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Glossary A to M

Definitions of terms used in the Mudbox Help listed alphabetically.

alpha channel

  A separate channel within a bitmap image that is used to store transparency information for each pixel.

ambient occlusion

  In Mudbox, an effect that darkens cracks, crevices, corners and points of contact on rendered surfaces. Two methods are supported: a real-time post processing effect applied to the model in the 3D View, and an extraction process that generates an image map by calculating the ambient occlusion from the perspective of several light sources.

bake

  In rendering, the process of rendering illumination, shadow, shading, or textures to a file texture or to per-vertex color mesh. Baking lets you extract detail from very high resolution models to produce a texture map that lets you obtain lighting effects on a lower resolution version that would be difficult to achieve in other ways.

base mesh

  The lowest subdivision level on a subdivision surface. You can subdivide to higher subdivision levels and then return to display the base level.

bookmark

  Lets you save a camera view as a preset in a tray for future use.

brush

  The broad definition for a multi-purpose tool that lets you manipulate the positions of vertices on a model, or paint color and other material attributes on a projection plane or directly on a model.

brush stroke

  A mark made by the movement of a brush on the canvas.

bump map

  A 2D image that simulates 3D surface detail by creating the illusion of bumps or other types of surface relief using a grayscale image. A bump map does not alter the shape of surfaces to which it is assigned.

camera

  The method for viewing the 3D scene in computer graphics. Cameras represent the scene with visual perspective or orthographically without perspective. In Mudbox, the camera frames the 3D View by tracking, tumbling, panning, and zooming.

component

  In polygonal modeling, any of the constituent parts of a polygon (namely, vertices, edges, faces, or UVs).

coordinate system

  A method by which points are located in space.

depth of field

  A distance range expressed as a near and far distance within which objects will be sharply focused. Objects outside of this range appear blurred or out of focus.

displacement map

  When extracting a displacement map, a 2D image is produced that records height information for points on the model as grayscale information. Displacement mapping allows a texture input to subsequently manipulate the position of vertices on rendered geometry. When a displacement map is applied to a polygonal model, the faces are offset or displaced from their original positions at render time, based on the grayscale information, to produce a detailed effect.

dolly

  The action of moving the camera toward or away from its center of interest. The scene in the camera’s view becomes larger or smaller, and the relative size of objects in the scene changes based on their distance from the camera.

edge

  A line joining two adjacent vertices on a polygonal model.

ethernet address

  The physical address of an Ethernet network board, expressed as a 48-bit number in hexadecimal notation. On a Windows computer, the Ethernet address is also known as a MAC (Media Access Control) address. The ethernet address is often used to lock a software license to a particular computer.

extraction

  The process of copying some feature of a 3D model (sculpting details, ambient occlusion shadows, and so on) and converting the information so it can be represented using a bitmap image so it can be subsequently be applied (texture mapped) to the model in a different 3D application or a different (lower resolution) version of the same model to reproduce the original feature.

eyedropper

  A tool for sampling and selecting an exact color under the stylus or mouse cursor in Mudbox.

face

  The area bounded by three or more vertices and their associated edges. When many faces are connected together they create a network of faces called a polygon model (also referred to as a polyset or a polygonal object).

FBX

  (Filmbox = FBX) A file format owned and developed by Autodesk to provide interoperability between digital content creation applications. FBX plug-ins are available for Autodesk® Maya® and Autodesk® 3ds Max® software. FBX is also supported by Autodesk® MotionBuilder® and Autodesk® Softimage® using the Autodesk® Crosswalk software.

floating license

  A type of multiple software license that is served from one license server machine to other machines over a network.

gamma

  In computer graphics this term is often used to refer to the overall brightness level of an image. Different computer platforms often apply algorithmic corrections to the brightness level of images to compensate for variations in the monitor display.

HDRI

  (High Dynamic Range Image = HDRI) An image using a format that allows for a large range of exposures, providing a more accurate representation of the lighting in a scene, from bright sunlight to dark shadows. HDRI images are 32 bits per channel.

heads-up display

  Instructions or information that appear over the scene that aid in using the features of the software application.

highlight

  The direct reflection of a light source as seen on the surface of an object. A highlight’s color is based on the surface material as well as the light source.

hotkey

  A keyboard shortcut that uses a single key, or combination of keys and stylus/mouse buttons, to provide quick access to a feature or tool in Mudbox. You can customize hotkeys using the Hotkey Editor.

image map

  A picture file in an image such as jpeg, bmp, tiff, or png that gets using in materials to create specific effects or patterns. Also known as a texture map.

image plane

  A 2D object (plane) that enables the placement of an image file into a camera view. Image planes are used in Mudbox to load 2D images as references for sculpting.

image-based lighting

  Lighting defined by an image that determines the look of the light of and reflections on surfaces in a scene.

joint

  In Mudbox, a user-defined location on a polygonal model about which components can be rotated. Joints are used for used for articulating a model into a particular pose.

layer

  Mudbox provides two layers types: Sculpt and Paint. Sculpt layers are overlays of sculpting information laying over or under other overlays of sculpting information that record sculpting as the delta between the base mesh and the other layers. Paint layers are images laying over or under other images. All layers taken together comprise one complete texture or sculpted model. Layers let you separate or hide parts of your sculpting or painting and let you iterate your work in a non-destructive manner.

level

  Subdivision level. Displays the current polygonal faces for a model at a particular subdivision stage. Levels range from coarse to fine and are tracked by numbers, 0, 1, 2, and so on.

limit surface

  A smooth surface shape that a polygonal model approaches as it gets repeatedly subdivided and smoothed. Limit surfaces are used for calculating the distance between the low and high resolution surfaces when extracting a texture map.

material

  A collection of attributes that describe how a surface appears when it is rendered. Common surface material attributes include diffuse color, reflectivity, and glossiness.

mesh

  A collection of polygons, which can be of different types (triangles, quads, n-sided). When many faces are connected together they create a network of faces called a polygon mesh (also referred to as a polyset or a polygonal object).

mid-tones

  Tonal values in an image that fall midway between the highlight and shadow tones.

mirror

  To flip the sculpt/paint stroke, or layer about a user-defined center axis.

model

  A computer-based description and representation of a three-dimensional object. Models can be created with modeling software tools, 3D digitizers, etc. Models can be represented by a variety of geometric algorithms; polygons, non-uniform rational b-splines etc.

MUD

  The native file format output by Mudbox. All entities created in Mudbox are stored using this format with the exception of the bitmap files associated with paint layers which are stored separately in a -files directory using the file formats specified when you create a paint layer.