3ds max – Using a GradientRamp procedural texture in Mapped mode

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
3ds max 2020

Using the GradientRamp procedural texture map in Mapped mode can very useful for creating procedural material effects.
The Idea is that the lightness value from a different map will determine what part of the GradientRamp is sampled.

In this example the GradientRamp uses values produced by a procedural Falloff map set to Perpendicular-Parallel mode, as its coordinates source, to create richly colored metal that changes its Hue depending on View/Incident angle:

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In this example the GradientRamp uses values produced by a procedural Noise map as its coordinates source to create an irregular color effect:

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Note:
The examples here were rendered using V-Ray Next for 3ds max, but this technique could also be used with other rendering engines.

 

Related:

  1. 3ds max Island/seashore tip

3ds max – Unwrap UVW snapping to a defined grid

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
3ds max 2018

There are cases where we need to have the UV borders and edges placed precisely on a certain grid. an example of this is when preparing a UV layout intended for baked lightmaps in a game engine, that should preferably be aligned to a 64 by 64 or 128 by 128 grid.

To set the Unwrap UVW editor window grid to 64 by 64:

  1. In the Unwrap Options window:
    Set the Checker display to 64/20 which is 3.2.
    Set the Grid Size to 1/64 which is 0.015625 (the numeric field displays the value rounded to 0.016)
  2. Turn on the grid display in View > Show Grid.
  3. In the Unwrap Snap Settings, make sure Grid Snap is checked.
    * Hold and drag the snap button to open the Snap Settings.
  4. Activate Snap.

Note:
It works only in Vertex selection mode.

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3ds max Map Scaler Modifier

Posted on by Oded Maoz Erell

Software:
3ds max 2017

Use the Map Scaler (MapScalar) Object Space Modifier to make UV coordinates conform to a uniform map real-world size.

Tip:
Create effective UV coordinates for angular geometrical meshes quickly by applying an Unwrap UVW modifier, and in the UV Editor, selecting all the mesh, and choosing Mapping > Flatten Mapping, and than applying a Map Scaler modifier and setting its Scale parameter to the wanted texture size..

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Notes:

  1. When applying the Map Scaler modifier to an object with deformed UV’s, it will break the UV’s in order to force consistent scale.
  2. If the Scale parameter matches the file’s system unit definition in Customize > Units Setup > System Units Setup, than it will effectively work as real world map scale, and allow you to set a real world texture size in the Coordinates rollout of the texture in the Material Editor.