Curvature map for max and any word on the raw light selects?

[joconnell]

Hi Vlado,

Would it be possible to get a curvature shader for max? It'd be very handy for some of the max / procedurally driven texturing apps that are out at the minute that rely on curvature maps for some of their distribution which are great for smaller departments that have less time for texturing. Also would it be possible to have a few more normal map options in the render to texture to feed into this also? The current version of it will render a regular color map for the object when you try to use the vrayNormalMap in render to texture and will make vray and max crash if you try to render the regular normal map render to texture. I'm on max 2014 sp5 and vray 3.007 64

Sorry to nag also but is there a rough timeline on raw light selects? It's a pretty major one once you get used to having it - do you think it'd be weeks / months before it'd make it into a nightly?

Cheers!

[vlado]

It is possible, yes - will make a note for it. I'm wondering if it can be written as an OSL shader - need to look into it. The raw light selects are coming soon too.

Best regards,
Vlado

[joconnell]

As ever, you're a Legend!

[kosso_olli]

Sorry to ask, but what are these curvature maps good for?

[samuel_bubat]

Until it´s done right by Vlado there is an often overlooked feature in max called "render surface map" wich includes a "cavity map" option.
It should be similar, but requires texture coordinates and renders out a map. I also really would like to see this as a shader !

[trixian]

The surface map stuff they brought in when they absorbed PolyTools are really rough, and at a stretch could be used as a guide for painting your own on top of it in Photoshop (depending on your needs of course). I might suggest one would be better off getting the dDo plugin for Photoshop and do it through their system whilst texturing instead, or one of the other standalone normal map generators\bakers that have this feature. Even Substance Painter should have decent cavity/curvature mapping stuff if you have the software.
In all cases I guess you'll need uv coordinates to project to so no avoiding that. Obviously properly unwrapping yields the superior result.

[joconnell]

Sorry to ask, but what are these curvature maps good for?

There's a few of the new texture generation programs like ddo and substance painter that can use curvature information to detect the edges of objects and use it as a mask to do automatic wearing of surfaces, have a look at this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_RiV3rmcbI#t=240 - the particle painting in this program is really impressive too!

[Rens]

The Tension modifier is pretty great, vertex colours though!
http://rpmanager.com/otherGear.htm

[joconnell]

Yeah I tried using that for a few bits, one of which was for emission on whitecaps of waves but as you say it's tied in with vertex res similar to Neil Blevin's vertex edge method for doing automated wear. Where about's are you working these days too?

[Rens]

Currently at Mackevision

[joconnell]

Awesome - our two companies were talking recently at a seminar in germany, would be cool to collaborate on something!

[kosso_olli]

Currently at Mackevision

Oh dear... Hey Holland, this is Olli, remember me? Stahl, jemand?

[soulburn3d]

A Curvature map is in my top10 wishes. I use a vertex color trick all the time: http://www.neilblevins.com/cg_educat...x_map_wear.htm But to not have to worry about baking and not have to add extra geometry to get resolution for the map, that would be heaven

- Neil

[soulburn3d]

Vlado, what would be the advantages and disadvantages of writing it as an OSL shader instead of a normal max map?

- Neil

[Dave_Wortley]

You can do a similar effect by using the VRayDirt with invert normals on, gives you a mask for all the edges.