybe a plugin or then some special uvmap program that can do it?
Or if anyone is 3Dsmax user maybe it has something like that, though I haven't encountered anything like that.

I'll appreciate even any hint or idea how it's done. Thanks!

[BloomsBase]

meshparts are usually mapped straight.
Take a look at a sphere/box/ cube or watever shape, all are mapped straight :)

[whiterider]

The trick is to plan your mesh before you make it. Decide what shapes you're going to use - sphere here, plane there, etc - then make all the shapes and map them before you begin. Once you've mapped them all straight, you can reshape them however you like, and all you'll need to do to the UVMap is correct for stretching (in theory).

Of course this can't be done sensibly for bodymeshes, but for hairs, accessories, shoes, etc.; it's certainly the most efficient way. :) It also helps avoid poly wasting, starting from scratch, distortion etc, since you tend to think of more potential complications during the planning stage, and don't get faced with the "spend hours fixing this stupid thing or make a bad mesh" dilemma.

Of course, in EA's case it also helps that they use meshing tools which cost thousands of US dollars. But we're ignoring that, 'cause frack, I'd rather do it by hand.

[PuffyAmi]

OH, so EA has even meshing tools... bummer. Alright. Thanks guys for these great advices maybe I succeed making better Uvmap from now on :)

[HystericalParoxysm]

What really matters is that the uv map uses the area available efficiently (i.e. repeating textures where possible, no big blank spaces) and that it is not distorted - you can check this by applying a grid or checkerboard pattern to it and making sure the squares are all the same size and properly square. Straight may look neat and tidy, but I'd take a really great map for that particular item over straight any day! :)

[PuffyAmi]

Yeah that's really true. All the time I've made UVmaps for meshes I always made sure there is no distortion, so the UVmap will make the checkers look square so the texture will look great and not stretched while the UVmap itself kinda of looks lame. In the end I bet the beautiful texture matters more than how the uvmap looks. But I noticed that when the clothing Uvmap of EA's meshes are perfectly straight it's easier to paint the clothing folds, wrinkles for example on seam area. And EA still manages to make pretty good non distorted Uvmap and so tidy looking.