About 3D Textures Parameters

A 3D texture is a procedural material. This image is defined for every point of the 3D space, so it looks sculpted in a material block.

This page discusses:

Texture-Mapping Types

Various mapping types let you select the most appropriate mapping for the shape of the geometry. They are used for real-time display only.

After selecting Procedural Material in the Type list of the Appearance Domain dialog box, you can choose a mapping type.

The following mapping types are available:

Mapping Type Description
Planar For planar geometries, such as a slide projector, or for textures with two privileged directions (chessboard or a wall of bricks).
Spherical For spherical geometries, such as a painted light bulb or a ball, or for textures with no privileged direction (stones or raw metal).
Finite Cylindrical For cylindrical geometries such as a can of food or a bottle, or for textures having a privileged direction such as shiny metal or marble.

The projection is applied to top and bottom faces as well.

Infinite Cylindrical Same geometries as for Cylindrical Mapping.

The projection is infinite and therefore is not applied to top and bottom faces.

Cubical For cubical geometries, such as boxes. Also called “Tri-Planar”. It is very well adapted to any kind of shape if the applied texture represents a small pattern.
Geometry UV Complex-shaped texture with bent area (labels or seats).
Note: This mapping projector is available only if the geometry is UV.

UV appears after you import a 3D geometry or you use the UV Parameterization command.

Important: These mapping types cannot be edited anymore. If mapping issues occur, use the Robot to correctly map the material.

Deformation and Noise Parameters

Noise parameters compute a value that is used to perturbate artificially the X, Y, and Z point coordinates.

Each point is associated with a color map. When you define a noise value ( ) for a given point ( ), the resulting color is the one of the perturbated point = + .

These parameters are defined in the Deformation area.

When applying a Marble, Vein, Alternate Vein or Rock texture, the following parameters are available:

Parameter Description
Turbulence Enhances the effect of the second color. Below are two pictures using the Rock texture:

Amplitude Gives a more realistic effect by increasing the number of details of textures.

This coefficient is applied to the values defined for Complexity, Perturbation, and Gain.

The greater the coefficient value, the more irregular the veins. If you define it to 0, the veins are linear.

Important: This parameter is only available for Vein and Alternate Vein textures.
Complexity Sums all the perturbations applied by the application.

If you define it to 1, the perturbation effect is applied once.

Perturbation Applies a rasterization to the texture.
Important: Combine it with the Complexity parameter.

The Complexity value must be higher than 0.

Gain Applies a grainy effect to the texture.
Important: Combine it with the Complexity and Perturbation parameters.
Attenuation Makes the color look more or less dark.

Below are samples deformation applied to a Rock texture with different complexity, perturbation, and gain values:



Bump Texture

Bump textures consist of a lighting surface effect added to the object. It locally modifies the geometric aspect of the basic object by perturbating artificially the usual lighting effect.

You can use the slider or enter a coefficient value comprised between -10 and 10:

Value Effect
0 No bump effect.
10 Bright colors appear above dark colors.
-10 Dark colors appear above bright colors.

Transformation Area

The transformation parameters help you adjust the mapped texture.

The following parameters are available:

Parameter Description
Scaling Stretches the texture along the X, Y, and Z axes.
Rotation Rotates the texture around the X, Y, and Z axes.
Translation Translates the texture along the X, Y, and Z axes.

Important: To keep the symmetry when specifying the perturbation coefficient, translate or move the center of the robot.