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1316 Chapter 16: Material Editor, Materials, and Maps
Blending Map Amounts for Opacity and
Ot her Ma ter ia l Components
When you map a scalar component (such as
Specular Level, Glossiness, Self-Illumination,
and Opacit y), the component’s value in the
Basic
Parameters (page 2–1311)
rollout is blended with
its associated map Amount in the Maps rollout.
For example, when the Opacity spinner is set to
0, the map Amount spinner completely controls
Opacity. T hat is, reducing the Amount value
increases t he transparency of t he entire surface.
On the other hand, when Opacit y is 100, reducing
themap’sAmountvalueincreasestheopacity
oftheentiresurface. YoucanadjustaChecker
Opacitymapsothattheopaqueareasremain
opaque, while the transparent areas become
semi-transparent.
Otherscalarcomponentsbehaveinthesameway.
Settingthemap’sAmountto100appliesallofthe
map. Setting the Amount to 0 is the equivalent
of turning the map off. Intermediate Amount
valuesareblendedwiththevalueofthescalar
component.
When you load old 3ds Max files or bring
earlier materials from the Browser into the
Materials Editor, the spinner values for Opacity,
Specular Level, Glossiness, and S elf-Illumination
are altered, where necessary, to m aintain the
equivalent material effect.
Pr ocedur es
To assign a map:
1.
In the Maps rollout, click a map button.
Amodal
Material/Map Browser (page 2–1256)
is displayed.
2. Use the Browse From buttons to choose where
you want to look.
If you choose Material Library and the dialog’s
displayareaisblank,youneedtoopenalibrary
file. Click the Open button and then choose
the library to browse.
3. U se the display buttons to choose how you view
maps.
•
View List shows each map by name.
•
View List + Icons shows a small prev iew
and each map’s name.
•
View Small Icons shows a small preview
for each map.
•
View Large Icons shows a large preview
for each map, a long with the map’s name.
Tip: You can resize the Browser dialog to
increasethesizeofthedisplayarea.Thisis
especially useful when you view large icons.
4. Double-click the map you want.
To use t he s a me ma p f or diff er en t pa ra me ter s :
1.
In the Maps rollout, use a map button to assign
amap.
TheMaterialEditorisnowatthemaplevel,and
displays controls for the map parameters.
2. ClickGoToParenttoreturntothe
materiallevel,andthenopentheMapsrollout.
3. Drag the assigned map button to another map
button.
The
Copy (Instance) Map dialog (page 2–1295)
is displayed.
4. Choose Copy or Instance, and then click OK.
If you choose Swap, the Material Editor swaps
the two button assignments.
To view the parent material’s parameters:
• If you are currently at the map level in the
Material Editor, click Go To Parent.