Materials and maps get additional functionality in Extension 2. Apply shapes and text as material maps and unleash new creative possibilities with the new Texture Object Mask feature which uses control objects to mask areas and animate textures in the scene.
The new Shape map uses shapes to define texture maps. This is particularly handy for creating graphics such as decals, and lets you make changes right in 3ds Max instead of in an external image editor. Set outline and fill colors as well as map boundaries and alpha. Control over hierarchies allows you to achieve creative results with intersecting shapes, and all adjustments to the Shape map can be animated. The HW Bitmap Size slider helps fix problems with edge sharpness that result after rendering.
The Shape map is available under Maps > Standard > ShapeMap in the Material/Map Browser of the Material Editor.
The new Text map has the same functionality as the Shape map but supports text instead of shapes. Glyphs such as letters and extras such as strike-throughs and underlines can be independently turned on and off.
The Text Map is available under Maps > Standard > TextMap in the Material/Map Browser of the Material Editor.
With the new Texture Object Mask, you can position and animate textures using another object as a mask. By positioning a control object against other objects, you can quickly and accurately place unique textures without having to adjust material IDs nor update UV mapping. Once in position, animating a material’s location is as simple as animating the parameters of the control object. Size, location, rotation or any other defining parameters of the control object will have a direct impact on all materials within its influence. By using Texture Object Mask, textures can now be easily applied across multiple objects at once.
The Texture Object Mask is available under Maps > Standard > TextureObjMask in the Material/Map Browser of the Material Editor.