Opacity map not displaying properly in Viewport (Max)

CJE

I'm having trouble with opacity maps in my viewport.

When I turn on my opacity map, the plane with the map turns into a blocky mess.

However, if I render, it shows up perfectly.

So it must be a setting in Max somewhere, any ideas?

Mark Dygert

Probably just the viewport setting. Right click the label in the upper left of the viewport and set the transparency to Best. On 2009+ its the last label on the right.

If that doesn't help its probably your viewport texture settings. Customize > Preferances > Viewports Tab > Configure Driver. Turning off AA might speed up the viewport also and get rid of any blurry BS it's doing.

BradMyers82

Just to add to what Vig said, if you choose "None" that is actually the highest quality transparency value. At least it is when using Xoluil shader.
I have no idea why "None" would be better than "best" but it is on my version of Max.

CJE

Still can't get it to work, I have a feeling I may be setting up the alpha map wrong?

I have 1 texture, in the RGB channel is the colored version of the alpha, and in the alpha channel is a black/white version, with black being the parts I wan't hidden.


I plug the texture in the diffuse slot.

I plug the texture into the opacity slot, and check alpha off in the options.

Eric Chadwick

In the Opacity bitmap, set Mono Channel Output = Alpha, and set Alpha Source = Image Alpha. Like this: http://www.torquemod.com/alpha_settings.jpg

In the Diffuse bitmap, set Alpha Source = None

Does that work better?

Piflik

The opacity display in Max' Viewports is quite bad by default. Set it to hardware display and it should be much better. (If I understand your problem correctly, that is...)

Eric...why would you use Image Alpha as Alpha Source in any Map? I always set it to none, unless I use a Composite Map (or want to see the Diffuse Color behind a texture...but that never happens )

kdm3d

Piflik wrote: »

The opacity display in Max' Viewports is quite bad by default. Set it to hardware display and it should be much better. (If I understand your problem correctly, that is...)

Eric...why would you use Image Alpha as Alpha Source in any Map? I always set it to none, unless I use a Composite Map (or want to see the Diffuse Color behind a texture...but that never happens )

Its just used to condense maps. Instead of having a seperate texture for an opacity map, you can store opacity information in the alpha channel of a different map. Or a spec mask, or a gloss map, pretty much any texture or mask that can be represented in gray scale...

Piflik

That I know...and I didn't ask...I asked why would you use the Alpha in Max' Bitmap Map Parameters...if you activate it, the map will be transparent, according to the Alpha Channel...so for example, if you use a .png with an Alpha Channel in the Diffuse Slot, you will see the standard Diffuse Color on the transparent parts...usefull when you want to place decals with a Composite Map, but otherwise I see no use for it...in fact it is quite bad if you have a smooth transition in your Alpha...if you have a Bitmap in the Diffuse Channel and want to cut it out using the Alpha Channel as Opacity Map, you will get a border around the image (because the image will first be multiplied with the default Diffuse Color before becoming semi-transparent), if you have this option active in the Diffuse Channel.

kdm3d

I see what your saying. I remember the border, haven't used that in a while now. IF I remeber right, because its multiplied, cant you turn your diffuse color to black and it removes that border? I remember fixing that issue... might not have been it though.

All in all, the only reason to condense maps is for realtime, and since max isn't a game engine, you really dont need to... seperate maps work just fine for rendering:)

Eric Chadwick

That's why I advise setting the Diffuse's Alpha Source to None, so you don't get the Diffuse color bleed. For example...
http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?t=68743

And the Opacity map doesn't strictly need Alpha Source set to Image Alpha, on or off doesn't matter, that's just force of habit. However it does need the Mono Channel Output set to Alpha so it uses the alpha channel instead of RGB for transparency.

Piflik

And 'Force of Default Setting' :poly121:...man I'd like to make it 'none' by default...

Eric Chadwick

There's always the SDK...

wilboy

CJE wrote: »

I'm having trouble with opacity maps in my viewport.

When I turn on my opacity map, the plane with the map turns into a blocky mess.

However, if I render, it shows up perfectly.

So it must be a setting in Max somewhere, any ideas?

Hi,

I think.......:poly117: It is your software problem.... may be any of 3ds max's system file or settings you lost. Try to reset 3ds max from customize menu and after
doing that problem apear continue then just reinstall it. You fill that process little boring but I'm sure it will clear your problem completely.:)

Eric Chadwick

Um, no.

CJE, can you post a screenshot?

Also, did you turn on Customize > Preferences > Viewports Tab > Configure Driver > Download Texture Size > Match Bitmap Size As Closely As Possible , then reload the texture ?

StupidCupid

Idk if you ever got this resolved, but.....

Right Click Viewport Quality Tab > Materials > Show materials with maps 

It's 7 years later, but this fixed the issue for me ^_^