3D Texturing 3D Texturing Materials & Surface Properties 2

Question 1

What is a 'displacement map' and how does it differ from a normal map?

Accepted Answer

Displacement physically moves mesh vertices at render time, while normal maps only fake lighting detail

Answer

Displacement maps physically alter mesh geometry at render or subdivision time, producing true silhouette detail that normal maps cannot.

Question 2

In PBR, why should the albedo map of a non-metallic surface avoid very dark or very bright values?

Accepted Answer

PBR energy conservation breaks with extreme albedo values, producing non-physical reflectance

Answer

PBR energy conservation requires albedo values to stay within a realistic range (roughly 30–240 sRGB) to avoid surfaces that absorb or emit more light than physically possible.

Question 3

What does an opacity/alpha map control in a 3D material?

Accepted Answer

The transparency or cutout regions of a surface, masking which pixels are visible

Answer

An opacity map defines which pixels of a material are transparent, semi-transparent, or fully opaque, used for foliage, hair cards, and decals.

Question 4

What is 'emissive mapping' used for in a PBR workflow?

Accepted Answer

Making specific parts of a surface glow or emit light independent of scene lighting

Answer

Emissive maps define areas of a material that appear to emit light, used for screens, neon signs, and glowing circuitry.

Question 5

In PBR texturing, what is the difference between a 'specular workflow' and a 'metallic-roughness workflow'?

Accepted Answer

Specular workflow uses separate specular color and glossiness maps; metallic-roughness workflow uses a metallic mask and roughness map

Answer

The specular workflow provides explicit specular color control while the metallic-roughness workflow uses a simpler metallic mask, making it the standard in most game engines.

3D Texturing Practice Test

3D Texturing Practice Test

3D Texturing 3D Texturing Materials & Surface Properties 2