GW Layer Extended Channels

Extended Channels panel allows each layer to have extra parameters like displacement, specular, glossiness, reflection or for that matter any other color or map value. To apply these values to material of your choice, another map was created called 'GroundWiz Output' map: please read more about it in GroundWiz Output Map section.


Displacement Properties - GroundWiz layers can use displacement mapping to give real 3D feel & look. For displacement mapping to work best, rendering engine should support view-dependent displacement mapping (for example mental ray and V-Ray).
Units used for displacement in case of GroundWiz are standard 3ds Max/VIZ units and don't depend on the size of the mapped object - that is different from the way displacement mapping works in 3ds Max/VIZ.
(Note: Some renderers like V-Ray only support positive displacement values. In that case you can use Global Settings / Displace / Add to push displacement values into the positive range.)

Although controls used are similar to those used for bump mapping found under Bump Properties Group, end result will probably look quite different.

Parent Influence - Use parent layer's displacement and add it to the current layer's displacement based on the percentage amount. By using values less than 100%, current layer can decrease or remove displacement done by the parent layer.

Strength - Controls the amount of procedural displacement done by the current layer. This is an approximate value measured in 3ds Max units.

Detail - Controls the look of the procedural displacement. It works the same way as 'Detail' option for bump map found in the Bump Properties Group.

Seed (Randomize) - Used by the procedural displacement to create random look. Seed number works in the same way as Layer Random Value.

Noise Size - Noise Size controls how distinct features of the displacement map are spread out over the terrain. This does not imply that the texture will start repeating. It only decides if noticeable bigger features will be laid out over a bigger or smaller area. Displacement 'Noise Size' is usually automatically calculated from the main Noise Size parameter. However, it can be adjusted for each layer separately for more control.

Thickness - Each layer can be extruded or pushed-in based on this value. Units are standard 3ds Max units and can also be negative. Just like in case of bump's layer thickness, this effect will be most noticeable if layer's edge has reduced detail by using Border Detail option.

 

Green layer has no Thickness

 

Green layer with Displacement Thickness



Map Add - Adds standard 3ds Max map based on the percentage amount. Displacement values in GroundWiz are standard 3ds Max measuring units, therefore if image is used, white color will represent displacement of 1.0 unit (meter, feet, inch...) and black will create no displacement.

Strength at 0, 90, 180 degrees - Modifies displacement of the current layer based on the slope of the hill. Value of 0% will remove displacement while 100% will be standard strength. The 3 values are linearly interpolated. It is possible to use negative and bigger than 100% values to 'pull' the strength one way or another (strength will be clamped between 0% and 100% though).



Misc. Channels (usable with 'GroundWiz Output' map) - These channels were added to allow each layer to carry extra information about itself. Currently there are 4 channels. Although they carry specific names, they can be used in any way desired in any material map slot. On how to use them with materials, read more in the 'GroundWiz Output' section.

Specular Color, Glossiness, Reflection, Custom channel:

Scale - Controls the main scale multiplier for the currently selected color and map: default 100% leaves color and map values unchanged.

Color & map - You can pick a single RGB Color from palette and import a bitmap or for that matter use any kind of texture map that 3ds Max supports. The amount controls how to mix RGB Color and map; mixing works the same way as map slots of 3ds Max standard material. The final mixed color will be affected by 'Scale' parameter.