Using Master Materials with Maps

[S. Houtzager]

Was wondering if anyone is using master materials with diffuse maps?  I usually don't use them but it sure would save some time as I use the same diffuse maps over and over in a file. 

 

The manual says you would need to tweak each object that uses a master material w texture maps.  Don't see a way because you always work on the master material. 

 

[maher]

A Master Material is a general setting reference. It doesn't know a thing about the objects it will be apply on because those objects will have different dimensions.

 

Master Material are more useful for objects that doesn't use dimensions specific maps (scale, diffuse, bump, etc…) but share other general attributes like color, specular, general reflective and transparency aspects.

 

You can however apply a Master Material to those similar objects and tweak, on an object basis, the dimensions specifics aspects as long as you don't apply those change back to the Master Material.

 

Also, any dimension specific attribute of a MM (like diffuse or bump map) won't show up in an animation preview in an Animator windows.

 

Maher

[S. Houtzager]

"You can however apply a Master Material to those similar objects and tweak, on an object basis, the dimensions specifics aspects as long as you don't apply those change back to the Master Material."

 

Have not found a way to adjust on an object basis.  When I select an object (that uses MM) and then select its diffuse texture map and adjust it, it alters the master.  How are you adjusting the maps?

[yhloon]

Hi Steven

 

hope this is what you are looking for...

 

create a material to a basic object first, for instance a plane, adjust the material until satisfaction ,than use "Create new master" to create a new master material, apply the master material to other object!

 

to modify the master material, select the object, open the object's info panel, uncheck "Life material" than open the object's material panel, click the "Reload from master" button, now you can modify the material without affecting the master material, after some adjustment to the material, you can either save a new master material, or use "update master" to update the master material.

 

Loon

[maher]

Thanks Loon,

 

I'm a bit rusty with that procedure and didn't had my dongle at work so I wasn't sure exactly how to describe the sequence. The live material checkbox synchronize the parent object and the master material, so any change on a linked object will reflect back to the MM.

 

Unchecking the live material checkbox allow you to personalize the settings for a particular object, factually unlinking that object from updating the MM (not sure if the link is still preserve from MM to children objects…)

 

Maher

[S. Houtzager]

Thanks guys.  Just not flexible enough for my needs.  I played around with turning off the live button. I am going to join objects together more in FormZ so they act as one object. 

[Be.eM]

Thanks guys.  Just not flexible enough for my needs.  I played around with turning off the live button. I am going to join objects together more in FormZ so they act as one object. 

 

Steven,

 

joining objects in FZ is a good way to simplify material handling. I often do this with e.g. hundreds of screws that don't need to be handled separately. Generally a master material with a diffuse map makes sense, if the diffuse map is a shader. Not so much with an actual bitmap image. However, you could still use a master material with a bitmap texture as "Copy-Paste source". Copy the master material parameter set, and and simply paste it into the material windows of the objects in question. There you can individually adjust size and positioning of the map, without having to enable/disable links etc.

 

Bernd

[yhloon]

Hi Steven,

 

have you try a plug-in name CreateUV?

 

http://www.eias3d.com/forums/topic/505-create-uv-plug-in/

 

http://www.eias3d.com/forums/topic/469-shader-question/