Realight Toolbar

Store as Vertex Colors

Stores the ambient occlusion as vertex colors. UV coordinates are not required for this option.

Store as Texture Maps

Stores the ambient occlusion texture maps. This is better for smooth surface and low polygon density objects. UV coordinates are required for this option. Note that only the UV coordinates within the range (0,0)-(1,1) are rendered.

Calculate Part-by-Part

Stores the ambient occlusion, part by part

Rays per Sample

The number of per vertex or per sub-pixel surface samples. The level of ambient occlusion is determined by the average result from the total number of rays cast for each sample. The higher the value you enter, the more rays are cast and so, the more accurate and smoother the rendered output. Note that higher values slow down the processing speed.

Maximum Distance

The maximum allowable distance for realight rendering

Brightness

Determines the level of brightness of the ambient occlusion

Scheme

Used to select the source from which maps are generated.

• Existing Materials: Generates maps based on the organization of existing materials. For example, if an object comprises two materials that use the same texture map, two maps are created. Note that using this option can result in unnecessary map space and poor use of memory.

• Existing Diffuse Maps: Generates maps based on the existing diffuse map organization. For example, if an object comprises two materials that use the same texture map, only one map is created. We recommend using this option only if the UVs have been packed with the UV mapping tool. Note that if you select this option and the materials do not contain any maps, the maps are generated using the existing materials.

Outcome

Used to select the manner in which maps are generated.

• Replace diffuse map: Replaces the existing diffuse maps with new ones. The new maps are based on the width and height of any existing maps. This option uses slot 1 of the material’s maps.

• Merge into Diffuse Map: Merges the new diffuse maps with the existing ones. This option uses slot 1 of the material’s maps.

• Add New AO Light Map: Adds a new light map to the materials. This option uses slot 10 of the material’s maps.

UV Map Channel

Determines the UV channel to which the current texture map is assigned

Map Mode

Used to select the manner in which texture maps are blended with the base material.

• Additive: Adds the texture.

• Modulate: Blends the texture and the base material together. Where the texture displays white, the color of the material is displayed. Where the texture displays black, the color of the texture is displayed. Where the texture displays gray, the texture and material colors are mixed together. For example, if the texture is gray and the material is red, a dark red color is displayed.

• Replace: Displays the color of the texture only.

Map Properties

Used to establish settings for the new texture maps

Samples

The number of per sub-pixel surface samples. For example, if you enter a value of 2, each pixel is divided into two and a ray is cast from each sub-pixel. Note that higher values slow down the processing speed.

Noise

Applies white noise to the texture map. The higher the value, the more noise applied.

Prefilter

Applies color bleed around the polygon groups. The higher the value, the more bleed is applied reducing the number of artifacts. Note that if you enter a value of 0, seams may be visible on the model.

Blur

Applies Gaussian blur to the texture map. The higher the value, the more blurring applied. This can be helpful in improving illumination if you enter a low sample value.

Same Size for All Maps

Used to create all maps with the same size

• Width: The width of the maps in pixels.

• Height: The height of the maps in pixels.

Calculate Proportional Maps

Used to create maps based on the maximum dimension of the largest object.

• Maximum Dimension: The maximum dimension of the largest map that is applied to the largest object, in pixels. The maximum dimension of all other maps is then calculated proportionally based on the remaining objects’ size. Therefore, the width or height of all other maps is equal to, or less than this dimension. This can be helpful in conserving texture space.

• Round Size to a Power of Two: Rounds up the maximum width and height values to the closest power of two. For example, if you enter 500, it is rounded up to 512. This option should be used if your graphics card is optimized for a power of two.

Save as Internal Image

Saves the texture maps in the internal application memory.

• Prefix: The prefix to append to the new map names. This is helpful to identify any new maps that are created.

• Path: The location in which to save the maps.

• Format: The format in which to save the maps.

Ground Plane

Used to establish the settings for the virtual ground plane.

• Use Virtual Ground Plane: Uses a virtual ground plane to calculate the illumination. Any rays that are cast from the bottom of the model collide with this plane to cast shadows on the underside of the model. The closer the ground plane is to the model, the darker the shadows.

• Distance: The distance between the model and the ground plane.

• Size: The percentage size of the ground plane compared to the size of the model.