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1434 Chapter 16: Material Editor, Materials, and Maps
2D
2D Maps
2D Maps are two-dimensional images that are
typically mapped onto the surface of geometric
objects, or used as environment maps to create a
background for the scene. The simplest 2D maps
are bitmaps; other kinds of 2D maps are generated
procedurally.
Bitmap (page 2–1441) :Animagesavedasan
array of pixels in one of a number of still-image
file formats, such as
.tga , .bmp ,andsoon,oran
animation fi le such as
.avi , .flc ,or .ifl .(Animations
are essential ly sequences of stil l images.) Any of
the bitmap (or animation) file types that 3ds Max
supports can be used as a bitmap in a material.
Checker (page 2–1447) :Combinestwocolorsina
checker pattern. You can replace either color with
amap.
Combustion (page 2–1448) :Worksinconjunction
with the Autodesk Combustion product. You can
paint directly on a bitmap or object and have the
result update in the Material Editor and viewports.
ThemapcanincludeotherCombustioneffects.
Painting and other effects can be animated.
Gradient (page 2–1460) : C reates a linear or radial
ramp of three colors.
Gradient Ramp (page 2–1462) : Creates a great
variety of ramps, u sing as many colors, maps, and
blends as you choose.
Sw irl (page 2–1466) : Creates swirled (spiraling)
patterns of two colors or maps.
Ti les (page 2–1468) :Createsbricksorother
tiled mat erials with colors or material mappings.
Includes commonly defined architectural brick
patterns, but you can also customize p atterns.
Coor dina tes Rol lout (2D)
Material Editor > Select sample slot. > Get Material >
Material/Map Browser > Turn on 2D Maps. > Double-click
a map type to apply it to sample slot. > Coordinates
rollout is displayed on the Material Editor.
In the C oordinates rollout, by adjusting coordinate
parameters, you can move a map relative to the
surface of the object to which it is applied and
achieve other effects.
Tiling
Oftenwhenyouapplyabitmap,especiallyasa
texture pattern, you want the pattern to repeat.
This effect is known as
tiling ,asinatiledfloor
or fountain. You control tiling directly from the
Coordinates rollout for any 2D map.
Tiling a map
In default mapping, tiling is active, but because the
map is scaled to fit the object, you don’t see the
effect of til ing unless you offset the UV co ordinates
or rotate the map. In this case, the portions of the
surface from w hich the bitmap has moved away
are filled by other portions of the map. Tiling
wraps the object w ith the map image.
Mirroring
Mirroring a map is an effect related to tiling. It
repeatsthemapandflipstherepeatedcopy.