After applying a map and setting its internal parameters, you can adjust its output parameters to determine the rendered appearance of the map.
Interface
These controls appear on the Output rollout for a number of 2D and 3D maps:
- Invert
- Reverses the hues of the map, like a negative color photo. Default=off.
- Output Amount
- Controls the amount of the map being mixed into a composite material. Affects the saturation and alpha value of the map. Default=1.0.
- Clamp
- When on, this parameter limits the values of the colors to no greater than 1.0. Turn this on when you're increasing the RGB Level, but don't want the map to appear self-illuminated. Default=off.
Note: If you set the RGB Offset to a value greater than 1.0 while Clamp is on, all colors become white.
- RGB Offset
- Adds to the RGB values of the map colors by the amount set by the spinner, which affects the tonal value of the colors. Eventually the map becomes white and self-illuminated. Lowering the value decreases the tonal value toward black. Default=0.0.
- Alpha from RGB Intensity
- When on, an alpha channel is generated based on the intensity of the RGB channels in the map. Black becomes transparent and white becomes opaque. Intermediate values are translucent according to their intensity. Default=off.
- RGB Level
- Multiplies the RGB values of the map colors by the amount set by the spinner, which affects the saturation of the color. Eventually the map becomes fully saturated and self-illuminated. Lowering the value decreases the saturation and makes the map colors grayer. Default=1.0.
- Enable Color Map
- Turn on to use the Color Map. See “Color Map group.” Default=off.
- Bump Amount
- Adjusts the amount of bumpiness. This value has an effect only when the map is used as a bump map. Default=1.0.
For example, suppose you have a map instanced for both the Diffuse and the Bump components. If you want to adjust the amount of bumpiness without affecting the Diffuse colors, adjust this value, which changes the amount of bumpiness without affecting the map's use in other material components.
Color Map group
The Color Map settings at the bottom of the Output rollout are available only when Enable Color Map is on (see preceding).
The Color Map graph lets you adjust the tonal range of an image. The point at 1,1 controls highlights, the point at 0.5,0.5 controls midtones, and the point at 0,0 controls shadows.
You adjust the shape of the graph by adding points to the line and moving or scaling them. You can add Corner, Bezier-Smooth, or Bezier-Corner points. When a move or scale option is active, points can be selected much like objects in a viewport, by clicking a point, dragging a region around one or more points, and holding down Ctrl to add or subtract from the selection.
When you select an individual point, its exact coordinates are displayed in the two fields below the graph at the lower left. You can enter values directly in these fields, but the values are automatically constrained as they are when you manually move or scale a point.
You can zoom into the graph to make detailed adjustments. As you zoom in, the graph updates to show decimal measurements along the left vertical axis. You can pan anywhere on the graph with the horizontal and vertical scroll bars, use a button option, or the middle mouse button. Points can be deleted, and you can reset the graph to its default at any time.
- RGB/Mono
- Specifies a map curve to either filter the RGB channels separately (RGB) or in combination (Mono).
- Copy CurvePoints
- When on, points added to a Mono graph are copied when you switch to an RGB graph. If you start with an RGB graph, the points are copied to a Mono graph. You can animate the control points but not the Bezier handles.
Attention: When Copy CurvePoints is on, animation created in Mono mode is carried over to RGB mode and you can switch channels. The reverse doesn’t work.
The following controls affect the points on the graph:
- Move flyout
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Moves a selected point in any direction, limited by the unselected points on either side.
Constrains movement to the horizontal.
Constrains movement to the vertical.
On a Bezier smooth point, you can move the point or either handle.
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Scale Point - Changes the output amount of control points while maintaining their relative position. On a Bezier corner point, this control is effectively the same as a vertical move. On a Bezier smooth point, you can scale the point itself or either handle. As with the move controls, scale is limited by the unselected points on either side.
- Add Point flyout
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Adds a Bezier corner point anywhere on the graph line. The point makes a sharp angle when moved.
Adds a Bezier smooth point anywhere on the graph line. Handles attached to the point create smooth curves when moved.
When either Add Point button is active, you can use Ctrl+click to create the other type of point. This eliminates the need to switch between buttons.
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Delete Point - Removes selected points.
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Reset Curves - Returns graph to its default, a straight line between 0,0 and 1,1.
The following controls affect the view of the graph. The change in view does not affect the graph’s results.
- R/G/B
- When the RGB option is active, use these buttons to adjust the red, green, and blue curves separately.
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Pan - Drags the graph in any direction within the viewing window.
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Zoom Extents - Shows the entire graph.
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Zoom Horizontal Extents - Shows the entire horizontal range of the graph. The scale of the curve will be distorted.
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Zoom Vertical Extents - Shows the entire vertical range of the graph. The scale of the curve will be distorted.
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Zoom Horizontally - Compresses or expands the graph in a horizontal direction.
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Zoom Vertically - Compresses or expands the view of the graph in a vertical direction.
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Zoom - Zooms in or out around the cursor.
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Zoom Region - Draws a rectangular region around any area of the graph, then zooms to that view.