Here is the script I'm talking about: http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/edgefinder TexTools also has such an option. Ofcourse, TexTools is much stable and works 99% of the time, while Edge Finder usually times out after several uses.
That generates vertex colour data. no uvs needed. For generating cavity/convexity data you'd be better off with a modifier like tension http://rpmanager.com/plugins/TensionMod.htm Its much faster than a script. or use XNormal. Both will generate the data with no uvs on the HP mesh
I need to unwrap the high poly (even a quick and dirty flatten mapping works fine in my case) to bake or create a dirt map based upon vertex. Textools and EdgeFinder are both scripts which do this, and I have extra details on high poly which I would like to capture which I don't have on my low poly. @Bino: Thanks, much…
To render edgeFinder put a vertex colour node in the diffuse. To bake this just bake a diffuse element onto the low poly. Tension is a little complex at first. You can use this script to apply it to a selection of objects. I personally apply it on top of my smoothing as it gets a sharper result. If you do this manually…