Select objects. > Rendering menu > Render to Texture > Render to Texture dialog > Output rollout > Click Add. > Add Texture
Elements dialog > Choose elements to render.
When you render to texture or “bake” a texture, you choose one or more elements to render. These elements save aspects of
the rendered scene: its geometry, lighting, shadows, and so on.
When you add an element to render, it appears in a list in the Objects To Bake rollout. In the list, you can disable or enable rendering of that individual map, or select it to adjust which components
it will include.
Note: Automatically generated reflections and refractions do not work well with rendered textures, although they are included
in the Complete and Blend texture maps.
The available element maps are described in the sections that follow.
Limitations of Composite and Blend Materials
If the object has a Composite or Blend material applied to it, only certain elements render correctly. Which elements render
correctly depend on the renderer you are using.
The default scanline renderer renders only these elements of a Composite or Blend material correctly:
-
Diffuse color
-
Specular color
-
Reflections
-
Ambient color
-
Self-illumination color
-
Refractions
The mental ray renderer renders only these elements of a Composite or Blend material correctly:
Component Options (Unique Settings)
Many element maps let you choose to include or not include components of the rendered scene. When your element to render is
highlighted in the list, these options appear on the Selected Element Unique Settings group.
A complete map saves most surface properties of the rendered object; specifically:
-
Lighting
-
Diffuse color
-
Specular color
-
Reflections
-
Shadows
-
Ambient color
-
Self-illumination color
-
Refractions
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
For a complete map, you can choose not to render shadows.
A specular map saves only the specular color of the object.
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
For a specular map, you can choose not to render lighting or shadows.
A diffuse map saves only the diffuse color of the object.
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
For a diffuse map, you can choose not to render lighting or shadows.
A shadows map saves only the shadows cast onto the object.
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
There are no unique settings for a shadows map.
A lighting map saves only the lighting cast onto the object.
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
For a lighting map, you can choose not to render shadows, direct light, or indirect light.
A blend map is like a complete map, except that all its components, not just shadows, are optional.
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
For a blend map, you can choose not to render any of the following components:
-
Lighting
-
Diffuse color
-
Specular color
-
Reflections
-
Shadows
-
Ambient color
-
Self-illumination color
-
Refractions
An alpha map saves only the alpha channel of the rendered object.
Component Options (Selected Elements Unique Settings)
There are no unique settings for an alpha map.