Map Types

Maps have a spatial orientation. When you apply a material with maps in it to an object, the object must have mapping coordinates. These are specified in terms of UVW axes local to the object.

Most objects have a Generate Mapping Coordinates toggle. You can turn this on to provide default mapping coordinates. If the object has this toggle, it is also turned on automatically when you render the scene, or use Show Map In Viewport.

Some objects, such as editable meshes, don't have automatic mapping coordinates. For these types of objects, you can assign coordinates by applying a UVW Map modifier. If you assign a map that uses a mapping channel, but don't apply a UVW Map modifier to the object, the renderer displays a warning that lists objects that require mapping coordinates. You can also use UVW Map to change an object's default mapping.

See Mapping Coordinates.

Each object can have from 1 to 99 UVWmapping coordinate channels. The default mapping (from the Generate Mapping Coordinates toggle) is always UVW 1. The UVW Map modifier can send coordinates to any of these channels.

Each map in a material can use any UVW channel (if present), or other type of mapping that depends on whether the map is 2D or 3D.

Note: You can set the mapping channel used by NURBS surface sub-objects in their creation or modification parameters.

You can locate a 2D map on the surface of an object by using a map channel, any assigned vertex color, or the local or world coordinate systems. You can also choose different environment mappings. See Coordinates Rollout (2D).

You can locate a 3D map within the volume of an object by using a map channel, any assigned vertex color, or the local or world coordinate systems. See Coordinates Rollout (3D).

Random noise values increase the complexity of maps and can give them a more natural look. For 2D maps, see Noise Rollout (2D). For 3D maps, you can assign a separate Noise map. See Noise Map.

2D map types are either bitmaps or procedurally-generated 2D patterns:

Bitmap: An image saved as an array of pixels in a still-image file format, such as .tga, .bmp, and so on, or an animation file such as .avi, .flc, or .ifl. (Animations are essentially sequences of still images.) Any of the bitmap or animation file types that 3ds max supports can be used as a bitmap in a material.

Bricks: Creates bricks or other tiled materials with colors or material mappings. Includes commonly defined architectural brick patterns.

Checker: Combines two colors in a checker pattern. You can replace either color with a map.

Combustion: Works in conjunction with the Discreet combustion product. You can paint directly on a bitmap or object and have the result update in the Material Editor and viewports. The map can include other combustion effects. Painting and other effects can be animated.

Gradient: Creates a linear or radial ramp of three colors.

Gradient Ramp: Creates a great variety of ramps, using as many colors, maps, and blends as you choose.

Swirl: Creates swirled (spiraling) patterns of two colors or maps.

These 3D maps are included:

Cellular: Generates a cellular pattern that's useful for a variety of visual effects, including mosaic tiling, pebbled surfaces, and even ocean surfaces.

Dent: Generates three-dimensional bumps over a surface.

Falloff: Generates a value from white to black based on the angular falloff of the face normals on the surface of the geometry. This complex map provides greater flexibility when creating opacity falloff effects, and has a number of other specific effects such as Fresnel, Light/Shadow, and Distance Blend.

Marble: Simulates the grain of marble with two explicit colors and a third intermediate color.

Noise: Creates a turbulence pattern in three dimensions. Like Checker in 2D, it is based on two colors, either of which can be mapped.

Particle Age: Alters the color (or map) of a particle based on the particle's life.

Particle MBlur: Alters the opacity of the leading and trailing ends of particles based on their rate of movement. (MBlur is short for Motion Blur.)

Perlin Marble: An alternative, procedural marble map with a turbulence pattern.

Planet: Simulates the contours of a planet as seen from space.

Smoke: Generates fractal-based turbulence patterns to simulate the effects of smoke in a beam of light or other cloudy, flowing mapping effects.

Speckle: Generates a speckled surface for creating patterned surfaces that can simulate granite and similar materials.

Splat: Generates a fractal pattern similar to splattered paint.

Stucco: Generates a fractal pattern similar to stucco.

Water: Creates watery or wavy effects by generating a number of spherical wave centers and randomly distributing them.

Wood: Creates a 3D wood grain pattern.

These are various types of compositors. In image processing, compositing images superimposes two or more images to combine them.

Composite: Composites multiple maps. Unlike Mix, Composite doesn't have explicit controls for the amount of mixing. Instead, it bases the mix amount on the maps' alpha channel.

Mask: A map that controls where a second map is applied to the surface.

Mix: Mixes two colors or two maps. You can adjust the amount of mixing using a blend level you specify. The blend level can be mapped.

RGB Multiply: Combines two maps by multiplying their RGB and alpha values.

These color modifiers are included:

Output: Applies bitmap output functions to parametric maps, such as Checker, that don't have these settings. These functions adjust the colors output by the map.

RGB Tint: Tints the color of a map based on red, green, and blue values.

Vertex Color: Displays the effects of assigned vertex colors in the rendered scene. You assign vertex colors from the editable mesh.

These include the map types that generate reflections and refractions:

Flat Mirror: Generates reflections for flat surfaces. You assign it to faces rather than to the object as a whole.

Raytrace: Creates accurate, fully raytraced reflections and refractions.

Reflect/Refract: Generates reflections or refractions automatically, based on surrounding objects and the environment.

Thin Wall Refraction: Generates refractions automatically, simulating objects and the environment as seen through a refractive material such as glass or water.