Hello Everyone,

I have a question regarding the use of displacement on Poser figures in Vue 6 Infinite. In Poser you can simultaneously apply bump and displacement to a figure texture and limit the displacement only to certain areas using a mask. Can this also be done in Vue 6 Infinite? And if so how do you do it?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

nabob21

No, In Vue 6 infinite bump and displacement is either/or.  In Vue 8 from what I saw at Siggraph, the displacement and bump is separated so you can adjust displacement and bump independently.

You cant do it in the same layer, but you can use more than one layer, one for the bumps one for the displacement. I didnt try it for a poser figure, but I tested it on a sphere, see attached image. Here I distributed the disp/bump layer using the environment tab. The displacements are on the high altitudes and the bumps on the low altitudes. You could also try with a mixed material and define the location of each with a distribution map.

And here it is using mixed materials and a distribution function (which could also be a bitmap). Of course the material can be the same material in both, with the only difference that one has a bump applied and one has a displacement applied.

Thank you ArtPearl. I will give your suggestions a try.

You sometimes need to have both the bump and displacement maps apply to the same point on a surface. For example, the displacement map could sculpt muscles and veins on a weight lifter, but you still want the skin bump map to add the pores and such.

I suspect that arithmetically adding the two maps together would result in a very complex mesh that would take forever to render.

Quote - You sometimes need to have both the bump and displacement maps apply to the same point on a surface. For example, the displacement map could sculpt muscles and veins on a weight lifter, but you still want the skin bump map to add the pores and such.

I suspect that arithmetically adding the two maps together would result in a very complex mesh that would take forever to render.

Hi, maybe this helps you:

I made a material the other day that has both a bumpmap as a displacement map, used it on a brain, but you can also use the same princeple for skin and veins.

1. I made a skinmaterial with bumps
2. a vein material with displacement
3. A distributian map
   Put it all together in a mixed material

That, Cherryman, makes for a great starting point for a sci-fi/alien horror movie .. and you know what? It rocks!

Cherryman, that's really nice!  That is basically what I suggested, I'm glad it works for a less primitive example than mine:)

Cherryman and ArtPearl,

Thank you for your replies. That is exactly what I am trying to do, but so  far without success. I have tried to replicate what you suggested ArtPearl, but I am not yet knowledgeable enough to acheive that effect. Could either one of you please elaborate on the process? Especially with respect to making and usin a distribution map.

Thanks for your assistance.

Well, I'm not sure how exactly you want it to look, or where you're stuck, so here's a short outline how to do it using the mixed materials method. 1.click on the material(top right corner) to get into the (advanced)material editor. 2.Click on the material icon and assign one of the materials. (stones colorful in my example) 3.Check that 'displacement mapping' is ticked (and chose the depth and scale) 4.Chose the type as 'mixed material' 5.click the new material and upload the material you want for bumps only (grass) 6.Right click on the 'distribution of materials 1 and 2' to get into the function editor 7.Add texture map node. Click the little arrow under the map on the left side and navigate to the place where tour bitmap is and select it. If you dont have a bitmap you'll have to make one in photoshop or a similar application. (Like in Cherryman's example - you'll need a bit map defining where the blood vessels are. I'm attaching a new screen capture (sorry, didnt save the one in the previous post) with arrows Highlighting   the important points.

I Could send you the vue file for this if you PM me.
Post if you have any specific questions or if you get stuck...

Thank you ArtPearl. I will give it another try in a couple of hours when I get home. I will let you know how it works.

ArtPearl,

I still seem to be missing something in my setup. I have created the mixed material and have attached a distribution map but it does not seem to have any effect. I get either displacement of nothing . I can't get displacement and bumps. I have attached a screen capture of my setup.

Well, what you showed in this image looks fine mostly.Except that it should show a little preview of the material in the 'distribution of materials 1 and 2'. In your image it is just black. Did you remember to save when you leave the function editor?Also, the crucial point is to have in one of your mixed materials 'displacement mapping ' ticked and in the other not ticked.  (in the bump tab of the material, see for example my post above aug 17th 12:07)
If you have done both things... I dont know send me the file and I'll look at it?
(I'll pm you).

Another thing you might want to look at - make your distribution map just black and white (no grey).
It will be easier do see if the displacements are applied or not. (where it's grey it isnt applied as strongly).

Hello ArtPearl,

I will try to make the distribution map black and white as you suggest. I don't know why it is not showing up on the sphere in the preview window. I think that is the problem. I am saving the changes to the function editor when I leave (at least I think I am because I am clicking on OK), but nothing seems to happen after that. I also only have one material check for displacement. I am puzzled.

The preview of the distribution map being black may or may nor indicate a problem - perhaps the  pattern is on the side of the sphere we cant see?
Perhaps you can try it with material 1 and material 2 being very different in color, just for testing. In the color tab of each change one to red and one to green and see if you can detect the two colors.  Check you dont have influence of environment set up. Also try the mixing proportion.