Atrokkus
12-22-2005, 04:13 AM
I don't have much experience in 3dsmax, and I would ask you guys a question that's been crossing my mind now and then.
Is there a modifier that could read the map color levels and adjust (raise/lower) poly/patch/mesh vertices/faces accordingly? For instance, I have a pretty bumpy texture of blistered skin (i'll supply images later, maybe) that is mapped on a sphere. As far as i know 'em, maps alone cannot provide the needed bumpy effect (i've tried bumpmapping, but it's pretty meh..), and I just thought that there could be such a modifier that will quickly get the deformation done based on the pattern of a texture, or pattern of an auxiliary texture: a grayscale schematic of the texture, so that it would be easier to assess height levels, and of course, a set of parameters to adjust the height, precision, et al.
Is that possible, or it's just my wild fantasy? I understand that there are other ways, but I just wanted to know about this one. However, it would be appreciated if you could post other possible techniques to get the job done.
You see, I could make it manually, but it's just way too time-consuming.
(sorry if I missed something obvious: as i said, I'm just a rookie)
EDIT: Silly me... I've just realized the contradiction we're facing here.. If I use such technique, then the model shape will, of course, change, thus changing the mapping positioning, which will pretty much render it all useless, as the bumps and the texture will be incompatible. However, my question still stands, for at least it'll make modelling life easier (for me it's more comfortable to draw the shape, rather than mould it in 3dsmax).
Is there a modifier that could read the map color levels and adjust (raise/lower) poly/patch/mesh vertices/faces accordingly? For instance, I have a pretty bumpy texture of blistered skin (i'll supply images later, maybe) that is mapped on a sphere. As far as i know 'em, maps alone cannot provide the needed bumpy effect (i've tried bumpmapping, but it's pretty meh..), and I just thought that there could be such a modifier that will quickly get the deformation done based on the pattern of a texture, or pattern of an auxiliary texture: a grayscale schematic of the texture, so that it would be easier to assess height levels, and of course, a set of parameters to adjust the height, precision, et al.
Is that possible, or it's just my wild fantasy? I understand that there are other ways, but I just wanted to know about this one. However, it would be appreciated if you could post other possible techniques to get the job done.
You see, I could make it manually, but it's just way too time-consuming.
(sorry if I missed something obvious: as i said, I'm just a rookie)
EDIT: Silly me... I've just realized the contradiction we're facing here.. If I use such technique, then the model shape will, of course, change, thus changing the mapping positioning, which will pretty much render it all useless, as the bumps and the texture will be incompatible. However, my question still stands, for at least it'll make modelling life easier (for me it's more comfortable to draw the shape, rather than mould it in 3dsmax).