More Than One Diffuse Texture?

[MichaelD]

I'm working on a small building complex and I've reached a point where I think it will be necessary to use more than one texture sheet to adequately map the various textures to all the buildings.

I'd prefer to keep the buildings grouped as a single object (one GUID, one XML file) so I'm wondering what the best approach is for applying more than one texture.

What I tried (with a couple of test cubes) was using Named Selections and that worked, sort of. I must have done that incorrectly because once I applied the first map to the first sub-object, the individual Named selections were no longer available from the drop-down list.

However, I was still able to select the second (sub)object and apply a new map to that and in the material editor was able to switch back and forth between the two texture maps and adjust them independently of each other.

So it that simple? Just apply a second map as necessary with no special set-up? My worry is that the simulator will get confused by that or that it won't export correctly.

I didn't really find a direct answer to this in Gmax Help (or at least one that I fully understand).

This is for FSX, by the way.

Thanks for any advice.

-Michael.

 

[bob5568]

You need to create a multi material. There are several ways to do this and some tutorials out there.

One way I do it, is to detach the polygons that require a second material...apply the second material, then attach the polygons and the two materials magically are now 1 multimaterial.

That's just because I never mastered the right way to do it but it works.

Bob

 

[arno]

Hi,

It is a lot easier. Just select the polygons you want the new material to be applied to. Then create the material in the material editor and press apply. That will add them only the selected faces.

 

[n4gix]

There is a "gottach" you need to watch for. The MaterialID number for all polys that use your first sub-material must be 1.

The MatID for all polys that use your second sub-material must be set to 2...

...and so on.

 

[MichaelD]

Ok,

Thanks guys. I'll play around with it and see.

One more question:

How would I then assign more than one emissive map to the object? I never actually "map" a night texture; I just drop the file name in the Self Illuminating slot once the diffuse texture is applied. Does it work the same way?

-Michael

 

[n4gix]

Ok,

Thanks guys. I'll play around with it and see.

One more question:

How would I then assign more than one emissive map to the object? I never actually "map" a night texture; I just drop the file name in the Self Illuminating slot once the diffuse texture is applied. Does it work the same way?

-Michael

Yes. Here is an example hierarchy of Material/Sub-Materials:

Material (main)
Sub-Materials -
   MatID1
        Diffuse Color      "MyTexture.bmp"
        Self-Illumination  "MyTexture_LM.bmp"
   MatID2
        Diffuse Color      "MyNextTexture.bmp"
        Self-Illumination  "MyNextTexture_LM.bmp"

et cetera...

For each collection of polygons on the same object, you would assign a unique MaterialID number.

For each MaterialID number, you create a new "sub-material" and list the bitmaps used.

Simple!

 

[MichaelD]

Ah, ok.

I think I get it.

Thanks!