If I understand your explanantion of parametric mapping, Vue 5 will (must?) have some kind of UV mapping function??? Guess we'll have to wait and see. :-)

Texture mapping in Vue is confusing ar first. However, I found it easier (less hard?) with practice and by viewing materials construction as a set of production steps

1. create colour + function + filter
2. create bumps + function + filter
3. add attributes like reflections, highlights, etc.
4. adjust "aesthetics": scale, orientation, mapping

Steps 1 -3 dictate the characteristics of the material itself.
Step 4 alters the material relative to the object to which it's applied and the scene in which that object is placed.

The whole process is iterative. Revisiting settings is necessary to get something just right for a particular composition.

That's my approach anyway!

Cheers,
Mark