A map that outputs the level of subdivision

[gregvfx]

Hi,

I could use a map that outputs the level of subdivision under the pixel, blended like a kind of "vertex map".
I could use to divide the bump of large details and multiply the small ones as as the adaptive su dive works quite badass but is so messing with normal maps in tangent space, since the geometry normal is displaced.

[vlado]

You can sort of get an idea of the subdivision if you use the VRayEdgesTex texture with the "show subtriangles" option enabled.

Best regards,
Vlado

[gregvfx]

I don't want to get and idea, I want a value! A map that I could use in a shader tree

[gregvfx]

Actually, I am looking for a way to preserve the normals of the non displaced mesh so that the normal map and the displace map don't work against each other. If the normals could keep their orientation while being moved and subdivided, the tangent space would still make sense. But I don't see how you can subdivide without creating new interpolated normals... So I was thinking of dividing the amount of normal map as the poly get subdivided.

[vlado]

It won't work in this way...

Best regards,
Vlado

[gregvfx]

Okay, interesting!

[gregvfx]

What about getting the average length of all the edges connected to a vertex in world context? Like a vertex color?

[vlado]

What kind of object are you rendering? It might be possible to use normal map in object space that directly overrides the surface normal and disregards the one computed by the renderer.

Best regards,
Vlado

[Laserschwert]

You can bake a density map using Max' own Render Surface Map function.