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Viz Plug-ins User Guide

Version 5.1 | Published December 12, 2023 ©

Microstructure Shader

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The Microstructure Shader plug-in simulates a detailed surface structure by bump mapping and lights it with the aid of a highlight. Additionally, a clear coat layer reflects the surrounding (from a cube map). A normal map is used to define the surface structure.

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Note: This plug-in is located in: Plugins -> Shader -> RTTAdvancedMaterials

Microstructure Shader Properties

  • Environment Reflectivity: Manipulates the influence of the reflection color from the environment map on the resulting color.

  • Reflection Multiplier/Exposure: Affects the exposure of the environment map. This is especially helpful when working with HDR images.

  • Gamma of EnvMaps: Controls the gamma correction of the environment map. This is once again particularly helpful when working with HDR images.

  • Bump Map / Normal Map: Is the texture that defines the surface structure with encoded normals.

  • Environment Map: Is a cube map that describes the environmental surrounding used to calculate reflections.

  • Technique: Shows a list of available techniques.

    • Standard_Bump: Is a technique to be used with geometry that has no standard UV texture coordinates and normals.

    • Binormal_Bump: Is a technique to be used with geometry having texture coordinates and normals.

Microstructure Shader Best Practices

Apart from the parameters in the plug-in container, it is necessary to assign a material and a texture as a color/basic texture. Do not forget to adjust also the material parameters like ambient, diffuse, specular color and shininess, to achieve the required look for your surface