3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [227]
Composite
The Composite material mixes up to ten different materials by adding, subtracting, or mixing the opacity. The Composite Basic Parameters rollout, shown in Figure 18.2, includes buttons for the base material and nine additional materials that can be composited on top of the base material. The materials are applied from top to bottom.
FIGURE 18.2
Composite materials are applied from top to bottom, with the last layer placed on top of the rest.
You enable or disable each material using the check box to its left. The buttons labeled with the letters A, S, and M specify the opacity type: Additive, Subtractive, or Mix. The Additive option brightens the material by adding the background colors to the current material. The Subtractive option has the opposite effect and subtracts the background colors from the current material. The Mix option blends the materials based on their Amount values.
To the right of the A, S, and M buttons is the Mix amount. This value can range from 0 to 200. At 0, none of the materials below it will be visible. At 100, full compositing occurs. Values greater than 100 cause transparent regions to become more opaque.
Cross-Reference
You can learn more about compositing and the Video Post interface in Chapter 49, “Compositing with Render Elements and the Video Post Interface.” •
Double Sided
The Double Sided material specifies different materials for the front and back of object faces. You also have an option to make the material translucent. This material is for objects that have holes in their surface. Typically, objects with surface holes do not appear correctly because only the surfaces with normals pointing outward are visible. Applying the Double Sided material shows the interior and exterior of such an object.
The Double Sided Basic Parameters rollout includes two buttons, one for the Facing material and one for the Back material. The Translucency value sets how much of one material shows through the other.
Multi/Sub-Object
You can use the Multi/Sub-Object material to assign several different materials to a single object via the material IDs. You can use the Mesh or Poly Select modifier to select each subobject area to receive the different materials.
At the top of the Multi/Sub-Object Basic Parameters rollout, shown in Figure 18.3, is a Set Number button that lets you select the number of subobject materials to include. This number is displayed in a text field to the left of the button. Each submaterial is displayed as a separate area on the sample object in the sample slots. Using the Add and Delete buttons, you can selectively add or delete submaterials from the list.
FIGURE 18.3
The Multi/Sub-Object material defines materials according to material IDs.
Tip
You can set the number of materials that are included by default in the Multi/Sub-Object material using the Options⇒Preferences dialog box. Nodes for each material are also included by default when a Multi/Sub-Object material node is created, but you can ensure that no extra material nodes are included by enabling the Empty Sub-Material Slots option in the Preferences dialog box. •
Each submaterial includes a sample preview of the submaterial and an index number listed to the left, a Name field where you can type the name of the submaterial, a button for selecting the material, a color swatch for creating solid color materials, and a check box for enabling or disabling the submaterial. You can sort the submaterials by clicking the ID, Name, or Sub-Material buttons at the top of each column.
After you apply a Multi/Sub-Object material to an object, convert the object to an Editable Mesh or Poly, or use the Mesh or Poly Select modifier to make a subobject selection and match the Material IDs in the Surface Properties rollout to the material for the subobject selection. In the Material section for this subobject selection, choose a material ID to associate with a submaterial ID or select the material by name from the drop-down list.
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