Well I use the migNormalTools script. For this example I select all the planar faces, harden the normal and then with the same faces selected I use the fillet outside option in the migNormalTools script.
Select your LP meshes together, apply a edit poly modifier, to the selection, adjust your uvw so no over lapping, bake, then delete the edit poly modifier off the stake.
Also; 1 Vertex = VERTEX More than 1 Vertex = VERTICES... I can't even count the number of times I've heard; 'Select the corner vertice' 'Select a group of vertexes'
You could create a camera and set it to a specific FOV. You can then get the angle right for the shot in the editor then, with the camera selected, select ctrl+shift+f to align it to view. :thumbup:
False! Alt H will hide selected sub-object selections. As for your scroll wheel problem... installed any scripts recently? Edit Edit wasn't needed, I failed to read.
If for input you have only this 2 textures you should select the black color on the rock texture and use this selection as a mask. You are unable to do any magic tricks here.
In case you need to use Max later... I would pass a sub-object selection up to the Displace modifier. I'd also use soft selection if it needed a transition area.
W+right click > Axis > Custom > Set to edge > Select one edge It's possible that it's called "Set to component". What this does is that it aligns your manipulator to the selected edge/face/vertex.
Tint the shadows with red in the AO map for starters (create a Selective Color -adjustment layer in Photoshop, select "Black" from the drop down menu and set red to something like +15).
In Maya, you can check some topology like you want using selection constraints ( it allows you to select by triangles, ngons, and a whole list of other options. Really useful.)