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1404 Chapter 16: Material Editor, Materials, and Maps
Map Terminology
The term "material map" is sometimes used to
describe a map assig ned in the material e ditor. A
material map applies a color or p attern to a surface.
This is different from m aps used for displacement
mapping with the Di splace modifier (page 1–629),
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 s o on.
In the Material/Map Browser (page 2–1412),maps
are categorized according to how the map software
functions. The categories are:
• 2D m aps
A bitmap (page 2–1631) is the prototypical 2D
map. 2D maps apply pictures and patterns to
the sur face 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 s ome cases the user interface a lso uses
"map" to describe not the map type , but the
visual comp onent 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 Maps
For a standard material (page 2–1465), you assign
maps using the Maps rollout. Click the Map button
in line with the name of the visual component you
want to map. T he Material/Map Browser (page
2–1412) 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 a ssigns the map type.
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), f rom
the current scene, from objects selected in the
scene, or from elsewhere in the material editor.
IntheBrowser,youcanturnoniconsofdiffering
sizes to preview maps before you assign them.
A Standard material’s Basic Parameters rollout has
shortcut buttons for assigning a map to some of the
material’s visual components. These small 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 ty pe of map has its own set of parameters and
controls. If the map is a Checker m ap, for example,
you can choose the colors of the check ers, and
whether a checker color has a map of its own.
You can change ti ling va lues to affect the scale of
the checkers, adjust noise parameters to make the
checkers irregular, and so on.
Note: To save loading time, if a map with the
same name is in two different locations (in two
different paths), it is loaded only once. This poses
a problem only if your scene includes two maps
thathavedifferentcontentbutthesamename.