Thinking
Outside the Box:
3DS Tutorial #1: CyberGuy
|
Vol.
2, Issue 13
February 23, 2000
|
Now, click
on the small map button beside the diffuse value…
…make
sure Browse From: is New and double-click Bitmap.
Click
on your blank Bitmap bar under Bitmap Parameters…
…navigate
to your …\3dstuts\maps directory and double-click on cyberguy03.jpg
Finally
make your material Sample Type a cube and turn Show Map in Viewport
on.
Assigning
the Material
If it’s
not selected, select the rectangle and assign the material we
just made. Once assigned, notice how in the material box has
white ‘corners’ in addition to a white outline. This means the
object selected is ‘wearing’ the material selected.
This serves
as a great way to verify the materials are assigned to the right
objects. Now close the Material Editor and change your viewport
to Smooth + Highlights…
As you
can see, something ain’t quite right. The rectangle should be
sporting the cyberguybuild material with a visible image of cyberguy03.jpg.
Know what the problem is? The most obvious of course is the fact
that the rectangle is just a shape and not a mesh.
We also have a problem because we haven’t assigned any mapping
coordinates to properly see the bitmap material. One way to fix
all this is to go to the Modify command panel, click on the Edit
Stack icon and turn the shape into an Editable Mesh.
Then we
assign a UVW Map modifier to the mesh and viola. It’s visible.
Another way is to assign an Edit Mesh modifier before you assign
the UVW Map modifier and achieve the same results. However, there’s
an even better way. Simply assign a UVW Map modifier to the
shape.
This makes
it a one-step process instead of two because a UVW Map can only
be applied to a mesh. Max knows this and takes care of the transformation
for you. The Mapping type is already on Planar so the image is
aligned right. Remove the UVW Map modifier and the shape reverts
to its original state. Slick, huh?
Something
to remember when mapping guides onto planes is the power of two
rule. Cyberguy03.jpg is 256 x 256 making it square and video
card friendly. This ensures that it is going to be clear when
seen in the viewport. 512 x 512 can work but it’s often blurrier
and less distinct than at 256 x 256.
Creating
the Shapes
Cool.
Now we’re cooking with gas! Now it’s time to start the actual
building process. Select the rectangle if isn’t already and hit
P. Click on zoom extents…