Planet Map

Material Editor > Maps rollout > Click a Map button. > Material/Map Browser > Planet

Planet map used to create another world

Planet is a 3D map that uses fractal math to simulate the colors on the surfaces of a planet. You can control the size of continents, percent of ocean coverage, and so on. This map is meant to be used as a diffuse map. It does not work well as a bump map.

Tip: The Material Editor's sample slot doesn't show the planet effect very clearly. To help get the effect you want, double-click the sample slot to get a larger sample slot, or assign the map to geometry and render the scene. Another way to preview the planet map is to use the Material Editor Options dialog to set the 3D Map Sample Scale to equal a main dimension of the object you are applying the map to. For example, if you want to use the planet map on a sphere with a radius of 20, change the map scale from 100 (the default) to 20.

Interface

Continent Size—Sets the size of the fractal noise pattern used to generate the continents. Can range from 0 to 100. The higher the value, the larger the continents. Default=40.

Island Factor—Sets the size of the fractal noise pattern used to generate islands and mountains. Can range from 0 to 100. At 0, the geography is very low. Higher settings create a more rugged landscape. Default=0.5.

Ocean %—Sets the percentage of the planet's surface that is covered by water. Default=60.0.

Random Seed—Sets the seed for pseudo-random generation of the pattern. Changing this number can completely change the pattern, even if other settings remain the same. On the other hand, a different Planet map with the same settings including the same Random Seed will appear the same.

Water Colors group

The colors in these three swatches are applied to the water areas of the planet surface.

Water colors—Click a swatch to display the Color Selector and change the color. Color #1 is the "center" area of the water mass, Color #2 surrounds Color #1, and Color #3 surrounds Color #2, meeting the land.

Land Colors group

The colors in these five swatches are applied to the land areas of the planet surface. Their arrangement continues that of the water colors.

Land colors—Click a swatch to display the Color Selector and change the color. Color #4 is the shoreline of the land, meeting the water; Color #5 comes next, working toward the center of the land mass. Color # 8 is at the center of the land mass.

Blend Water/Land—When on, the boundary between water and land is blended, giving a hazy appearance. When off, the boundary between water and land is sharp.