UVSets

UVSets are a concept primarily used in computer graphics, particularly in 3D modeling and game development. They refer to a collection of UV coordinates that are applied to a mesh's surfaces. UV coordinates, often visualized as two-dimensional points (U and V), determine how a 2D texture is mapped onto a 3D model. A mesh can have multiple sets of UV coordinates, and each set can be used to apply a different texture or texture effect.

For example, a single 3D model might have one UV set for its base diffuse texture, another UV set for a normal map to simulate surface detail, and a third UV set for an emissive map that controls self-illumination. This allows for more complex and dynamic visual appearances without needing to create entirely separate models. Developers can switch between UV sets at runtime to change the rendering behavior of the object.

The use of multiple UV sets is common in game engines and rendering pipelines. It enables advanced techniques such as lightmapping, where pre-calculated lighting information is stored in a texture applied via a separate UV set. This can significantly improve rendering performance by baking complex lighting calculations into textures. UVSets are an integral part of efficient texturing and rendering workflows in modern 3D graphics.