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Texture Editor

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Use the Texture Editor to select a source image for a shader and to modify placement, mapping and image parameters.

Texturable Channels in the Shader Editor

The Texture editor opens when a texturable channel in the Shader Editor or Environment Editor is selected.

The following channels in the Shader Editor can have textures mapped to them. Select the texture icon beside each channel to open the Texture Editor.

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Channels, such as Bump, Displacement and reflection map, don't have a slider value, and so the buttons are full size.

Texture Source pane

Texture icons

- Deletes the current texture.

- Toggles the texture on and off. Applies or removes the texture from the shader.

- Toggles the Projection Texture in-canvas manipulator on and off.

Texture Source

  • Image - Select an image file (.jpg, .png, .tif)

    Click Change texture to to browse and select an image.

  • Procedural - Select an procedural texture from the Type drop-down list. For details of each texture see the Procedural parameters section below.

Image: Common parameters

The image parameters appear in the Image tab in the Texture Editor:

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Color Balance

The Color Balance parameters let you color correct a texture. These parameters are not available when the texture is mapped to certain single-channel parameters (for example, Reflectivity, Bump, Displacement). In these cases, the Color Balance parameters (Rgbmult and Rgboffset) are replaced by the Intensity parameters (Amult and Aoffset).

  • RGB Mult - A scaling factor applied to the parameter that the texture is mapped to. That is, all colors in the texture are multiplied by the Rgbmult color. For example, you can color correct a texture that appears too green by setting the Rgbmult color to a shade of blue.The default color is white (no effect).
  • RGB Offset - An offset factor applied to the parameter that the texture is mapped to. That is, all colors in the texture have the Rgboffset color added to them. For example, you can brighten a texture that appears too dark by setting the Rgboffset color to a shade of gray. The default color is black (no effect).

Blur

The Blur parameters control the sharpness of the texture. If the Blur parameter values are both 0, the texture is perfectly sharp. However, a small amount of blur is usually needed to reduce aliasing effects.

  • Blur Mult - Legacy setting that has no effect in Hardware Shade.

  • Blur Offset - An offset factor that controls the amount of texture blur in texture space. That is, the amount of blur is the same no matter where the object is relative to the camera. The slider range is 0 (no blur) to 1 (completely blurred). The default value is 0.

Effects

The Effects parameters apply to the texture image.

  • Invert - When you invert a black-and-white photo, the white pixels become black pixels and vice versa. But if you invert a color image, the resulting photo will have a flipped color scheme.

  • Stencil - Use a mask image to define the outline for a decal effect. The image is typically black and white, with white areas defining the parts of the image to ignore.

    Selecting Stencil opens the Stencil Parameters section:

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The Color Balance and Blur parameters are the same as for the main image (see above).

Image: Procedural parameters

The procedural image parameters appear in the Image tab in the Texture Editor. The parameters displayed vary with each Procedural Type:

Bulge Texture Parameters

The Bulge texture represents a grid of white squares which fade to grey toward their edges. Use the Bulge texture as a bump or displacement map to create surface bulges, as a transparency map to simulate windows that are dirty around the edges, or as a color map to simulate tiles.

  • Uwidth, Vwidth - The width of the texture squares in the U and V parametric directions. The valid range is 0 to 1. The slider range is 0 to 0.5. The default value is 0.1.

Checker Texture Parameters

The Checker texture represents a checkerboard pattern. You can modify the colors and size of the squares.

  • Color1, Color2 - The two colors of the checkerboard squares.

  • Contrast - The contrast between the two texture colors. The valid/slider range is 0 (the two colors are averaged over the entire texture) to 1. The default value is 1.

Note: When a checker texture is mapped to a parameters that uses the alpha channel of the texture (for example, Bump, Displacement, or Reflectivity), then the Color 1 and Color 2 parameters are ignored. In these cases, use the checker texture’s Contrast, Amult, and Aoffset parameters to control the relative intensity of the checker pattern.

Cloth Texture Parameters

The Cloth texture simulates fabric or other woven materials.

  • U ThreadColor, V ThreadColor - The colors of the warp (U direction) and weft (V direction) threads of the cloth.

  • Gap Color - The color of the area between the warp and weft threads. The threads’ colors blend into the Gap Color at their edges, so a lighter Gap Color tends to simulate a cloth with softer, more translucent threads.

  • U Thread Width, V Thread Width - The width of the warp and weft threads. If the thread width is 1, then the threads will fully touch with no gap between them. If the thread width is 0, the thread will disappear. (You can randomize thread width by setting the Width Spread parameter.) The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.75.

  • U Wave, V Wave - Controls the waviness of the warp and weft threads to create special weave effects such as herringbone. The slider range is 0 to 0.5. The default value is 0.

  • Randomness - Smears the texture randomly in the U and V directions. Adjust the Randomness value to create natural-looking cloth with irregular threads, or to prevent aliasing and moiré patterns on very fine cloth textures. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Width Spread - Randomizes the width of each thread along its length by subtracting a random amount (between 0 and the Width Spread value) from the U Thread Width and V Thread Width values. For example, if the thread widths are 1 and the Width Spread value is 0.75, the actual thread widths with vary between 0.25 and 1. If the Width Spread value is greater than or equal to the Thread Width value, then some threads will disappear entirely at certain points along their length. The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Bright Spread - Randomizes the brightness of each thread along its length by subtracting a random amount (between 0 and the Bright Spread value) from U Thread Color and V Thread Color (similar to Width Spread). The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

Fractal Texture Parameters

The Fractal texture represents a random function with a particular frequency distribution (a fractal) and can be used to create many different types of effects. Use the Fractal texture as a bump or displacement map to simulate rock or mountains, or as a transparency map to simulate clouds or flames. The Fractal texture has the same level of roughness at different levels of magnification (that is, at different distances from the camera).

  • Amplitude - A scaling factor applied to all values in the texture about the texture’s average value. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

  • Threshold - An offset factor applied to all values in the texture. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Ratio - Controls the frequency of the fractal pattern. The valid/slider range is 0 (low frequency) to 1 (high frequency). The default value is 0.707.

  • Level Min, Level Max - The minimum and maximum number of iterations used to calculate the fractal pattern. These parameters control how fine grained the fractal pattern is. The valid range is 0 to 100. The slider range is 0 to 25. The default value is 0 for Level_min and 9 for Level_max.

    Tip: If both Level_min and Level_max are high (close to 100) rendering will take a long time. If you want to make the fractal pattern more finely grained, lower the Blurmult or Amult value instead.
  • Randomize - Randomizes cell position. The valid range is 0 to 1.

Grid Texture Parameters

The Grid texture represents a scalar grid pattern.

  • Line_color - The color of the grid lines. The default color is white.
  • Filler_color - The color of the spaces between the grid lines. The default color is black.
  • Uwidth, Vwidth - The width of the grid lines in the U and V parametric directions. The valid range is 0 to 1. The slider range is 0 to 0.5. The default value is 0.1.
  • Contrast - The contrast between the Line Color and the Filler Color. The valid/slider range is 0 (the two colors are averaged over the entire texture) to 1. The default value is 1.

Mountain Texture Parameters

The Mountain texture simulates rocky terrain using a two-dimensional fractal pattern. Use the Mountain texture as both a color map and a bump or displacement map (on a flat surface) to simulate snow capped mountains.

If you do apply the Mountain texture as both a color map and a bump or displacement map, note the following:

  • The texture calculates the color map based on the bump/displacement map, so, for example, the location of snow is based on the displacement of the surface.
  • The color parameters (Snow_color and Rock_color) of the Mountain texture relate only to the color map, and have no effect on the bump/displacement map. Similarly, all non-color parameters of the Mountain texture relate only to the bump/displacement map, and have no effect on the color map.
  • The values of the Boundary parameter, the Snow Levels parameters, and the Recursion Depth parameter (Level_max) of the bump/displacement map override the values of the color map. For example, the Boundary value of the bump/displacement map controls the raggedness of the snow/rock boundary of the color map.

Mountain Texture Parameters

  • Snow_color - The color of the snow element of the texture.
  • Rock_color - The color of the rock element of the texture.
  • Amplitude - A scaling factor applied to all values in the texture about the texture’s average value. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

Roughness of Features

  • Snow - The roughness of the snow element of the texture. The valid/slider range is 0 (perfectly smooth snow) to 1 (extremely rough snow). The default value is 0.4.
  • Rock - The roughness of the rock element of the texture. The valid/slider range is 0 (perfectly smooth rock) to 1 (extremely rough rock). The default value is 0.707.
  • Boundary - The raggedness of the rock/snow boundary. The valid/slider range is 0 (perfectly smooth rock/snow boundary) to 1 (extremely rough rock/snow boundary). The default value is 1.

Snow Levels

  • Snow_alt. - The level (altitude) of the transition between rock and snow. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.5.
  • Snow_dropoff - The suddenness with which snow no longer sticks to the mountain. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 2.
  • Snow_max_slope - The maximum angle (expressed as a decimal value) over which snow will not stick to the mountain. For example, where the slope exceeds the Snow_max_slope value, it would be bare rock. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 3. The default value is 0.8.

Recursion Depth

  • Level_max - The maximum number of iterations used to calculate the fractal pattern, which controls how fine grained the fractal pattern is. The valid/slider range is 0 to 40. The default value is 20.

Noise Texture Parameters

The Noise texture represents a random pattern of two colors. The Noise texture appears smoother the closer it is to the camera.

  • Amplitude - A scaling factor applied to all values in the texture about the texture’s average value. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.
  • Threshold - An offset factor applied to all values in the texture. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.
  • Randomize - Randomizes cell position. The valid range is 0 to 1.

Ramp Texture Parameters

The Ramp texture represents a gradation through a series of colors. The ramp texture can be used to create many different types of effects (stripes, geometric patterns, mottled surfaces).

The default ramp texture is blue/red/black unless the texture is mapped to certain single-channel parameters (for example, Reflectivity, Bump, Displacement). In these cases the ramp is black/white/black.

Ramp

Each color component in the ramp has a circular color handle on the left side of the ramp, and a square color icon on the right side of the ramp (except for the bottom color in the ramp). The active color has a white border around its color handle. The Position and Ramp Color parameters apply to the active color only. That is, to edit a color component’s Position value or Ramp Color, you must first click its color handle to make it the active color component.

Only changes in Ramp Type, Interpolation, Position, and Ramp Color are actually displayed in the ramp. Changes in all parameters are displayed in the Multi-lister swatch.

  • Ramp Type - Controls the direction of the color ramp. The default setting is V RAMP.

  • Interpolation - Controls the way colors in the ramp are blended. The default setting is LINEAR_RAMP.

  • Position - The position of the active color component in the ramp. The valid/slider range is 0 (bottom of ramp) to 1 (top of ramp).

  • Ramp Color, Intensity - The color or intensity of the active color component. Only one of these parameters (Ramp Color or Intensity) is available for a particular ramp texture. If the Ramp texture is mapped to a three-channel parameter (for example, Color), then the Ramp Color parameter is available. If the Ramp texture is mapped to a single-channel parameter (for example, Bump), then the Intensity parameter is available. The slider range for Intensity is 0 to 1.

  • U Wave, V Wave - Controls the amplitude of a sine wave offset of the texture in the U and V directions. Increasing the U Wave or V Wave value makes the texture appear increasingly wavy. The slider range is 0 (no wave) to 1. The default value is 0.

    Tip: To increase the number of waves in the texture, increase the Urepeat or Vrepeat values.
  • Noise - The amount that the texture is offset in the U and V directions by two-dimensional noise. If the texture repeats (the Urepeat value or Vrepeat value are greater than 1), the noise will not repeat. That is, each instance of the texture will be unique. The slider range is 0 (no noise) to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Noise Freq. - Controls how fine-grained the noise is (if the Noise value is non-zero). The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.5.

  • HSV Color Noise, Value Noise - The HSV Color Noise parameters allow you to modulate the texture color using three separate two-dimensional noises which affect the color’s hue, saturation, and value. If the Ramp texture is mapped to a single-channel parameter (for example, Bump), the Value Noise parameters (Val Noise and Noise Freq.) replace the HSV Color Noise parameters.

  • Noise Hue - Offsets the color hue (mottles the color). The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Sat (Saturation) - Offsets the color saturation with “whiteness” (creates a weathered look). The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Val (Value) - Offsets the color value with “blackness.” The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

  • Freq. Hue, Sat (Saturation), Val (Value) - Controls the graininess of hue, saturation, and value noise. For each non-zero Freq. value, additional calculations are involved that slow down rendering. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.5.

Water Texture Parameters

Linear Wave Parameters

The Linear Wave Parameters control the appearance of linear water waves. The Linear Wave Parameters do not affect the concentric ripple component of the texture.

  • Number Waves - The number of linear waves in the texture. To create water ripples with no linear waves, set the Number Waves value to 0. To combine linear waves with concentric ripples, set the Number Waves value to a low number (1 to 3). The valid range is 0 to 100. The slider range is 0 to 32. The default value is 8.

  • Wave Time - Controls the appearance of the waves over time. If you relate the wave effect to the wake from a boat, the waves start off at some point with a certain velocity and amplitude. This is time zero. As time increases, the waves travel to shore and their appearance changes (their velocity and amplitude decrease). The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

    To simulate moving water waves, animate the Wave_time value. The waves will move as this value increases. The actual speed of the waves is determined by the Wave_velocity value and the rate at which you animate the Wave_time value.

  • Wave Velocity - The speed of the waves. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

  • Wave Amplitude - Scales the height of the waves. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.05.

  • Wave Frequencies: Frequency - Controls the distance between primary waves. The higher the Frequency value, the shorter the distance. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 20. The default value is 4.

  • Wave Frequencies: Sub Frequency - Controls the distance between any secondary waves that ride on top of the primary waves (for example, white caps). The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.125.

  • Wave Frequencies: Smoothness - Controls the intensity of any secondary waves. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 5. The default value is 2.

  • Wind Direction: Wind U, Wind V - The strength of wind in the U and V directions (which determines the overall direction of the linear wave pattern). The slider range is -1 to 1. The default value for Wind_u is 1. The default value for Wind_v is 0.

Concentric Ripple Parameters

The Concentric Ripple Parameters control the appearance of concentric water ripples. The Concentric Ripple Parameters do not affect the linear wave component of the texture.

  • Ripple Time - Controls the appearance of ripples over time. For example, if you relate the ripple effect to that of a water droplet falling into a glass of still water, at time 0 there is no ripple; the droplet has not touched the surface of the water yet. As the time parameter increases to a value greater than 0, the droplet has fallen onto the water surface and the ripple wave effect simulates the effect on the water in the glass at that point in time. When time has reached a value of 1, the effect of the droplet on the water surface is nearly complete and the water in the glass becomes still again.

    The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

    To simulate moving water ripples, animate the Ripple_time value. The ripples will move as this value increases. The actual speed of the ripples is determined by the Group_velocity value and the rate at which you animate the Ripple_time value.

  • Frequency - Controls the distance between individual ripples. The higher the Frequency value, the shorter the distance. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 20. The default value is 25.

  • Amplitude - Scales the height of the ripples. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.05.

  • Drop Size - The mass of the droplet that starts the water ripples. (Imagine a water droplet falling into a glass of still water.) A Drop_size value of 0, produces no ripple effect because the droplet has no mass. As the Drop_size value increases, the mass of the drop increases, causing a greater ripple effect on the water surface. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.3.

  • Ripple Center: U Origin, V Origin - The location of the center of the ripples along the U and V parametric directions. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.5.

  • Ripple Wavelets: Group Velocity - The speed of the primary ripple. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 10. The default value is 1.

  • Ripple Wavelets: Phase Velocity - The speed of sub-ripples. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 10. The default value is 2.5.

  • Ripple Wavelets: Spread Start - Determines the degree of effect that a droplet will have on a still water surface at time 0. A concentric ripple starts as a point of disturbance in parameter space (defined by the U_origin and V_origin values) when the Ripple_time value is 0. The size of the disturbance at time 0 is determined by the Spread_start value. The greater the Spread_start value, the greater the effect of the disturbance at time 0. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.005.

  • Ripple Wavelets: Spread Rate - The rate at which the primary ripple breaks up into sub-ripples. (As a ripple expands outward, it breaks up into sub-ripples.) The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.3.

  • Ripple Reflections: Reflect Bound - The Ripple Reflections parameters define an imaginary bounding box that ripples can reflect off. This effect, however, is nine times slower than if there is no reflecting bounding box.The Reflect Bound setting activates an imaginary reflective bounding box. The default setting is OFF.

  • Ripple Reflections: U Min, U Max, V Min, V Max - Defines the bounding box in the U and V parametric directions. If Reflect_bound. is OFF, these parameters have no effect. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value for Umax and Vmax is 1; the default value for Umin and Vmin is 0.

Mapping: UV Texture parameters

The UV image parameters appear in the Mapping tab in the Texture Editor when Mapping Type is set to UV:

Surface Placement

The Surface Placement parameters control how a texture’s pattern covers the texture coverage area (the area the texture covers on the actual surface).

Rotate

The angle (in degrees) the texture map is rotated on the surface. The slider range is 0 to 360. The default value is 0 (no rotation).

Urepeat, Vrepeat

The number of times the texture is repeated within the coverage area along the surface’s U and V parametric directions. If Urepeat value or Vrepeat value are greater than 1, the texture will be repeated several times within the coverage area, but the size of each instance of the texture will be smaller than the default size. Similarly, if the Urepeat value or the Vrepeat value are less than 1, only a portion of the texture will be mapped to the surface. The slider range is 1 to 10. The default value for most textures is 1.

Uoffset, Voffset

Offsets the texture pattern (without actually moving the texture itself) along the surface’s U and V parametric directions. Adjust the Uoffset and Voffset values to fine-tune the placement of a pattern on a surface. The slider range is 0 (no offset) to 1. The default value is 0.

Mirror

Mirrors repeated patterns of the texture (when the Urepeat value or the Vrepeat value is greater than 1) so that rows of images appear as mirrored images of themselves. This helps to disguise the effect of seams between repeated areas. The default setting is OFF.

Stagger

Offsets repeated patterns of the texture (when the Urepeat value or the Vrepeat value is greater than 1) so that alternate rows are offset exactly half, like bricks in a brick wall. When Stagger is OFF, the repeated patterns line up horizontally and vertically. The default setting is OFF.

Chord Length

Causes the texture to use a mapping technique that ignores the UV parameterization of the (spline-based) surface, and instead maps according to surface distances (measured in world space units). This can help minimize texture distortion on surfaces with non-uniform parameterization. The default setting is OFF.

Label Mapping

The Label Mapping parameters control how the texture covers the surface.

Ucoverage, Vcoverage

The fraction of the surface covered by the texture along the surface’s U and V parametric directions. For example, if the Ucoverage and Vcoverage values are both 0.5, the texture will cover half of the surface in the U direction and half of the surface in the V direction, or one quarter of the total surface. Areas outside of the texture coverage area have a non-texture mapped parameter value as indicated in the shader’s Control Window (for example, the shader color). The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

Utranslate, Vtranslate

Moves the texture coverage area along the surface’s U and V parametric directions. Effectively, the Utranslate and Vtranslate values determine where the texture map will be located on the surface. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default setting is 0.

Uwrap, Vwrap

Determines whether or not the texture will replicate (copy itself outside of the coverage area) in the surface’s U and V parametric directions, when the Utranslate or Vtranslate value is greater than 0.

By default, both Uwrap and Vwrap are ON. Toggle these parameters OFF to prevent seams from showing on a closed surface, such as a cylinder or sphere, or to prevent the texture from duplicating itself when you are using the translation and coverage parameters to limit the mapping to a very specific surface area.

Mapping: Projection Texture parameters

The Projection Texture parameters appear in the Mapping tab in the Texture Editor when one of the 3D solid projection mapping types is selected.

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  • Wrap - Repeats the texture outside the region defined by the Texture Placement object. If Wrap is OFF, the texture only appears on a surface inside the region defined by the Texture Placement object. The default setting is ON.

  • Show Transform - Displays the texture placement object, so that it's position can be seen and it can be selected and transformed. By default, the Texture Placement Object for all textures is invisible.

    The Texture Placement Object will appear at the origin by default.

    If you cannot see the object, check that Textures are turned on in the viewport Show menu.

  • Move Texture - Selects the texture placement object and displays the Transform manipulator. Use Pick > Nothing to clear the manipulator display.

  • Fit to Assigned Object - Resizes the texture placement object to fit the geometry that the shader has been assigned to.

  • Fit to Selected Objects - Resizes the texture placement object to fit the selected geometry.

About Texture Placement Objects

The Projection texture converts a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional texture by projecting it in one or several directions. This makes it appear seamless across surface boundaries as it doesn't use the UV mapping for placement or sizing.

The Texture Placement Object determines the origin position and direction of the texture and can be modified using standard selection and transform tools.

The Texture Placement Object for a Projection texture is different for each Projection type:

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By default, the Texture Placement Object for any environment texture is positioned at the origin with its arrow pointing in either the positive Y direction (for Y-up scenes) or the positive Z direction (for Z-up scenes).

When the Texture Placement Object has a crosshatched face, that shows where the 2D image will be mapped.

The Texture Placement Object also appears in the Object Lister and the SBD window as a separate transformation node beneath the texture node.

Mapping: Environment Texture parameters

Environment textures can be mapped to either:

  • Environment Shader: Background > Color - to create a surrounding image for objects to reflect.
  • Shader Editor: Properties > Reflection Map - to use a specific image for only the assigned objects to appear to reflect.

Geometric Environment Parameters

  • Geometry Type - The background image is mapped to either Dome Geometry or Cylinder Geometry depending on this setting. This geometry shape surrounds your model, but cannot be directly manipulated or rendered. You must use the Rotate, scale and height settings below to transform it.

  • Rotate - This slider rotates the environment geometry texture around the Up (vertical) axis.

  • Scale - This slider proportionally scales the environment geometry texture.

  • Height - This slider moves the environment geometry texture to a certain height above or below ground level (Z = 0). Clicking the Auto button automatically sets the base of the environment geometry to the bottom of the model's bounding box.

Sky Texture Parameters

  • Brightness. - The overall brightness of the environment. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 5. The default value is 1.

Sun Parameters

  • Sun Color - The color and brightness of the sun. The default color Value is 0.5.

  • Halo Color - The color and brightness of the halo around the sun. The default color value is 0.1.

  • Elevation - The angle (in degrees) of elevation of the sun relative to the floor. The valid range is -10000 to 10000. The slider range is 0 (sunrise/sunset) to 90 (midday). The default value is 45.

  • Azimuth - The angle (in degrees) of the sun in the sky about a vertical vector. The valid range is -10000 to 10000. The slider range is 0 to 360. The default value is 145.

  • Size - The size (radius) of the sun. The valid range is 0 to 10000. The slider range is 0 to 20. The default value is 0.531.

  • Blur - The size (radius) of the halo around the sun. The valid range is 0 to 1000. The slider range is 0 to 20. The default value is 1.

Atmospheric Settings

  • SkyColor - A scaling factor applied to the sky color. The default color Value is 0.5.

  • Air_density - The density of the air in the atmosphere. The denser the air, the more light will be scattered. Think of air density in terms of low and high altitudes. High altitude skies are almost black straight up and blue near the horizon (the Air_density value less than 1). Low altitude skies are blue straight up and white near the horizon (the Air_density value greater than 1). The slider range is 0 to 3. The default value is 1.

  • Dust_density - The density of dust in the atmosphere. The slider range is 0 to 3. The default value is 0.

  • Sky_thickness - The thickness of the atmosphere. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 10000. The default value is 1000.

  • Sky_radius - The outer radius of the sky as a multiple of Sky_thickness. The Sky_thickness and Sky_radius values determine the planet radius, and planet radius influences the appearance of sunsets. A planet with a large radius will have very red (and very dark) sunsets (you can adjust Sky_bright to compensate for sunsets that are too dark).

    For example, if Sky_thickness is 1000 and Sky_radius is 50, the outer radius of the sky is 1000 x 50 = 50 000 units, and the radius of the planet is (1000 x 50) - (1000 x 1) = 49 000 units.

    The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0.01 to 300. The default value is 50.

Floor Parameters

The Floor Parameters control the appearance of the environment’s planet surface.

  • Has_floor - Toggles the floor ON or OFF. If Has_floor is OFF, the environment below the horizon is a mirror image of the environment above the horizon.

  • Floor Color - The color or texture of the floor. The default color value is 0.392.

Cloud Parameters

The Cloud Parameters are applied to a texture map used to illustrate the clouds.

  • Cloud texture - The texture that determines cloud distribution in the sky. For example, the Fractal texture creates very realistic clouds. By default, there is no cloud texture map (and no clouds).

  • Cloud Color - The brightness and color of cloud illumination from ambient scattered light in the atmosphere. (The amount of ambient light depends on the Elevation value.) The default color Value is 0.5.

  • Sunset Color - The brightness and color of cloud illumination when the sun is below the horizon and the clouds are front lit (for example, when the sun’s Elevation value is 0 and its Azimuth value is 180). This is a very subtle effect and occurs only briefly in nature during a sunrise or sunset. The effect is more noticeable with high altitude clouds. The default color Value is 1.

  • Density - The density of individual clouds. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 (no clouds) to 5 (heavy clouds). The default value is 1.

  • Threshold - A threshold value for the Cloud texture that controls how much of the sky is covered with cloud. As the Threshold value increases, darker areas of the texture do not produce clouds. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 (entire sky is cloudy) to 1 (no clouds). The default value is 0.5.

  • Power - The clouds are scaled and positioned by adjusting the Power option. The cloud density is achieved by subtracting the Threshold from the pixel value clipping to 0, then multiplying the result with Density. To control the amount of unfocusing of the Cloud_texture, adjust the Blur value (under Sun Parameters). The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

  • Altitude - The height of the clouds. The Altitude value does not greatly affect the position of the clouds. Instead, it determines how much the atmosphere obscures the clouds near the horizon. Low altitude clouds disappear into haze much more slowly than high altitude clouds. The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.2.

  • Halo Size - The size (radius) of cloud illumination from direct back lighting by the sun (for example, when the sun’s Azimuth value is 0). Direct back lighting is most noticeable near the edges of thick clouds or through thin clouds. The valid range is 0 to infinity. The slider range is 0 to 50. The default value is 20.

Calculation Quality

The calculations required for curved atmospheres are expensive. The Calculation Quality parameters do not greatly affect the appearance of the sky, but do affect the speed at which the calculations are computed.

  • Sky Samples - The number of samples used above the cloud layer. Set the Sky_samples value to 1 for maximum speed. The valid range is 0 to 20. The slider range is 0 to 3. The default value is 5.

  • Floor Samples - The number of samples used by the atmosphere between the eye and the horizon. Increasing the Floor_samples value increases the effect of the atmosphere along the floor. At 0, there is no atmosphere between the eye and horizon. The valid range is 0 to 20. The slider range is 0 to 3. The default value is 1.

  • Cloud Samples - The number of samples used below the cloud layer. At 0, clouds do not fade to mist at the horizon. The valid range is 0 to 20. The slider range is 0 to 3. The default value is 5.

Note: If the eye point or view drops below the floor, the Sky texture swatch in the Multi-lister turns red as a warning. If you render the scene, the floor appears red. Make sure that the eye point is always above the floor (the ground plane).

Sphere Texture Parameters

The Sphere texture simulates an environment by mapping a texture or image file directly onto the inner surface of an infinite sphere. The best way to create a sphere environment is to use a ramp texture and paint objects onto it, being sure to avoid the poles and edges.

  • Shear U - Shears the Source texture in the U direction. For example, horizontal stripes will resemble a barber pole. The slider range is -10 to 10. The default value is 0.

  • Shear V - Shears the Source texture in the V direction. For example, concentric lines at the poles will spiral inward. The slider range is -10 to 10. The default value is 0.

  • Flip - Reverses the U and V orientation of the Source texture. For example, what was the horizon now spans the two poles. The default setting is OFF.

Cube Texture Parameters

The cube environment texture simulates an environment by mapping six image files onto the inner surfaces of a cube or box. The size and shape of the texture placement object determines the size and shape of the cube or box.

Tip: To use a cube texture to simulate reflections from a real-world or CG environment, from the center of the environment in all six directions either take photographs of (real-world) or render (CG) the environment. Then map a cube texture to a shader’s Reflection parameter, and assign the six images to the cube texture. Scale and position the texture placement object so that it corresponds to the dimensions of the original environment. Assign the shader to an object in your scene and render (raycast). The object appears to reflect the original environment accurately.
  • Cross Orientation - Choose either Horizontal or Vertical. Also, if you are using a cross image (rather than six discrete images), use the following option. This (and the following option) are designed for use with cross images generated by HDR software.

  • Cross Image - Browse to the location of the cross image that you want used for a cube environment texture.

  • Right, Left, Top, Bottom, Front, Back - The image files mapped to the right, left, top, bottom, front, and back inner surfaces of an infinite cube. (The front of the cube faces the front orthographic window.)

Chrome Texture Parameters

The Chrome texture simulates a showroom environment. The texture consists of a ground plane and a sky plane (with fluorescent style light rectangles), and provides a simple but effective environment to simulate reflections off chrome surfaces.

  • Sky_color - The color of the sky at the horizon. Overall sky color is linearly interpolated between Sky_color and Zenith_color.

  • Zenith_color - The color of the sky at the zenith (straight up). Overall sky color is linearly interpolated between Sky_color and Zenith_color.

  • Light_color - The color of the simulated fluorescent lights. These “lights” produce reflections in surfaces, but they do not actually illuminate surfaces.

Light Placement

The Light Placement parameters control the size and placement of the simulated fluorescent lights in the environment. These “lights” produce reflections in surfaces, but they do not actually illuminate surfaces.

  • Width, Depth - The width and depth of each light. These parameters also determine spacing between lights. The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default Width value is 0.5 and the default Depth value is 0.1.

  • Width mult, Depth mult - The number of lights per unit length. The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

  • Width offset, Depth offset - The light displacement. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

Floor Parameters

The Floor Parameters control the appearance of the environment’s floor.

  • Floor color, Horizon color, Grid color - The color of the floor, the floor’s horizon and the floor’s grid.

  • Real_floor - If Real_floor is OFF, the environment’s floor is located at infinity, so reflections on moving objects or reflections viewed from a moving camera will be incorrect. The default setting is OFF.

    If Real_floor is ON, the floor is located on the ground plane, so reflections on moving objects or reflections viewed from a moving camera will be correct. If Real_floor is ON, make sure surfaces or the camera do not go below the ground plane.

Grid Placement

The Grid Placement parameters control the size and placement of the floor’s grid.

  • Width, Depth - The width and depth of the grid lines. These parameters also determine the spacing between grid lines. The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.1.

  • Width_mult, Depth_mult - The number of grid cells per unit length. The valid/slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 1.

  • Width_offset,Depth_offset - The grid displacement. The slider range is 0 to 1. The default value is 0.

Ball Texture Parameters

The Ball texture uses an image (or series of images) of a highly reflective chrome ball in an environment (real world or computer generated) to re-create that environment. This is possible because the reflections in the chrome ball provide a (nearly) 360 degree view of the environment.

A Ball texture background renders faster than a procedural texture background or a background modeled with surfaces. You can therefore replace a complex background with a Ball texture (by rendering an image of a chrome ball in that environment) to reduce rendering times.

In order to use the Ball environment texture, you must map the texture’s Image parameter with the image of a reflective chrome ball in the environment you want to re-create. You should also map the environment’s Backdrop parameter with the image of the environment without the chrome ball.

  • Image - The texture used by the Ball texture. To use a single image of a highly reflective chrome ball in an environment, map a File texture to the Ball texture’s Image parameter, and then map the image file to the File texture’s Image parameter.

    To use several images of a highly reflective chrome ball in an environment, map a Volume texture to the Ball texture’s Image parameter, and then map one of the image files to the Volume texture’s Pix Sequence parameter.

  • Inclination - The rotation (in degrees) of the ball image about the vertical axis. The valid range is -10000 to 10000. The slider range is 0 to 180. The default setting is 0.

    Set the Inclination value to the inclination of the camera (that is, the angle between the camera’s view and the environment’s YZ plane) used to generate the image file (by photographing or rendering a reflective ball in an environment). For example, if the inclination of the camera is 45 degrees, set the Inclination value to 45. If the camera is parallel to the YZ plane, set the Inclination value to 0. When creating the ball image, a camera inclination and elevation of zero will provide the best resolution for the view you intend to use.

  • Elevation - The rotation of the ball image about the horizontal axis. The valid range is -10000 to 10000. The slider range is -90 to 90. The default setting is 0.

    Set the Elevation value to the elevation of the camera (that is, the angle between the camera’s view and the environment’s ground plane: XY plane for a Z-up scene) used to generate the image file (by photographing or rendering a reflective ball in an environment). For example, if the elevation of the camera is 90 degrees (that is, it is directly above the ball), set the Elevation value to 90. If the camera is parallel to the ground plane, set the Elevation value to 0. When creating the ball image, a camera inclination and elevation of zero will provide the best resolution for the view you intend to use.

  • Eyespace - Causes the position of the Ball texture’s Image file to be defined relative to the window, not the camera view. If Eyespace is ON, the Ball texture’s Image file automatically matches the environment’s Backdrop image file (provided they were both originally photographed/rendered from the same point of view), even if the camera view changes. Reflections, however, are based on the background being infinitely far away; that is, the reflection planes are ignored. Rendering is faster when Eyespace is ON. The default setting is OFF.

  • Reflect- Causes the Image file to be reflection mapped onto the background. If Reflect is OFF, the Image file is mapped using a solid texture spherical projection. This allows you to model the geometry of the background image and then map the background image to this geometry, for example, to add shadows, lighting effects, or fog to your scene. The default setting is OFF.

  • Projection Geometry - The Projection Geometry parameters define the location of the sky or room walls of the original environment so that the system can calculate reflections on surfaces in the re-created environment.

    For example, if the original environment consisted of a ground plane and a sky, then you would set the Sky_radius value to the radius of the sky, and the Bottom value to the distance between the ground plane and the reflective ball. If the original environment consisted of a room, then you would set the Bottom, Top, Left, Right, Front, and Back values to the distance between each wall and the reflective ball.

    In some cases you may want to use values different than the original environment. For example, instead of using the Bottom, Top, Left, Right, Front, and Back values to define the walls of a room, you may simply use the Sky_radius parameter. Because Sky_radius defines a sphere, reflections on surfaces in the simulated environment will be smoother and less likely to become blurred. You can also combine Sky_radius with Bottom, Top, Left, Right, Front, or Back.

  • Sky_radius - The radius of the sky of the original environment. The valid range is 0 to 100000. The slider range is 0 to 20. The default value is 0.

  • Bottom,Top, Left, Right, Front, Back - The distance between the reflective ball and each wall of the original environment. The valid range is 0 to 9.999e+13. The slider range is 0 to 20. The default value is 0.

Backdrop

This is the same as mapping the Backdrop image, except that a procedural image can be used.

Texture mapping examples

Bulge

Fractal

Cloth

Grid

Mountain

Noise

Ramp

Water

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