Is it possible to join multiple objects that are already mapped and keep the UV maps separated ?

[Alexandra Barcelos]

Is it possible to join multiple objects that are already mapped and keep the UV maps separated ?

Per example i made a collar but i want to join the 4 parts togeter , the thing is that when i do so the mesh becomes 1 uv map only wich i dont want , and i tried making a new uv map for the merged mesh but its impossible or my patience doesnt allow me to do so . 

 

So is there a way to merge them and keep all maps ?

P.s. Using Blender

[Drake1 Nightfire]

you can upload them and then link them in SL.. it would be 4 prims, but separate maps.

[Alexandra Barcelos]

Yes i know but the reason i want to do so is because my rings on the collar wont go as small as i need them to be so for it to work i need them to be joined

[Gaia Clary]

Blender supports multiple UV Layout layers for each object. However that can not be used with Second Life. But probably what you want to do is to separate parts of your Object into different UV Textures. Here is a tutorial which explains how you can do that:

http://blog.machinimatrix.org/from-uv-map-to-multiple-textures/

 

[Rhys Goode]

You can assign the different parts to different materials, and then, when you join the meshes together, the separate materials can still use the original UV maps, just apply them to the individual "faces".

Or, you can use the materials to help you untangle and re-arrange the UV maps of the individual parts to fit neatly on a single texture. 

 

[Drongle McMahon]

It might help to remember that a "UV map" is nothing more than the association of each of the 3D vertices of triangles in the mesh surface with points in a 2D texture plane. This tells the graphics harware to take that triangle from the texture an stretch it over the associated triangle of the 3D mesh.

If two parts of the mesh belong to different faces in SL (different materials in the 3D package), to which different textures are applied, then the relationship between the triangles composing those parts, in the independent 2D texture planes, has no effect, because they refer to different textures.

On the other hand, if they are the same face (material), then overlapping triangles will receive overlapping parts of the texture. That requires either careful design of the UV maps and textures (stacking) or keeping the triangles non-overlapping.

So, as long as you are going to apply different textures to each of the combined parts, which will be different faces in SL, all you have to do is make sure they use different materials in the model. Then there will be no conflict between their UV maps, whether they appear to overlap or not.

 

[Alexandra Barcelos]

Thank you guys , i will give the asign different materials a try and come back with results 

[Alexandra Barcelos]

It worked tysm guys )