by Didik Wijaya

After you've created bitmap for opacity channel using Photoshop in Part 1 tutorial, you will create transparent and wireframe globe in 3ds max. In this tutorial, you won't find any modeling techniques. Just using material you can create convincing and nice looking globe. This tutorial is a modification and simplification of the tutorial found in a discussion thread in Escalight Forum. Credits should also goes to Skappa

1.Open 3ds max. Create a sphere. Use any radius you want.

2. Open Material Editor (press M in keyboard). Drag one sample material slot to sphere in viewport to apply this material. You can also click Apply Material to Selection button if sphere is still selected. In Shader Basic Parameters, you can activate 2-Sided if you want, so you can see back of globe later. I usually turn this option off because wireframe globe may looks a little bit cluttered (crowded). Change Diffuse color box into any color you want. In this example I use blue color.

3.Open Maps rollout. Click None button right next to Opacity. In opened window, double click Mix. This material type is used to combine 2 materials. In Mix Parameters, click button right next to black color (Color #1). Choose Bitmap and use image created previously using Photoshop in Part 1 tutorial.

Click Go To Parent button to go back to Mix Parameters rollout.

4. Try to render. You will have transparent globe. Black color in bitmap will create transparent area. Meanwhile, white color creates solid area.

5. Next, you are going to add wireframe. Click button right next to Mix Amount. Choose Tiles. This material type is used to create tiling pattern.

Open Advanced Controls rollout. Change Texture color to black. Increase Horizontal and Vertical Count as may as you want. Also decrease Variance value to 0.

Change Grout color to white. Decrease wireframe thickness (Horizontal and Vertical Gap) to 0.2 or any value you want.

6. Advanced Controls will create black and white pattern like image below (middle left image). Because it is used as opacity channel, you will get blue wireframe. Combined with previous transparent earth, you will get transparent and wireframe globe.

6. Render. Image below shows finished result. This techniques will be an awesome addition to your bumper or logo animation.

Download finished 3ds max file here

Creating Transparent And Wireframe Globe Part 1 | Part 2

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Didik Wijaya, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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