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FEBRUARY 24, 2004 Cinema 4D Displacement Mapping
Prep: Version Two: HyperNURBS object HyperNURBS objects aren't for everything because they tend to "round" shapes out during their subdivision process. However, in some cases, they are an invaluable tool for staying uncommitted to subdividing your geometry. If you have a piece of editable geometry that you want to subdivide, without actually chopping up, you can drop it into a HyperNURBS object which will create virtual subdivisions until you make the object editable, or render. Note: By "render" I mean that C4D will have to process each of the virtual polygons as if they were actual polygons during rendering.[an error occurred while processing this directive]   Alternate: Relief in Sight Cinema 4D is equipped with a little object in the "primitives" section called "Relief." While the relief object may look like a simple plane, it doesn't actually have any value without a height map texture. Here's the cool part: this object not only contains size attributes for x, y and z, but also allows for direct segment editing (subdivision) of the face (width) and side (depth) of your displacement. There is also control built into the model for scaling the bottom and top levels of the extrusion. The bottom value (0-100%) and top value (0-100%) actually clamp the luminance values of your height map, changing the interpretation and displacement values. Allowing for all sorts of interesting "push through" animations.  There are some limitations to the relief object (as of version 8.2). Although the height map texture is the driving force behind the appearance of the object, you need to use a raster image. You cannot use any shaders to drive the displacement like you can in the material editor. Also, the image you select for the relief object cannot be accessed from the wing tab. Images in the displacement channel of materials can be edited with a command from the wing tab. Additionally, once the edit has been made, the option to reload the image back into the material is available. None of this is possible from within the relief object's texture window. If you make changes to the image, delete the path, then re-import the image file. Wrapup There's a lot to be said about not having to model geometry with your bare hands, point by point. Simple displacement mapping is only one method. The principles described above are pretty basic. You can download a demo of Cinema 4D and push some of the program's buttons by visiting Maxon's Web site. You will also find a Body Paint 2 demo there as well. If you don't want to make your own, you can download the high resolution height map and other textures and 3D models for free by subscribing to DMN Stock Resources.  Ko Maruyama is a freelance animator in Los Angeles. When not drinking Shamrock shakes, he can be found answering questions in the After Effects forum. Ko's After Effects and Cinema4D work has appeared in every television market, and now weekly on ABC Kids, every Saturday morning. Prev 1 2 3 4 Related sites: • Animation Artist • AV Video • Creative Mac • Digital Animators • Digital Media Designer • Digital Post Production • Digital Producer • Film and Video Magazine • The WWUG Related forums: [an error occurred while processing this directive] 
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