4.202 MAX Hands-On Handout 2

MIT 4.202 Geometric Modeling Fall 2003
Using MAX: Materials and Mapping - Hands-On Handout 2

prepared by: Haldane Liew
version: 2003.10.31

This handout provides a step-by-step process to apply textures to your model in MAX. It only covers a few of the most commonly used commands that you will need for your assignment. For a more detailed explanation on the interface and tools of MAX, refer to the lab handouts and the Help menu in MAX.

Get Geometry
01. Download the demo files.

Download the demo MAX file (3d_citrohan_11_handson_white.max).
Download all the texture maps (concrete.jpg, door.jpg, holes.jpg, tiles_brown.jpg, tiles_red.jpg, wood_floor.jpg).
Place all the files in one folder.
In MAX, File>Open.
Browse to locate the file you just downloaded and open it.

Transparent Materials
02. Making a standard transparent material.

Open the material editor by clicking on the Material Editor icon.
Select an unused slot to create a new material.
Set its name to "glass standard".
Activate the background by clicking on the background icon in the Material Editor Window.
Set the "Opacity" value to 10%.
Set the "Specular Level" value to 100.
Set the "Glossiness" value to 70.
The advantages of using standard to make a transparent material is that it is faster to render but it is not an accurate representation of a real transparent material.

03. Making a raytrace transparent material.

Select another unused slot to create a new material.
Set its name to "glass raytrace".
Activate the background by clicking on the background icon in the Material Editor Window.
Click on "Standard" and select "Raytrace".
Uncheck "Transparency" and set the number to 90.
Uncheck "Reflect" and set the number to 15.
Set "Index of Refr" to 1.3333.
The advantages of using raytrace to make a transparent material is that it is a more accurate representation of real transparent material but it takes longer to render.

04. Assign glass material to geometry.

Type "h" on your keyboard to select by name.
Highlight "3d_glass.01" and hit "Select".
Select "glass standard" and click the "Assign Material to Selection" button in the Material Editor window.
Render the viewport for camera01 and camera03.
Do the same thing for "glass raytrace". What do you notice that is different?
Set the glass back to "glass standard".

Light Modification
05. Excluding geometry from lights.

Select the secondary light named "Omni01".
Select the "Modify" tab in the command panel.
Click on "Exclude.." in the "General Parameters" section.
Highlight "3d_glass.01"
Click on the double arrows pointing to the right and click "OK".
Render the viewport for camera01.

Texture Maps and Mapping Coordinates
06. Make a new material for the exterior floor.

Select an unused slot in the Material Editor to create a new material.
Name it "exterior tile".
Open the "Maps" rollout menu.
Check the box next to "Diffuse Color" to turn it on.
Click on the map button (it says "None" for now).
In the new "Material/Map Browser", click on "Bitmap" to get a static picture.
Browse to locate the file "tiles_red.jpg" and click "Open".
Click on the "Go to Parent" button.
Assign the floor material to "expansion.01".

07. Maximize Top view and render.

Maximize the Top view by typing "w" with the Top view window highlighted.
Render the viewport.
You should get a "Missing Map Coordinates" window. This error occured because MAX needs to know how to map the image "tiles_red.jpg" relative to the geometry of "expansion.01".
Hit "Cancel".

08. Assign mapping coordinates to "expansion.01".

Select "expansion.01" and click on the "Modify" tab in the command panel.
From the "Modifier List" select "UVW Map". An orange rectangle will appear in the viewport which is called the "Gizmo".
Render the Top view. You will notice that the texture is too big.
Change the dimensions of the Gizmo by setting the "Length" to 2.4 and the "Width" to 2.4.
Render the Top view again.

09. More adjustments to the Gizmo.

Click on the "UVW Mapping" modifier in the modifier stack. (It should be the top item). The modifier should now be highlighted in yellow. You are now in a Gizmo modification mode. Any changes will only affect the Gizmo.
Click on the Move icon and relocate the Gizmo.
Render the view to visualize the changes.
Click on the Rotate icon and rotate the Gizmo 45 degrees by dragging in the window.
Render the view to visualize the changes.
Undo the rotation with "ctrl-z".
Get out of Gizmo modification mode by clicking on "UVW Mapping" again to unhighlight it.

10. Making a new material for the interior floor.

Select an empty slot in the Material Editor.
Name it "wood floor".
Open the "Maps" rollout menu.
Check the box next to "Diffuse Color" to turn it on.
Click on the map button (it says "None" for now).
In the new "Material/Map Browser", click on "Bitmap" to get a static picture.
Browse to locate the file "wood_floor.jpg" and click "Open".
Assign the floor material to "3d_interior_floor.01".
Add a UVW map to the geometry by selecting from the "Modifier List", "UVW Map".
Change the dimensions of the Gizmo by setting the "Length" to 1.5 and the "Width" to 1.
Render the viewport for camera01 and camera02.

Adding Secondary Lights
11. Using multiplier and attenuation with omni lights.

Turn on omni light "Omni02"
Render view in camera02.
The intensity of the light is obviously too much. To lower the intensity change the multiplier value.
Select the omni light and click on the "Modify" tab in the command panel.
In the "Intensity/Color/Attenuation" rollout menu, change the multiplier value to 0.3.
Render view in camera02.
Another means of controlling the intensity of the light is through attenuation which controls how the light fades into darkness.
In the "Intensity/Color/Attenuation" rollout menu, change the multiplier value back to 1.0.
Check "Use" in the "Far Attenuation" section.
Change the "Start" value to be 0 and the "End" value to be 8.
Render views from camera01 and camera02.

More Materials
12. Adding concrete to the walls.

Open the material editor by clicking on the Material Editor icon.
Select an unused slot to create a new standard material
Set its name to "concrete".
In the "Maps" rollout menu, check "Diffuse Color" and select "none".
In the new "Material/Map Browser", click on "Bitmap" to get a static picture.
Browse to locate the file "concrete.jpg" and click "Open".
Assign material to "3d_walls.01".
Add a UVW map to the geometry by selecting from the "Modifier List", "UVW Map".
Activate the Left viewport and in the command panel click "View Align".
Change the dimensions of the Gizmo by setting the "Length" to 10 and the "Width" to 10.
Render to visualize the changes

13. Create the material for the mullions.

Open the material editor by clicking on the Material Editor icon.
Select an unused slot to create a new standard material and set its name to "mullions".
Set the "Diffuse" color to dark grey (R = 66, G = 66, B = 66).
Assign material to "3d_mullions.01".
Render to visualize the changes.

14. Create the material for a red leather couch.

Select an unused slot in the Material Editor to create a new material and set its name to "red leather".
Set the "Diffuse" color to Red (red = 200, green = 0, blue = 0).
Set the "Specular level" to 85.
Set the "Glossiness" to 25.
Assign material to "leather.01" and "cushion.01".
Render to visualize the changes.

15. Create the material for the steel on the leather couch.

Select an unused slot in the Material Editor to create a new material and set its name to "chrome".
Click on the "Get Material" icon.
Select "Mtl Library" and click on "Open..."
Click on "RayTraced_01.mat"
Double-click on "ChromeWhite" and close the "Material/Map Browser"
Assign the material to "steel.01".
Render to visualize the changes.

Environment
16. Change the background color.

Open the Environment window (Rendering>Environment...).
Click on the "Background" color swatch.
Move the sliders to get a light blue or use R = 196, G = 210, B = 223.
Render to visualize the changes.

17. Use a bitmap for the background.

Open the material editor by clicking on the Material Editor icon.
Select an unused slot to create a new standard material.
Set its name to "background".
Click on the "Get Material" icon.
Make sure the "Browse from:" selection is set on "new".
Double-click on "Gradient".
Change the color swatches to go from blue to white.
In the "Coordinates" rollout menu, select "Environ"
For "Mapping", select "Spherical Environment".
Open the Environment window (Rendering>Environment...)
Drag the material "background" to the "Environment Map:" in the Environment window.
Select "Instance" and click "OK".
Render to visualize the changes.

Procedural Materials
18. Adding a reflection procedure to the hardwood floor.

Open the material editor by clicking on the Material Editor icon.
Select the wood floor material.
Add a background to it by clicking on the background icon.
Make sure you are at the top level of the material by clicking on the "Go to Parent" button.
Go to the maps rollout menu and check "Reflection".
Set the amount to 15.
Press the map button (it says "None") and select "Raytrace".
Before rendering an image, make sure your "Maximum Depth" is set to 2 or 3.
(Rendering>Raytracer Settings... >Ray Depth Control)
Render camera02 to visualize the changes.
Note: an alternative method is to create a raytrace material and set the diffuse map to be the wood floor and set the reflect to be 15.

19. Procedural checkers instead of wood on the floor.

Click and drag the wood floor material to an unassigned slot. This duplicates the material.
Set the name to "checker".
Under the "Maps" rollout menu, click on the "Diffuse Color" map button (it should have the name of the bitmap file).
Under the "Go to Parent" button, should be a button named "Bitmap". This represents the current type of map being used. Click on it to change the map.
Select "Checker" and discard the old map.
Adjust the colors of the checker map if you wish.
Assign the new checker material to "3d_interior_floor.01".
Render to visualize the changes.
Restore the floor back to a wood floor.

20. Procedural brick on the walls.

Select an unused slot to create a new material.
Set its name to "brick".
Set the "Diffuse Color" map to be "Bricks".
Assign the brick material to "3d_walls.01".
Adjust the colors of the bricks if you wish.
Under the "Parameters" rollout menu, set the Mapping type to "Box".
Set the "Length" = 1.0, "Width" = 1.0, "Height" = 0.75.
Render to visualize the changes.

Detaching Surfaces
21. Detach some faces to assign a different material.

Maximize the right viewport.
Hide all objects except "3d_slabs.01".
Select "3d_slabs.01" and click on the "Modify" tab in the command panel.
In the "Selection" rollout menu, click on the Face icon. It should now be highlighted in yellow.
Select the Rectangular Selection Region icon. Make sure the selection mode is set to "Window Selection".
In the Left view, select all the top faces of the slab.
In the "Edit Geometry" section, click on "Detach".
Rename the object to "floor2" and click "OK".
Click on the Face icon again to unhighlight it.

22. Apply the floor material to the new floor.

Apply the wood flooring material to the new floor.

23. Copy a UVW map.

Maximize the view from camera04.
Unhide the object "3d_interior_floor.01".
Select "floor2_level" and click on the "Modify" tab in the command panel.
Assign a UVW map modifier to the geometry.
Under the "Alignment" section, click on "Acquire".
Select the object "3d_interior_floor".
Select "Acquire Absolute" and hit "OK".
Render to visualize the changes.

The Two Sides of a Surface
24. Flip normals.

Select an object with the Select icon.
Click on the "Modify" tab in the command panel.
Click on "Editable Mesh".
In the "Selection" rollout menu, click on the Face icon. It should now be highlighted in yellow.
Also check "Show Normals". A blue line will represent the direction of the surface normal when you pick a surface.
In the "Surface Properties" rollout menu, under the "Normals" section, click on "Flip" to flip the normals of a face.
After you are finished flipping normals, click on the Face icon again to unhighlight it.

25. Double-sided materials.

Click on the Material Editor icon.
Select any material.
Under the basic parameters rollout menu, check the "2-Sided" option.

26. Force 2-sided.

Click on the "Render the current scene" icon or Rendering>Render...
In the "Options" section, check "Force 2-Sided".
This option should be used as a last resort since it will increase rendering time.

Bump Map
27. Using bump maps.

Select an unused slot to create a new standard material.
Set its name to "brick bump".
Set the "Diffuse Color" map to be "Bricks".
Set the "Bump" map to be "Bricks" as well.
In the "Bricks" submenu for the bump map, change the color of the brick to be white and the color of the mortar to be black. Black will give the illusion of sinking into the surface of the material while white will do the opposite.
Double-click on the material slot to pop up a blow up of the material. Do you see the effects of the bump map? Increase the percentage of the bump if you do not.
Assign the brick material to "3d_walls.01".
Add a UVW map modifier to "3d_walls.01".
Under the "Parameters" rollout menu, set the Mapping type to "Box".
Set the "Length" = 1.0, "Width" = 1.0, "Height" = 0.75.
Render to visualize the changes.

Opacity Map
28. Using opacity maps.

Select an unused slot to create a new standard material.
Set its name to "perforated metal".
In the "Shader Basic Parameters" check "2-Sided".
Set the "Specular Level" to 50.
Set the "Glossiness" to 25.
In the Maps rollout menu, check "Opacity" and set the percentage to be 100%.
Set the "Opacity" map to the bitmap "holes.jpg". Notice the image is a grey scale image.
Assign the material to "3d_walls.01".
Add a UVW map modifier to "3d_walls.01".
Under the "Parameters" rollout menu, set the Mapping type to "Box".
Set the "Length" = 1.0, "Width" = 2.0, "Height" = 1.0.
Render to visualize the changes.

Water
29. Making water with a noise bump map.

Select an unused slot to create a new raytrace material.
Set its name to "water noise".
Activate the background by clicking on the background icon in the Material Editor Window.
Set "Transparency" to 50.
Set "Reflect" to 20.
Set "Index of Refr" to 1.3333.
Under the "Raytrace Basic Parameters" rollout menu, check "Bump" and set the value to 30.
Select "Noise" for the bump map.
In the "Coordinates" rollout menu, set "Tiling" to X=30, Y=30, Z=30.
In the "Noise Parameters" rollout menu, set "Size" to 25.
Apply "water noise" to "3d_ground.01".
Render to visualize the changes. The noise map makes an undulating surface.

30. Making water with a water bump map.

Select an unused slot to create a new raytrace material.
Set its name to "water water".
Activate the background by clicking on the background icon in the Material Editor Window.
Set "Transparency" to 50.
Set "Reflect" to 20.
Set "Index of Refr" to 1.3333.
Under the "Raytrace Basic Parameters" rollout menu, check "Bump" and set the value to 30.
Select "Water" for the bump map.
In the "Coordinates" rollout menu, set "Tiling" to X=60, Y=60, Z=60.
In the "Water Parameters" rollout menu, set "Wave Radius" to 1600.
Apply "water noise" to "3d_ground.01".
Render to visualize the changes. The water map makes a ripple effect.

Touch Up Images
31. Photoshop

Crop the images if they need to be cropped. Make sure you crop all the images the same way.
Adjust the Levels of the image so they use the full spectrum of colors.