View source for Texture atlas

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When many separate textures are packed together into a single texture, this is called a ''texture atlas''. Other common names for this are decal sheet, packed texture.

== Atlas Methods ==
There are two common atlas methods, one divides a single bitmap into multiple sub-maps (usually called Atlas), another packs different grayscale maps into each color channel (sometimes called [[ChannelPacking|channel packing]]). The two methods can be used together as well.

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== Tutorials ==
* 2013-04-08 [http://oliverm-h.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-create-ue3udk-texture-atlases.html How to create UE3/UDK Texture Atlases (tileable)] - by [http://oliverm-h.blogspot.com/ 'mAlkAv!An'], using a custom HLSL node to apply separate UVs for texturing vs. mipmapping.
* 2012-06-07 [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100388 The Desert(What can you do with no diffuse maps?)] Polycount forum thread. Vertex blending using multiple [[ChannelPacking|channel packed]] modulation textures, in UDK. See also [http://artisaverb.info/DitchingDiffuse.html Ditching Diffuse Maps: A foray into artistic reasoning and technical details behind "procedural" texturing, with practical examples on today's tech] by [http://artisaverb.info/ Andrew 'd1ver' Maximov].
* 2012-05-28 [[http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1595258#post1595258|[UDK] The Dunes]] Polycount Forum thread. Using two 256x256 textures to texture an entire scene, one as a normal map and the other [[ChannelPacking|channel packed]] to store four textures.
* 2012-05-01 [http://www.digitaltutors.com/tutorial/688-Multi-Tile-Texture-Workflows Digital-Tutors: Multi-Tile Texture Workflows Tutorial] ($) - by Justin Marshall / Digital Tutors, using UV organization to assign multiple textures to a single character, and how it works in various 3D apps.
* 2011-10-09 [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89682 An exercise in modular textures - Scifi lab UDK] - by [http://www.torfrick.com/ Tor 'Snefer' Frick], an exercise in extreme texture [[ChannelPacking|channel packing]], packing multiple maps into the four channels of a texture file.
* 2010-12-20 [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79374 UV tiling tricks within 0 to 1 space] from the Polycount forum
* 2010-12-17 [https://www.3dmotive.com/f101001 Modular Building Workflow] - ($) a 3dmotive tutorial by [http://www.tylerwanlass.com/ Tyler Wanlass], covers planning and workflow for modular buildings using Photoshop, 3ds Max, and UDK.
* 2010-11-08 [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78192 Work-flow for large texture atlases] from the Polycount forum
* 2010-06-27 [http://www.philipk.net/tutorials/modular_sets/modular_sets.html  Working with Modular Sets] - by [http://www.philipk.net Philip 'PhilipK' Klevestav], how to design and texture modular sci-fi wall panels.
* 2010-03-25 [http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/Building_Layout_Guideline_Tutorial.html Visually Appealing Building Guide] - by [http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com Christopher Albeluhn], an excellent breakdown of how to create visual interest with game buildings. [http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/3D_Tutorials.html Additional tutorials here].
* 2008-06-26 [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=54178 Mod Facade Challenge] - by [http://www.linkedin.com/in/earthquake Joe 'EarthQuake' Wilson], breaking up a building into modular pieces and designing the texture sheet.
* 2006-11-08 [http://www.game-artist.net/forums/tutorials/182-step-step-techniques-tiling-textures-3ds-max.html Creating tiling textures in 3dsmax] - by [http://chrisholden.net/ Chris 'cholden' Holden]
* 2006-01-26 [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2530/practical_texture_atlases.php Practical Texture Atlases] on Gamasutra by [http://www.haemimontgames.com/company/keypeople.html Ivan-Assen Ivanov]
* 2005-12-20 [http://poopinmymouth.com/process/tips/thirding.jpg Thirding - Utilizing your texture space for environment work] - by [http://poopinmymouth.com/ Ben 'poopinmymouth' Mathis]

== More Info ==
* [[Multitexture]]
* [[Category:EnvironmentModularity]] has info about designing modular textures and assets.
* [[TextureCoordinates]] talks about planning your UV layout.
* [[Light map]] has information about packing UVs.

== Gutters ==
When a game model is textured using a single texture sheet, the texture will have typically have UV'd areas ([[UVShell|UV shells]]) and blank areas between them (gutters). 

The width of the gutter needs to be wide enough to accommodate how much [[EdgePadding]] you need. This varies depending on how large the texture is and the [[TextureFiltering|texture filtering]] type used by the game renderer.

== Packing Tools ==
* [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80723 Decent UV Packing Script/Tool?] thread on the Polycount forum.
* [http://www.uvlayout.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=98 Headus UVLayout] ($) 
* [http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/features/UV-Master/ UV Master] script for ZBrush
* [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=69736 TexTools] script for 3ds Max
* [http://www.raylightgames.com/xrayunwrap/index.html Xrayunwrap] ($) script for 3ds Max
* [http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/texture-atlas-generator Texture Atlas Generator] script for 3ds Max (creates an atlas by slicing up the mesh)
* [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=52415 Normalize UVs Maxscript] for 3ds Max
* [http://developer.nvidia.com/object/texture_atlas_tools.html Texture Atlas Tools] by Nvidia

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[[Category:TextureTechnique]] [[Category:Glossary]]