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1248 Chapter 16: Material Editor, Materials, and Maps
Map Terminology
The term "material map" is sometimes used to
describe a map assigned in the m aterial editor. A
material map applies a color or pattern to a surface.
This is different from maps used for displacement
mapping w ith the
Displace modifier (page 1–608) ,
environment mapping for backgrounds, or
projection mapping from lights.
Theterm"texturemap"issometimesusedaswell.
Itisinterchangeablewith"diffusemap";thatis,
w ith a map that applies colors to geometry, as
opposed to a map that create reflections, bumps,
and so on.
In the
Material/Map Browser (page 2–1256) ,maps
are categorized according to how the map software
functions. The categories are:
• 2D m aps
A
bitmap (page 2–1441) is the prototypical 2D
map. 2D maps apply pictures and patterns to
the surface of objects.
• 3D m aps
3D maps are generated procedurally. 3D maps
apply patterns throughout an object’s geometry.
• Compos i t ors
Compositors combine other maps.
• Color Modifiers
Color modifiers are usually composited with
another map to adjust its color. The Vertex
Color map is a special case that displays the
colorsyouassigntoverticesinamesh.
• Other
"Other" maps include maps that simulate
reflection or refraction.
The names of individual map types descr ibe the
pattern or effect they create, such as Checker map,
Bitmap, Gradient, Flat Reflection, and so on.
Note: In some cases the user interface also uses
"map" to describe not the map type, but the
visual component being mapped. For example, a
"diffuse map" means a map of any type applied
to a material’s diffuse component. This is an
ambiguityintheuseof"map"thatcanbeabit
confusing when you first encounter it.
Assigning M aps
For a standard material (page 2–1309) , you assig n
maps using the Maps rollout. Click the Map button
in line with the name of the visual component you
want to map. The
Material/Map Browser (page
2–1256)
is displayed. Select the map type (for
example, Bitmap) from the list of maps, and then
click OK. Double-clicking the map’s name in the
Browser also assigns the map t yp e.
The Browse From group box in the Browser creates
new maps by default. You can also use it to obtain
maps from a library (see Saving A Material), from
the current scene, from objects selected in the
scene, or from elsewhere in the material editor.
IntheBrowser,youcanturnoniconsofdiffering
sizes to prev iew maps before you assig n them.
A Standard material’s Basic Parameters rollout
has shortcut buttons for assigning a map to
some
of the material’s visual components. These sm all
buttons are equivalent to the buttons in the Maps
rollout. Assigning a map to a button in one rollout
changes the corresponding button in the other.
Each type of map h as its own set of parameters and
controls. If the map is a Checker map, for example,
you can choose the colors of the checkers, and
whether a checker color has a map of its own.
You can change t i ling va lues to affect the scale of
the checkers, adjust noise parameters to make t he
checkers irregular, and so on.
Note: To save loading time, if a map with the
same name is in two different lo cations (in two
different paths), it is loaded only once. This poses
a problem only if your scene includes two maps
thathavedifferentcontentbutthesamename.