Self-Illumination Map

You can use a bitmap file or procedural map to control the self-illumination value. This makes portions of an object appear to glow. White areas of the map render as fully self illuminating. Black areas render with no self-illumination. Gray areas render as partially self illuminating, depending on the grayscale value.

• Material Editor > Standard Material > Maps rollout > Self-Illumination button
• Material Editor > Raytrace Material > Maps rollout > Luminosity button
• Material Editor > Arch & Design Material > Special Purpose Maps rollout > Self Illumination Color button
• Material Editor > Other materials that have a Self-Illumination or Luminosity component

Using a Self-illumination map

Self-illumination means that the glowing area is not affected by lights in the scene (its ambient color component goes away), and does not receive shadows.

Procedures

To use a Self-illumination map:

1. Click the map button for Self-Illumination.

   3ds Max opens the Material/Map Browser.

2. Choose from the list of map types, and then click OK.

   (If you choose Bitmap as the map type, 3ds Max opens a file dialog that lets you choose the image file.)

3. Use the map controls to set up the map.

Alternatively, you can use the Slate Material Editor to wire a map node to the Self Illumination component.