Material Instance Properties

Then, from the Properties Panel, highlight the "_MaterialInstances" property field value input box. An ellipsis button will appear to the right. Click on the button and the Material Instance Editor will appear. The editor should display the existing default instances and options to alter these.

Each instance in the selector will display a thumbnail of that instance's diffuse map, the material name and the repository path to the file.

Options

Material Instance List

The top of the dialogue displays a list of material instances. Select an instance and its current property values will populate the controls below.

Diffuse/Alpha Map

This option opens a file selection dialogue allowing the user to choose a Diffuse map from the repository. Diffuse maps define the base color of a surface.

Alpha Type

None

Diffuse map does not have an alpha channel.

Gradient

The alpha channel is used for more expensive translucency map

Mask

The alpha channel is used for a black and white translucency mask

Displace

the alpha channel is used for a bump/paralax offset map

Glow Mask

the alpha channel is used for what texels should Glow with bloom

Normal/Specular Map

Press this button to open a Normal map selection dialogue. The effect of a Normal map applied to a low-poly model results in the appearance of a higher poly count.

Specular Map in Alpha Channel

Check this box if the specular map is included in the normal map alpha channel.

Macro Map

Use this button to select a Macro map from the repository. A Macro map is used to hide the tiling within a texture.

UV Multiplier

This option allows for repeated tiling of the macro map.

Custom Shader

This is an option for special shaders such as hair for characters.

Translucency

This number dictates how much of the model will be transparent, depending on the Gradient Alpha Mode in the Diffuse/Alpha Map.

Reflectivity

This number dictates how much of the area cube map is visible

Texture Address Mode

This option dictates how the surface of a polygon is mapped by a texture.

Wrap

This option results in a tiling effect when the range of a texture coordinate exceeds the range from 0.0 to 1.0

Clamp

This option results in a stretching of the last column and row of pixels when the range of a texture coordinate exceeds the range of 1.0

Animated UVs

Pan the textures across the surface of the model.

Channels

Channel 0 is dedicated to the panning speed of the diffuse map. Channel 1 is dedicated to the panning speed of the alpha map.

Reset to Default

Reset the selected material instance to its default values.

Close

Changes to the instances are made in real time, so there is no need to explicitly commit changes. Closing the dialogue will not revert any changes.