cget001-How to use Vector map in 3ds Max 2014

The new Vector Map introduced in 3ds Max 2014 gives you ability to use vector maps as texture maps and then render them with dynamic resolutions (independent of the display resolution). The rendered graphics will remain crisp and clear at any resolution. This vector map supports AutoCAD PAT Hatch, AI (Adobe Illustrator), SVG, PDF, and SVGZ formats. You can also animate the textures using a PDF file that contains animated page transitions. In this tutorial, you will use the ai format with the format with the Vector Map.

Step – 1

Navigate to the link http://www.mediafire.com/?k5288w91eeo16 and download the zipped file. Next, extract vectorMap folder to your hard drive.

Step – 2

Start 3ds Max 2014. Create a box in the viewport. In the Modify panel, set the Length, Width, and Height spinners to 100.

Step – 3

Apply an UVW Map modifier to the box. Select Box radio button from the Mapping area of the Parameters rollout.

Step – 4

Open the Compact Material Editor. Make sure the first sample slot is selected in it and then in the Blinn Basic Parameters rollout choose the button located next to the Diffuse color swatch; the Material/Map Browser will be displayed. Expand the Maps > Standard rollout if already not expended.

Step – 5

In the Standard rollout, select Vector Map and then choose the OK button; the Vector Map is displayed in the selected sample slot.

Step – 6

In the Parameters rollout, choose the button labeled as None corresponding to the Vector File parameter; the Select Vector Image File dialog box will be displayed. Next, select honey_bee.ai that you have downloaded at the beginning of the tutorial and then choose the Open button to close the dialog box.

Step – 7

In the Alpha Source area, select the Image Alpha radio button.

The Alpha Source area has three radio buttons: Image Alpha, RGB Intensity, and None (Opaque). On selecting the Image Alpha radio button, the alpha channel embed in the image is used a source of alpha. This radio button is disabled if image has no alpha channel. When you select the RGB Intensity radio button, the colors are converted to grayscale tonal values and then they are used for transparency. If you do not want to use the transparency, select the None (Opaque) option.

Step – 8

Apply material to the box and then choose the Render Production tool to render the scene. Figure tu1-1 shows the rendered output.

tu1-1  The rendered output

Step – 9

Now, zoom into the view and render again. You will notice that the honey bee image is still crisp and clear, refer to Figure tu1-2.

tu1-2  The render output of the zoomed view

Step – 10

Save the scene.

Now, you can try with various formats that the Vector Map supports. Figures tu1-3 and tut1-4 show the output using the SVG and AutoCAD PAT formats.

tu1-3  The output using the SVG format

tu1-4 The output using the AutoCAD PAT format