A texture map is an image or function for modifying how a surface appears. It might be a simple image, or a simple function such as for generating the Marble texture, or even a complex image-processing system such as compositors and masking systems.

A texture map plug-in controls how a material is applied to a surface.

Note: Developers creating procedural textures should be aware that these textures may appear less than perfect when a 3ds Max user is using the "Quick Renderer" in the Materials Editor. This is not the fault of the plug-in texture, it is simply that the "Quick Renderer" uses an algorithm that is quicker but less accurate than the standard scan-line renderer.