Different Maps in 3ds Max

SuPa-

Hi, I was just wondering how I get glow maps, ambient occlusion maps, and other such maps into 3ds Max, because they're not as one of the things under the map tab

I know there in the material/map browser, but what do I put them under?

MoP

Glow maps go in the Self-Illumination slot. Click the checkbox to turn on "Color" too (at the top level of the Standard material).

I'm not sure about ambient occlusion maps, I'd probably just put them in the Diffuse slot using a Mix map type (with your diffuse texture map in the first Mix slot, pure black in the second Mix slot and the ambient occlusion map in the Mix Amount slot). You can specify which UVW map channel each texture will use.

Other people may have better solutions to the AO map placement. I've never used an AO map which needed a separate UV set in Max before.

SuPa-

Thanks! Right now I don't need to apply an ambient occlusion map, I was just curious, but I needed to know how to implement a glow map, so... :]

Eric Chadwick

Where you put the maps depends on whether you want to use an offline renderer (the Render button) to render a still image or a movie file, or if you want to display it "live" in the viewport like a game does. Which do you want?

Slum

The new version of max has really neat composite materials, similar to photoshop layers. You would be able to bring in an AO map and multiply it on your diffuse. You could also do the same with your spec if you wanted. neat stuff

SuPa-

Eric, well, this is for a mini-comp over at Game Artisans, so there's just going to be render shots.

Eric Chadwick

Cool, so then you want what MoP and Slum said.

System

Ambient occlusion belongs in a diffuse channel but you would be wise editing your diffuse colour map and the ambient occlusion to make them one map. Mix map/2 maps means more overhead for the same result.

SuPa-

Ugh, sorry, but could you dumb that down a bit? Maybe show some screen shots? Because some of the stuff you've said I don't know where to look for
xD

I'm still kind've a noob at 3ds Max