Is there a way to render a depth map based on an object?  I prefer to have it in greyscale, this photoshoped example shows what I am looking for.

Many thanks

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If I understand you correctly, you want to use the object with all its pits to make into a depth map. Its kind of a paradox! You can take a 3d object and I think render it to texture. But your object would already be in 3d anyway that you used. You can also take a texture with greyscale values only and use that as a displacement or bump map. You can also take that photo-shopped picture you have and planar map it to an object on the bump or displacement map slots.

"If I see that damn teapot one more time....”

3ds Max 6.5 - Max 2012
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I think what you’re looking for is called a cavity map, Zbrush can export them and they are very useful in texturing. Polyboost 4 can export them but you’ll have to pay for the plugin. Maybe an RTT ambient occlusion map would help?

a cavity map is what I need! Glad to know the word in english ;-) Gonna check out polyboost website

thanks!

I can’t tell if you want a Z Depth rendering of your object, or if you want a map that renders variations onto your model.  Z Depth may be useful in both cases, so look that up in the Help file.  Z Element Parameters Rollout.

Edit:  Maybe not what I said.  See if this is helpful.

http://www.scifi-meshes.com/foru...-maps-without-zbrush.html

Also, you might want to take a look at Normal Bump mapping by Render to Texture, maybe.

There must be a map someone wrote that does what you want, even if it isn’t in the shipping Max… not sure that it isn’t in Max already, I just haven’t had a need for it, so I haven’t run into it.

Maneswar Cheemalapati [FA]