Map Scaler and Imported File

[MagerDesign]

Hi all,

I've put together this 3D garden design in AutoCAD and have imported it into 3D Max to apply materials and render.  It has obviously imported as one solid object, so I converted it into a Editable Poly so I could select each individual segment to apply a material. But, this is where it seems to go all wrong for me...

I select my first piece, using the element option, apply my material and use the Map Scaler Modifier to give my material a realistic appearance, but, when I go to select my next piece, my first looses its Map Scaler and dons a bland colour instead. When selecting a piece that will be of a different material I can't seem to change the Map Scaler scale without it affecting the other pieces! 

How do I go about selecting each piece of my imported object individually and Map Scale them individually? 

(Both my AutoCAD and 3D Max are 2016 versions)

[Francisco_Penaloza · Accepted solution]

Few ways to resolve this issue 🙂

First, you should try to organize your scene inside AutoCAD with Layers, or with layers colors, then when you import or link in to 3D Max each element will be grouped accordingly. Importing a single mesh in some cases is not efficient.

Having said that, other way to resolve your issue is after you transformed your model to Polygon, you can select all faces with same material and detach them, this will create a separate polygon mesh for you to edit or place materials.

Other way would be to using Mat ID for similar materials/ Polygons.  Select you faces and assign different IDs and then create a multi sub object materials and create each material accordingly.  You could place several UVMaps in your mesh with the corresponding ID so each material/ polygon will scale correctly.

You can also place a 'select polygon' modifier in your base mesh, then select your polygons for desired material and apply the material to them, then place a new 'polygon select' modifier in top of the previews one and select different polygons and repeat.

This method is the least recommended, because every time you need to go back to a previews selection it may lose your following selections.

To me the best way would be, to organize your scene inside AutoCAD, give different layer and then import in to 3D Max, and go from there.

remember that when you import from REVIT or AutoCAD the textures will come as world scale.

[MagerDesign]

Hi Francisco, thank you for your reply to my post. I followed your suggestion with regards to layers in AutoCAD first, before importing the file into 3D Studio Max, and that solution has worked perfectly! 

Thank you again for your help, and your time, in responding to my message.

[Francisco_Penaloza]

wonderful, glade to help.

Just remember to mark the problem as solved so someone else with similar problem can find the solution 😉

Best luck.

Fco