What is a Displacement Map?

A Displacement Map is an image used to shift the position of points within an object, changing its shape.

In the most basic of uses, an object's shape can be given organic characteristics, difficult to model, fairly simply.

Animating a displacement map is as simple as moving the texture along an axis over a period of frames. Point structures adjust using the grey scale values along individual axes to change the relationship from the original form as the texture moves.

Since Displacement Maps change the position of points, triangle polygons MUST be used - to avoid non-planar rendering errors!

Normally, as an object is made, the goal of creating fewer polygons is desired. When considering using displacement maps to animate or form an object's geometry, creating enough polygons to conform to the intended map is important.

Displacement Map information is saved within a scene file - not object file.


When is a Displacement Map undesireable?

Displacement Maps are difficult to control - especially where polygons are animating within close proximity to other polygons. Collisions can occurr easily and not seen within the Layout. Complete animated test renders are a must in these cases.

When you need control over the position and stat of an object when it completes it's "transformation" - it may be better to use a morph object. As a morphed object, it is possible to know the end state of the geometry within the transformed state.