HeightMap

A height map is a grayscale map that stores the relative height of the source object when you render with normal projection.

You can use the height map as a displacement map on the target object. This is a way to add detail to the edges of the low-resolution object, because edges are not affected by the normal bump map itself.

Note: When using a height map as a displacement map with the mental ray renderer, be sure to use the Height Map Displacement shader. Also, turn off Smoothing, either globally or for the individual object on the Object Properties dialog mental ray panel. In addition, when rendering with mental ray, if you're applying the height map to a standard material, apply the map as a Displacement map on the mental ray Connection rollout (unlock the map first), not on the Maps rollout.

Tip: Using a paint program such as Adobe Photoshop on a height map is possible, but prone to error. The values in the height map depend on the shapes of both the low-resolution and high-resolution models, and it's easy to damage the mathematical accuracy. If you paint any changes onto the map, be careful to preserve the faceted look, and avoid the temptation to blur away the facets. You might try painting in Additive or Subtractive mode, to add to or subtract from the displacement, because Normal mode will set a fixed displacement, making it difficult for an artist to control the result.

Selected Element Unique Settings

There are no unique settings for a height map.