Modeler

224Map TabIntroductionLightWave 10 - ModelerBecause you can use vertex maps (VMaps) throughoutLightWave, you should have a solid understanding of how theywork. Here are some important basic points:• Weight maps have a general range of -100% to +100%.What are Vertex Maps?As you might expect, every point in an object has independentposition information. Points even have rotational information,although you normally don’t rotate individual points. A vertex map(VMap) is additional data that a user can add onto each point inan object. Any point in an object can have a unique entry (value)for a particular VMap or no entry at all. The VMap data is allstored in the object file.• Use the Selection Info command (Info button on the bottomtaskbar, or press I) to determine what VMaps and values areassigned to individual points.Basically, VMaps are to points, what surfaces are to polygons.Like surfaces, you name your VMaps, which allows you toaccess them to perform certain operations. Some VMap typesare designed for special built-in functions. For example, UVMaps hold texture placement information. Endomorphs holdoffset information for point position. Weight maps are used moregenerally, like for bone influence; however, the SubPatch weightmap is used specifically for control-point tension.If a point has no entry for a particular VMap, the VMap is notassigned to that point — this map will have holes in it. Note thatan assigned value of 0 is not the same as not having the VMapassigned to that point. However, some functions that use VMapsconsider these two states to be equal — usually by necessity —essentially filling the holes with zeros.VMaps are normally created using the buttons in the lower-rightcorner of Modeler.• Internally, there is a single list of VMaps, which includes themaps from all the objects that are loaded. However, editing a mapin one object will not affect other objects (using the same VMapname) because the data in the map is attached to the geometry ofthat object. There is no cross-talk between objects, except in thecase of renaming. If you rename a VMap, all VMaps (for loadedobjects) with the same name are renamed.• Generally, the only VMaps listed in the main VMap pop-upmenu are those that contain actual data in the current object.Other VMaps are filtered out. Not all VMap pop-up menus will dothis filtering, however, particularly those on plugins.Once the map is created, you can set or edit the values in themap. Many LightWave commands, however, also have the abilityto create VMaps.VMaps are extra data and will increase your object’s file size.Thus, depending on the situation, you may be able to minimisethe file size by judiciously assigning VMaps to points.New VMaps are an exception to the above standard. Initially,they will appear in pop-up menus even if they contain no data.However, if you deselect a new VMap before using it, it willdisappear from current VMap listings. It might save you sometyping time, so Modeler still places the name in the pop-up menuthat appears beside the naming field when you are creating a newVMap.• There can be one selected VMap of each general category(weight, UV texture, etc.), and they can be selected in differentways. The pop-up menu in the bottom-right corner of Modelershows the current selection for the weight, UV texture, and morphcategories, and can be used to change them. The VMap Listwindow, discussed later, also shows the selected map in eachcategory. Note that all new maps start out selected.