Basic Parameters ( very newbie question )

[Jadefox]

Hi Guys

I looked through the index and can't seem to find the answer
This question to me precedes even basic materials in that the parameters dictating their value in Corona Mtl in 3ds Max is a bit confusing to me
All the tutorials assume this is general knowledge and never goes into this.


At fig 1 :  According to my best understanding as soon as I slot in a bitmap the colour change would have no effect
any change I make to the parameter would be equal to changing the output according to Corona help.
changing this to .5 makes the diffuse texture darker.... but if I change the output ( 2 ) of the diffuse to .5 it makes it reddish like the colour
I am just really confused as to what exactly is happening there

Which brings me to ( 3  ) this it would seem is the same as changing the outputs and why would there be two different mixing coefficients
(1) and (3 ) how do they compare with one another

The last question is how does all those variables in the output affect the map ie RGB level , RGB offset and especially colour map ?

I apologise if the above is confusing but it boils down to not finding any tutorial on those parameters like I said even basic materials
just start slotting textures in and changing parameters like its second nature.
Even if somebody can point  me to a tutorial as to the above , I actually thought i need to really need to study photoshop better as to grasp
these RGB and output paramteres

Please help guys

[TomG]

For question 2, the Output section is the same as in Max's native Bitmap, and information can be found here:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/3DSMax/files/GUID-9E9C1FBF-6C6F-4418-AE0F-92EB0D5C8139-htm.html

I never head in there except when I am using a bitmap purely as Self Illumination or an HDRI for the environment, where I use the Output value to control the brightness. For a regular material with a bitmap in the Diffuse I never normally need to use those parameters if using a regular PNG, JPG etc.

For question 3, the tooltip pop up describes it well - the value shown in your image 1) is how much the surface reacts to light, while the value shown in 3) is how much the colour from the bitmap is blended with the base color for the diffuse (prior to then being affected by the Level value saying how that final colour will respond to light). So if you have a bitmap, a Diffuse Color of red, a Diffuse value in the Maps rollout of 0.5 then your colour will be a 50% mix between red and the colour from the bitmap image - this resulting colour will then be affected by light in the scene as controlled by the amount set in the Diffuse Level.

Hope this helps!

[Jadefox]

Hi Tom

Sorry for late thanks..

Thanks appreciate the feedback it does clarify a lot

Regards

[TomG]

No problem on taking a while to write back, glad it helped that's the main thing!