UVW mapping within 3D Studio Max

UVW mapping is a mathematical technique used within 3D Studio Max(a game designing software) to convert a 2D image (a texture) to a 3D object. The easiest way to describe UVW is probably to think of the idea with flat World image drawn on the paper and then wrapped around a globe.

The third dimension allows texture maps to wrap in complex ways onto irregular surfaces. Each point in a UVW map corresponds to a point on the surface of object. UVW mapping is commonly used to texture map non-platonic objects, non-geometric primitives, and other irregularly-shaped objects, such as characters, furniture, buildings etc.