Region maps and masks

If you create a Description with guides, you can use a region map to override how the guides interpolate the placement and behavior of primitives on the mesh.

For example, you can use a region map to create a part in a character's hair. Areas set by the map ensure that primitives close to the hair part are not influenced by surrounding guides. Otherwise, the guides could influence the primitive to cross the part in the hair.

Like other maps in XGen, you create a region map by generating a Ptex maps on the polygon surface. You can use the Paint 3D tool or Autodesk Mudbox 2012 (or later) to create the map. Region maps work best when you paint individual colors to define the regions on the mesh. Using a hard-edge brush ensures sharp boundaries between each region. For example, if you want to create a hair part on a scalp mesh, paint one side of the mesh blue and the other side red. The map forces primitives originating in red areas to ignore the guide interpolation in the blue areas and vise versa for primitives in the blue area.

Note: Region maps work the same way for interactive grooming Guide modifiers. However, you cannot use Ptex-based texture files for region maps and region masks used by interactive grooming Guide modifiers. See Interactive Groom Modifier node attributes.

You can use region maps to control the influence of guides with some XGen modifiers such as Clumping and Anim Wires.

Note: If you create a region map, Maya automatically sets the 3D Paint Tool options best suited for painting region maps:

• Blend Mode: Constant

  Opacity:1.0

  Stylus Pressure: Off

Related topics

• Control primitives with Ptex maps
• Create a Ptex map to control primitives
• Create Map window